Pekin Duck Club!

[chickens really]

I NEED ADVICE ALL YOU MOTHER DUCKERS!

I live in MT, sometimes we get -20 in the dead of winter. I am getting baby ducks & geese in June. Trying to perfect their giant predator proof run that they will stay in when I am at work or not home (free range when I am home) I want to know if I can put wild sagebrush in their pen? Is it toxic? Will they destroy it completely? Also, I would like to add wild grass that grows in our fields. Does anyone have any helpful info on sagebrush & ducks, geese? I think it would be perfect- cold hardy, thick wood branches, little maintenance, ect. Of anyone can help, I would be very much appreciative. I cannot find any info on Google that relates with ducks & sagebrush!

Sage brush is dense but spreads good too....Like Lilac trees I believe?......The wild grass is great.......I keep nothing in the pen but do plant around it for good wind protection.........If your seeking shade? A maple tree or a popular?.....

Cheers!

 

[tatemclark]

My ducklings are on chick starter. As for the brewers yeast I just sprinkle some on when ever I can.

 

[Tlmcq]

My ducklings are on chick starter. As for the brewers yeast I just sprinkle some on when ever I can.

Up there yeast to 1 tbsp for each cup of feed. See if this helps.

 

[Berkley]

I have a Pekin who had the same problem with his legs. I gave him the niacin at the time, and it didn't really seem to help. It may have helped by just not letting it get any worse. He is now fully grown and can walk around, but not like the other ducks. He falls over fairly easy when the other ducks bump into him, but that normally only happens when they are all excited and trying to get to their treats. He is a drake, and in with the hens and another drake. Luckily the other drake never picked on him, but I have seen the healthy drake now pick on him once or twice. I may have to start keeping them separate if it gets worse, but as of now it is almost nothing. I am probably just a little too over protective. I was wondering if I were to try the niacin again, now that he is older, would it help any at all? As I said, we gave it to him as he was growing and he at least can walk around and swim, just not nearly as well as the others.

I've now had chickens for years, but am a little new to ducks. We have had them for over a year, but my other half cared for the ducks, and I took care of our three flocks of chickens. We recently moved to a home with a large stream that has a deep pool they can swim in like a pond. They are currently in a large chicken tractor I built out of pvc and chicken wire so it would be light weight and able to be moved to fresh grass. ( Built one out of wood and hardware cloth first and learned its too heavy to move a lot. lol ) It has a wooden coop on the back that I put them in every night to be safe from predators. They have never been free ranged, but I would like to start. How easy is it to train them to come back to you? We live in South Central Kentucky, so predators are everywhere. We have hawks all the time, saw a bobcat running down the road, coons, opossums, skunks, fox, and massive amounts of coyotes. Not to mention dogs that people just let run loose. They would only be able to be out when I am out there with them, or something would get to them. I actually have to MAKE them go into the wooden coop every night, so I am thinking they wont just come back when I want them to, or even if I have treats, as they love water and would just stay in it. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NHDuckMom]

We have 3 ducklings that are 3 weeks old today - a Pekin, a Cayuga and a Black Swedish. My daughter has been clicker training them since they were a few days old. It is amazing how quickly they learn! If you are interested in seeing a few of tricks, here are the links to the videos. One video also shows their first swim at 6 days old.
Enjoy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a Pekin who had the same problem with his legs. I gave him the niacin at the time, and it didn't really seem to help. It may have helped by just not letting it get any worse. He is now fully grown and can walk around, but not like the other ducks. He falls over fairly easy when the other ducks bump into him, but that normally only happens when they are all excited and trying to get to their treats. He is a drake, and in with the hens and another drake. Luckily the other drake never picked on him, but I have seen the healthy drake now pick on him once or twice. I may have to start keeping them separate if it gets worse, but as of now it is almost nothing. I am probably just a little too over protective. I was wondering if I were to try the niacin again, now that he is older, would it help any at all? As I said, we gave it to him as he was growing and he at least can walk around and swim, just not nearly as well as the others.

I've now had chickens for years, but am a little new to ducks. We have had them for over a year, but my other half cared for the ducks, and I took care of our three flocks of chickens. We recently moved to a home with a large stream that has a deep pool they can swim in like a pond. They are currently in a large chicken tractor I built out of pvc and chicken wire so it would be light weight and able to be moved to fresh grass. ( Built one out of wood and hardware cloth first and learned its too heavy to move a lot. lol ) It has a wooden coop on the back that I put them in every night to be safe from predators. They have never been free ranged, but I would like to start. How easy is it to train them to come back to you? We live in South Central Kentucky, so predators are everywhere. We have hawks all the time, saw a bobcat running down the road, coons, opossums, skunks, fox, and massive amounts of coyotes. Not to mention dogs that people just let run loose. They would only be able to be out when I am out there with them, or something would get to them. I actually have to MAKE them go into the wooden coop every night, so I am thinking they wont just come back when I want them to, or even if I have treats, as they love water and would just stay in it. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

I would not let my flock out if I had your situation. which basically I do except we have the river down below us. No way could I let my flock down there they would most likely be all over that river and we are covered up with predators. Mine have half acre fenced with no climb horse fence and barb wire around the top and kiddy pools and they are very content. And secure housing at night.

@Berkley

 

[amandajb7]

Here's my 3 Pekins and 2 Khaki Campbells waiting for me to let them out of their yard so they can go swimming!
"Come on mom, hurry up!"

 

[Tlmcq]

I have a Pekin and she is making noise when she breathes. I am not sure if this is normal as she is the only one I have. The rest are runners and I can't hear them breath at all. I'm wondering if she may have something clogging her nasal passages. Any advice?

 

[Amiga]

I have a Pekin and she is making noise when she breathes. I am not sure if this is normal as she is the only one I have. The rest are runners and I can't hear them breath at all. I'm wondering if she may have something clogging her nasal passages. Any advice?

Elf has nose whistles from time to time. Do they have a way to clear their nares (a headwasher, regular tub time, no soap)? Is it her bill or her lungs?

 

[Tlmcq]

Yes they have a tub in their run... Getting a baby pool Tuesday. I think it's her bill, but not sure if I'd know the difference. I just brought her in for some warmer deeper water in case some food or dirt was caked in her passages