Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[one old chick]

So far the only heated bowl that stopped working was the one I dropped on the patio [stone] and it cracked. I place a board over a section of my heated buckets to keep the ducks from climbing into them and my geese from splashing out all the water. lol they can still dunk their heads just can't bath in them.

I use this method of fermenting my flocks feed. What breed of ducks do you have? some breeds will lay all winter long with short breaks, then other like me who have Muscovy's have to wait till spring for eggs since they are seasonal layers. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/no-strain-hot-water-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video if you have a TSC close by they have the heated bowls for 12.99 and heated buckets starting at I believe 34.99

WOW, great idea about the board! I was wondering what i could do to keep them out. they stick their heads in and throw water onto their back drives me crazy

. I'm not sure about the breed, was told they were campbells but I don't think so because they have white around the neck. My drake has a green head white ring around his neck and the most beautiful brown body. The two ducks are brown speckled with white around the neck. I really hope they don't lay eggs all winter. I'm thinking of buying an incubator and maybe hatching a few out and brooidng them in the house to be ready to go out in the spring.

 

[quirkybeeper]

How's the baby doing today??

Well...she's doing well, her lungs are definitely healthy LOL!! I had to figure out how to get her to be quiet so I could finish my homework, I put a small box with some bedding in it on my desk (that didn't work), I tried sitting on the floor next to the brooder (that didn't work)...I finally had to wrap a piece of cardboard around her brooder (aka clear storage tote) so she couldn't see me, then she finally quieted down!

I had a great idea, I saw a picture of someone's brooder where they'd taken an empty Arizona Tea jug and cut a small hole in it for the water to kinda keep from getting water all over the brooder...well mom cut the hole a little big and Indigo can actually get into it. Oops! Can't keep the silly duck out!! I've got another jug I'm going to finish off tonight, and I'll see if I can get the hole right this time! For now, I've made sure she can easily get out of the other one, and I dumped most of the water out, it just barely covers her feet. And she's got her lamp to keep her from getting cold. I swear, she takes after her dad!

She also sleeps in these silly positions...she's trying to give me a heart attack!


She's on her tummy with her feet straight out behind her and her neck stretched out just as faaarrrr as it will go. She's full of silly!

 

[quirkybeeper]

I had a great idea, I saw a picture of someone's brooder where they'd taken an empty Arizona Tea jug and cut a small hole in it for the water to kinda keep from getting water all over the brooder...well mom cut the hole a little big and Indigo can actually get into it. Oops! Can't keep the silly duck out!! I've got another jug I'm going to finish off tonight, and I'll see if I can get the hole right this time! For now, I've made sure she can easily get out of the other one, and I dumped most of the water out, it just barely covers her feet. And she's got her lamp to keep her from getting cold. I swear, she takes after her dad!

After fishing the duck out of the milk jug for the 5th time, I took the water out completely...the last couple times, she was just sitting in there in the water, so I emptied it out and gave her the jug, maybe she just wants to be in the jug! Now to find another container for her water...

 

[Miss Lydia]

After fishing the duck out of the milk jug for the 5th time, I took the water out completely...the last couple times, she was just sitting in there in the water, so I emptied it out and gave her the jug, maybe she just wants to be in the jug! Now to find another container for her water...

That is just the sweetest pics, and yes they are very demanding, too bad you can't find her a friend, have you looked on craigslist or petfinder? or Carolina Water fowl? she needs a stuffed animals to cuddle with and a non breakable mirror so she has someone to talk to. Bless it's heart what a way to sleep I thought she was dead I can see how that would scare ya.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/426909/non-spill-duckling-waterer/10

 

[Miss Lydia]

WOW, great idea about the board! I was wondering what i could do to keep them out. they stick their heads in and throw water onto their back drives me crazy

. I'm not sure about the breed, was told they were campbells but I don't think so because they have white around the neck. My drake has a green head white ring around his neck and the most beautiful brown body. The two ducks are brown speckled with white around the neck. I really hope they don't lay eggs all winter. I'm thinking of buying an incubator and maybe hatching a few out and brooidng them in the house to be ready to go out in the spring.

