NY chicken lover!!!!

[why do birds]

Well this is what it looked like most recently before everything started sinking in. See that 3rd bushel of grass from the left? that was planted about a foot from the edge of the pond, you can see how much of the mud has fallen in in front if that grass.

WOW! This is a great pic! Gorgeous! What lovely ducks you have!

 

[Lynzi777]

My yard start digging about a foot down you hit nothing but clay and rocks it seems lol. But you can probably buy it where you can buy dirt and that I would think. I just did a fast google search for clay bottom ponds and came across this. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ponds/msg022313259796.html the second post down seemed to have some tips. Since you have spring you don't have to worry about it drying out like he did.

Oooh mine too and I am done digging! My body aches just from thinking about digging any more in this yard! LOL I planted so many things last year and most of the digging consisted of rocks/slate/gravel UGH! It was a nightmare. Even when I move that poultry netting in my yard I hit rocks! So annoying! I think I'll go with the liner! LOL

 

[Lynzi777]

This is the pond. It measures about 35 feet across. Not sure how deep it is. Neighbors say that deer drink from it. It's set back from the barn about 900 or 1000 feet or thereabouts. It's so pretty, all year long!

Wow that IS pretty! Well I'll tell ya what, if for some reason you CAN'T have the ducks entering that pond because they will "pollute" it, then you better make sure they don't find it! LOL Otherwise they'll be in there every single day the first chance they get! That's the first thing mine do every day the minute I open the door to their coop, and it's on the opposite end of the yard. I open the door and they go running (the Khaki's sometimes flying!) over to it and jump in as quickly as they can. We like watching them and counting as each one jumps in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5! Never at the same time, in a line, one at a time.

 

[Lynzi777]

WOW! This is a great pic! Gorgeous! What lovely ducks you have!

Thanks, I love the ducks. If you like watching your chickens, watching ducks is even better! In my opinion anyway...

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

My ducks are they same way. The first thing they do when I open their hut in the morning is run to their tubs and jump in. I call it hot tub time. I bring out water 3 times a day. As soon as they get in there they poop...It's like when you stick someones hand in warm warter while their asleep they are supposed to pee...well the boys as soon as they get in the warm water they poop! They like to sit in their tubs and eat their breakfast!

 

[why do birds]

Wow that IS pretty! Well I'll tell ya what, if for some reason you CAN'T have the ducks entering that pond because they will "pollute" it, then you better make sure they don't find it! LOL Otherwise they'll be in there every single day the first chance they get! That's the first thing mine do every day the minute I open the door to their coop, and it's on the opposite end of the yard. I open the door and they go running (the Khaki's sometimes flying!) over to it and jump in as quickly as they can. We like watching them and counting as each one jumps in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5! Never at the same time, in a line, one at a time.

Wow Lynzi! You have some nice ducks! They must be fun. Do they hatch eggs too? A friend of ours had a few ducks and only got eggs a couple times a year. She said one time they hatched 3 but 1 died immediately, and the other 2 within a day. We saw some at TSC last year and were tempted to get them but we aren't at the farm yet and wouldn't be able to have 6 living inside of the house with us, even if they did have their own bathtub! They were little yellow fuzzy wuzzy ducks, so adorable! Do you sell duck hatching eggs? Other than just for ornamental reasons, why would one have ducks? It seems they don't lay eggs much? We'd probably like them for pets, unless they lay eggs and we were able to make something from the eggs. What do you do with the ducks?

 

[why do birds]

My ducks are they same way. The first thing they do when I open their hut in the morning is run to their tubs and jump in. I call it hot tub time. I bring out water 3 times a day. As soon as they get in there they poop...It's like when you stick someones hand in warm warter while their asleep they are supposed to pee...well the boys as soon as they get in the warm water they poop! They like to sit in their tubs and eat their breakfast!

This is just the best photo! They look so happy!

 

[Glasshen]

I have heard that some ducks lay more eggs than others, and duck eggs are said to be incredible for baking!

 

[Lynzi777]

Wow Lynzi! You have some nice ducks! They must be fun. Do they hatch eggs too? A friend of ours had a few ducks and only got eggs a couple times a year. She said one time they hatched 3 but 1 died immediately, and the other 2 within a day. We saw some at TSC last year and were tempted to get them but we aren't at the farm yet and wouldn't be able to have 6 living inside of the house with us, even if they did have their own bathtub! They were little yellow fuzzy wuzzy ducks, so adorable! Do you sell duck hatching eggs? Other than just for ornamental reasons, why would one have ducks? It seems they don't lay eggs much? We'd probably like them for pets, unless they lay eggs and we were able to make something from the eggs. What do you do with the ducks?

I guess it depends on the breed. I have Indian Runner and Khaki Campbells. the KC's are suppose to lay as many as 300 eggs per year while the Indian Runner can vary anywhere between 100-300. (this is according to efowl.com's website) There is another site that lists the breeds better and gives you their personality rating, egg laying, broodiness, etc side by side. Just can't think of it right now. I got my ducks last year and they hadn't begun to lay yet before winter. I got 3-4 from my KC hen but then that was it. I'm sure they're waiting for warmer weather. I'll be able to answer the egg laying question better when mine start laying. So as far as your questions about hatching eggs, no I do not sell them because I have not gotten any yet. LOL But once I gather some for my own incubator I would probably consider it seeing as how we probably wont eat them as often as we eat the chicken eggs.

Here is the breed comparison chart I was referring to:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm?CustID=2119561

You'll see also that the egg laying estimate is different on this site than what I read on efowl.com. I really think it all depends on the bird, where they are housed, what their lifestyle is like, what they are being fed, etc.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: Maybe Stony will Quack about his Ducks ..I think he has had them the longest ...