Rav's Duckumentary - Call duckling babies (pic heavy)

[Ruralhideaway]

Thanks for the great general advice and I'll be in touch @Pyxis when I've tracked down some details. Any months I should consider best times for the birds to be laying?

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks for the great general advice and I'll be in touch @Pyxis when I've tracked down some details. Any months I should consider best times for the birds to be laying?

The geese could start laying anytime now, I'm really hoping before the end of February. The ducks hopefully by March

 

[Ruralhideaway]

So likely I should think late March to be safe I think?

 

[Ravynscroft]

You'd do best showing them the creek than trying to keep them from it... guaranteed they will find it and then they'll be like kids who found the stash of Halloween candy, lol... you can train ducks fairly easily, especially Calls... take them to it and herd them back, keep them on a schedule and they'll do well with that... patience and consistency is key...

Yes, they can share a run with chickens, mine free range with chickens and sneak into my Ameraucanas pen, lol... the chickens are just offended by what the ducks do to their water is all...

Pyxis gave you great advice on the geese/ducks stuff, she has a ton more experience there than I do for sure... hope y'all can arrange a meetup!

 

[Pyxis]

So likely I should think late March to be safe I think?

Yep, that would be a safe bet

 

[Ravynscroft]

Peg...

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Peg is gorgeous, that blush! Thank you so much @Ravynscroft for the info. I'm finalizing my coop now and planning a run that will be winter friendly with a covered sunroom portion. Scored a real deal on those polycarb roof panels. Easy enough to add duck and goose houses adjacent as long as I plan now.

I've always wanted to build a bird specific garden pond. Maybe it's time. Could distract them from the creek but I can also make that a bit safer as well if I fence off the area where I can't mow and clear the banks. Never had daytime creek losses.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Thanks, @Ruralhideaway , Peg is a special girl... she is a Snowy, but not a breeder... due to incubation temp spikes she hatched with only one leg... so she enjoys the super spoiled life, lol...

Oh, they don't have to have completely covered area for winter, but wind blocked area is key... and a dry section of straw/shavings or similar to get off snow is essential...

Don't let Calls stay out at night, they're prime targets for any predators and a particular favorite of owls... at least a netted, secure run is ideal...

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Thanks, @Ruralhideaway , Peg is a special girl... she is a Snowy, but not a breeder... due to incubation temp spikes she hatched with only one leg... so she enjoys the super spoiled life, lol...

Oh, they don't have to have completely covered area for winter, but wind blocked area is key... and a dry section of straw/shavings or similar to get off snow is essential...

Don't let Calls stay out at night, they're prime targets for any predators and a particular favorite of owls... at least a netted, secure run is ideal...

I'll never allow that again. That's why I think I'll have to do a little creek area fencing. They'd hop in the creek near the lawn then swim down into the wetland area where walking is hard let alone mowing, impossible! So no way to get them back unless they wanted to come. I never slept, worried too much. Never again.

New ducks and geese could have an 11 x 9 fenced and top netted run of their own, (plus electric around the whole thing), plus access to the covered run year round with small houses for sleeping. Couple hundred feet of hardware cloth sitting here ready for thaw. Somehow I ended up with 19 chickens so I'm planning to do this run just once and build big. Never know when I'll end up with an incubator after all.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Good planning!

For the ducks and geese, you could just plan one large coop that you could divide if needed, cut down on amount of building... just a thought...