I'd love to see some pics of them. they sound lovely.

 

[quirkybeeper]

That is just the sweetest pics, and yes they are very demanding, too bad you can't find her a friend, have you looked on craigslist or petfinder? or Carolina Water fowl? she needs a stuffed animals to cuddle with and a non breakable mirror so she has someone to talk to. Bless it's heart what a way to sleep I thought she was dead I can see how that would scare ya.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/426909/non-spill-duckling-waterer/10

I just got back from the store, got her a stuffed reindeer/bear dog toy, and she's snuggled up to it now. I'll see about a mirror sometime soon. I think she did just want to be in the milk jug, she's been sleeping in it all day! I finished the tea from that other gallon jug last night and cut a much smaller hole in it, so she can fit her head in and get water, but she can't climb into it.
I don't want to get another duckling right now because I've already got a drake and a hen, I don't want to end up with 3 drakes lol...I don't know if Indigo is a male or female, I just call her "her" because it sounds better than "it" if Indigo does turn out to be a drake, I'll find another hen in the spring when I get ready to put Indigo in the pen with the big ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just got back from the store, got her a stuffed reindeer/bear dog toy, and she's snuggled up to it now. I'll see about a mirror sometime soon. I think she did just want to be in the milk jug, she's been sleeping in it all day! I finished the tea from that other gallon jug last night and cut a much smaller hole in it, so she can fit her head in and get water, but she can't climb into it.
I don't want to get another duckling right now because I've already got a drake and a hen, I don't want to end up with 3 drakes lol...I don't know if Indigo is a male or female, I just call her "her" because it sounds better than "it"

if Indigo does turn out to be a drake, I'll find another hen in the spring when I get ready to put Indigo in the pen with the big ducks.

A mirror will help loads in giving her some company when you can't be there for her. and watch that hole they grow so fast you wouldn't want to come home one day and find she got her head stuck inside and couldn't get back out. I know I am a worry wort.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@Miss Lydia
@quirkybeeper

It's not being a "worry wort. "

Always better to think ahead than to have regrets later. I'm thinking of last winter, when I did not have the board across the top of my water bucket and my adult duck drowned in it. Always better to think ahead and try to prevent tragedies and accidents before they occur.

 

[quirkybeeper]

@Miss Lydia
@quirkybeeper

It's not being a "worry wort. "

Always better to think ahead than to have regrets later. I'm thinking of last winter, when I did not have the board across the top of my water bucket and my adult duck drowned in it. Always better to think ahead and try to prevent tragedies and accidents before they occur.

Very true. I saw that link about the "butterware" with a hole cut in the lid, I may try that...or just go buy a waterer from Southern States. One of those plastic ones with a red base and white top...I'll have to check though, I know it needs to be deep enough for her to clean out her nares.

Oh and she's a snuggle duck...I picked her up last night just to hold her a bit and she was struggling to escape so I took my top hand off so she wouldn't feel trapped (she was sitting in my right hand with my left hand on top so she couldn't jump out of my hands), hoping she'd settle down. She immediately calmed down, sat down on my hand, nuzzled her head into my fleece jacket, and fell asleep!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very true. I saw that link about the "butterware" with a hole cut in the lid, I may try that...or just go buy a waterer from Southern States. One of those plastic ones with a red base and white top...I'll have to check though, I know it needs to be deep enough for her to clean out her nares.

Oh and she's a snuggle duck...I picked her up last night just to hold her a bit and she was struggling to escape so I took my top hand off so she wouldn't feel trapped (she was sitting in my right hand with my left hand on top so she couldn't jump out of my hands), hoping she'd settle down. She immediately calmed down, sat down on my hand, nuzzled her head into my fleece jacket, and fell asleep!

Makes me miss having my baby in the house except he is 2.5 yrs old now but I can still go out and snuggle him any time I want too, but not the same as having them snuggle when babies. Even my dh loved having that lil thing in the house. So okay you need to takes lots of pics. duckling with drawls going on here.