QUESTIONS ABOUT DUCKS

[BackyardAnita]

I have alot of questions about ducks, i might get them in the spring.
I have chickens at the moment.

-How can i fix the poop problem, or at least make it less noticable. Can a hose easily just destroy it? Do ducks poop more than chickens? I have a pond, would they poop mostly in there?

-if i got three ducks, would they be very loud? Would it bother my neighbors? Are they only loud when their excited?

-(if i didnt get them in spring, but some other month) at what age can they go outside if its winter? if i got them as ducklings would they be kept warm by a duck, or hen if i made the duck/hen adopt them?

thanks in advance!!!!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Muscovy Ducks are not noisy much at all! They will poop in ponds!!!!!! You can wash the poop away depending on how many ducks you have,at the moment I only have two and personally I think my 5 hens make more of a mess then my Muscovy's.

 

[Kevin565]

Would the ducks be free ranging or in a pen?

 

[BackyardAnita]

free ranging

 

[Kevin565]

How large of area?

 

[BackyardAnita]

half an acre or a quarter acre

 

[Kevin565]

In that case spraying down the poop would be quite difficult. If you have plenty of healthy plants that will assist in breaking down some of the feces. How large is the pond? Does dirty up water quite quickly. They aren't that loud IMO but if you have very close neighbors then that may be a problem.

 

[RunnerWhisperer]

I typically spray down the areas closest to the house and the deck of course. At least where people will be walking and around their kiddie pool. It makes me feel cleaner, the rain usually gets the rest.

I have a question too. I have had my chocolate runner for 1 year and 7 months. The past few months she has just been extremely noisy! Non stop quacking. She runs fast through the yard "quacking" her face off. I don't know why she is doing this!? She use to only do it when she wanted out of her pen at 6:30am, never heard a peep the rest of the day. Now it's like she's crazy or something!? Another dog barks in the neighborhood, she quacks. I open the slider door..."Quack". The dogs go outside.."Quack" Even when I am out there changing her pond,water dishes and food, she still quacks. We got two more ducks thinking this would help but nothing has changed. What kind of behavior is this? I am going to try and post a video showing her to see if anyone can help solve this mystery!

Thanks!