NY chicken lover!!!!

[Pyxis]

What is gapeworm?

http://poultrykeeper.com/digestive-system-problems/gape-worm-or-syngamus-trachea It's not very common though.

 

[sarahandbray]

Just thought I'd share...have babies hatching tonight/tomorrow! First pip is the green egg on the left! So fun

 

[Gramma Chick]

I need duck help but not sure how to get it. Think my duck has something caught in his throat. I think the wood shavings may be broken down too much & mixing with his food. Will take them out & put in hay. But how do I help him now?

Ducks eat anything ...Leaves , Etc ..Is he coughing ? I had one duck who would cough every once in a while ..
Does he have access to lots of water ? maybe it can be flushed down ? maybe some oil to coat his throat ??

 

[Gramma Chick]

Well 7 of Ranchers chicks & 60 of my eggs made it safely to Nuttys house ..
May she have many more !

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Well 7 of Ranchers chicks & 60 of my eggs made it safely to Nuttys house ..
May she have many more !

I thought I posted yesterday see what happens when you are half asleep. Anyways yes thank you gramma chick eggs are In the incubator and the EE's from Rancher have settled in nicely.
Still sucks replacing my flock. This is what I came home too

Twins a boy and a girl

 

[BusyBearMama]

Beautiful Kids!! Nigerians? <3

 

[Gramma Chick]

Twins a boy and a girl You did post /text it to me on Sat ...LOL

Is the one with the white cap on it s head a boy ? Id call that one Friar if it is

 

[Lynzi777]

I would NOT add ducks with 2 toddlers ..they will be a lot of extra work to keep cages clean ...Do you have a pond or stream near ?
I forget what layers you have ?
If you can get free chickens ...I would do that ...I like all different colors too
Why Brahmas ? are they supposed to be hardier than others ?
I have a mixed laying / production flock they are fine ..in our weather ...some are turning 3 years
Lets face it eveyone hates this snow !

I have to agree, ducks and toddlers are a bad mix. The mess they produce daily is staggering and toddlers would have difficulty resisting the water that the ducks foul so fast. I'd also be care with geese they can be very loving or very mean. Waterfowl bite hard enough to bruise, and my husband took a shot in the head from an angry goose's wing that left him with a headache for days. I would start with chickens, there are tons of gentle, dual purpose breeds that can keep the family in eggs and meat, and will be gentle around young children. Once they get a little bigger, then it would be time to expand to waterfowl!

Here are the questions for spring: get free(maybe?) chicks from the mother of a friend, barnyard mixes bred for 15 years to eat little and lay much in the wny climate OR get my hands on a bunch of brahma LF straight run, eat most of the males and have a beautiful breeding and laying flock that doesn't suffer so much during the winter? (my production layers are too slender and chilly.)
If brahma, then what color?
Should I add some runner ducks? they're so cute!
Can I manage some geese if I absolutely promise to eat every last one instead of keeping a breeding trio over the winter?
What will life actually be like with so much poultry in addition to an expanded garden and two toddlers? (truthfully, I'm not really asking this question.)

I don't understand why anyone would ever discourage someone with kids from getting something their family has a great interest in raising. As long as you understand that YOU will be the one taking care of all these new animals along with the other responsibilities that come with being a parent/spouse I don't see the harm in getting ducks or geese. Especially if you are going to get them as younger waterfowl and not adults. I got chickens when my kids were 5 & 2 and added ducks when they were 6 & 3, no issues at all. I haven't been on too much, just pop on from time to time to catch up, what is your set up like? How much land do you own? We're moving May 1st to a property with just under 3 acres. We're going to be adding runner ducks again and some sebby geese, my friend actually has some expected to hatching at the end of this month.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

You

I don't understand why anyone would ever discourage someone with kids from getting something their family has a great interest in raising. As long as you understand that YOU will be the one taking care of all these new animals along with the other responsibilities that come with being a parent/spouse I don't see the harm in getting ducks or geese. Especially if you are going to get them as younger waterfowl and not adults. I got chickens when my kids were 5 & 2 and added ducks when they were 6 & 3, no issues at all. I haven't been on too much, just pop on from time to time to catch up, what is your set up like? How much land do you own? We're moving May 1st to a property with just under 3 acres. We're going to be adding runner ducks again and some sebby geese, my friend actually has some expected to hatching at the end of this month.

You are correct, individual circumstances play a lot into it. The adage "never get more animals than your mother can take care of" is also true! I have also had a duck we raised from a day old grab a hold of my daughter's face, barely missing her eye, and leaving a significant bruise. She is 23, and works with poultry for a living. Chickens are a lot more mellow, and when she was really little we had a small mixed flock of them. We have not had problems with our ducks that we incubated ourselves, but some of our breeder stock from outside farms are downright mean. I have a broody duck in our bathroom where she hatched out a clutch last week. I would not attempt that with a toddler - too much mess, and our broody girl is very protective and won't think twice about attacking to protect her babies. (She got my leg yesterday) I love my ducks and geese - they are engaging and very social birds, but with their intelligence comes a strong need to convey their feelings, including anger, and every bird is different. Some are just not all sweetness and love, no matter how much you spoil them, and it is important to be aware of that, whatever decision you make.

 

[Beer can]

My ducks never made any messes, they stayed outside on our three acres with pond. They wintered in the neighbors huge pond that had a section that didn't freeze because it had running water going in it all winter. When the first bunch of little ones were in the house they were worse than pigs. All little ones after that were taken care of by the broody mom's.