Rouen Duck thread

[Kelsykin]

I am the only one in the house that likes peas. I have a huge bag in the freezer. May have to grab some and defrost and set them out for them.

 

[ducklover87]

I'd just like to say that ducks do lay during the winter. I live in upstate NY and last year we had negative 20° weather with wind chill for like a week and yet everyday I had eggs. Now I do use heat lamps for them at night but I'm sure if I didn't they would still lay. I have 10 ladies and got 7 eggs this morning and its already 30° and colder out during the day and night. As long as they have a warm house to be in at night they should lay just fine. Along with a solid diet. They might slow down a bit during the winter but they will still lay. Some females might stop but that depends on the duck herself. Mostly they will just slow down a little bit. I hope I cleared this up for everyone.

 

[ducklover87]

Ernie how long have you had your ducks? And what is your duck to drake ratio? I think instead of ignoring them you should try sitting with them. Bring treats lots of them. Try the peas most ducks seem to love them. Mine however didn't get the memo, but they love dried mealworms. Just sit with them in a small enclosed area and throw some peas or whatever on the ground see if they will eat them. Start off with the treats as far from you as possible. Once they start eating them throw them closer to you until they are within reach. See how close you can get them to you. This will have to be done at least once a day until they get the hang of it. Don't try to pet them or hold them until they are totally comfortable with you. Then you can try the holding and petting if you'd like. I find that once mine get older they don't really like that stuff anymore.

 

[Kelsykin]

The ignoring thing is not really ignoring. We are working getting things set for Winter. More like we are just not fawning on them. We have noticed that the harder we try to get them to come to us the more they run. So instead of chasing to get their attention we are making them chase us to get our attention. On the lines of when you liked a boy or girl in school they ignored you when you fawned on them but the second you showed interest elsewhere they were all over you.

We are pretty sure they did not get much attention from people. They guy had like 30 or so Rouens and Pekins mixed together in a 30' x 10' pen. But he also had a pond in their yard area. basically they opened the door leading to the pond and the ducks flocked to it. The guy explained that is made egg collection and cleaning easier. I am going to try the peas with them. See if I can get any interest from them. Most likely Kate will gobble them all. Kate is the older hen and not as cautious as Ziva. Our drake, McGee, just watches over them and keeps an eye on any people near the pen.


We plan to put in the expanded yard a few rabbit hutches. The expansion is planned for next Spring. They will be going from a 10' x 10' pen to a 20' x 30' pen. We will also leaving their Duck house and adding a lean-to on the north western part of the yard as a wind break and protection from the elements and flying predators. Now if we get a deal worked out on the property we have been looking at, things will change. there will be a major change in the yard set up for the ducks.

 

[ducklover87]

The ignoring thing is not really ignoring. We are working getting things set for Winter. More like we are just not fawning on them. We have noticed that the harder we try to get them to come to us the more they run. So instead of chasing to get their attention we are making them chase us to get our attention. On the lines of when you liked a boy or girl in school they ignored you when you fawned on them but the second you showed interest elsewhere they were all over you. 

We are pretty sure they did not get much attention from people. They guy had like 30 or so Rouens and Pekins mixed together in a 30' x 10' pen. But he also had a pond in their yard area. basically they opened the door leading to the pond and the ducks flocked to it. The guy explained that is made egg collection and cleaning easier. I am going to try the peas with them. See if I can get any interest from them. Most likely Kate will gobble them all. Kate is the older hen and not as cautious as Ziva. Our drake, McGee, just watches over them and keeps an eye on any people near the pen. 


We plan to put in the expanded yard a few rabbit hutches. The expansion is planned for next Spring. They will be going from a 10' x 10' pen to a 20' x 30' pen. We will also leaving their Duck house and adding a lean-to on the north western part of the yard as a wind break and protection from the elements and flying predators.  Now if we get a deal worked out on the property we have been looking at, things will change. there will be a major change in the yard set up for the ducks. 

I know what you mean. Ducks arent really like that though. They will get used to you being around maybe but not used to you being near them. If you've ever had ducklings then you know they are afraid of people until you gain there trust from touching them, picking them up, sitting there talking to them. All that human contact gets them used to people. So doing the same things will help to get them used to you now. Just sitting in there pen or duck house away from them and talking to them will get them used to you. The peas will hopefully help. If they will eat them. That's good that you do have a duck who will eat in front of you. That way if she starts eating them, maybe the others will follow suit. Its hard getting ducks used to humans when they never had that human contact before. It sounds like they will be quite the spoiled little duckies.

 

[Kelsykin]

We tend to spoil our animals. The rabbits had AC this past summer. Even when the house AC blew the rabbits had their portable unit in the trailer.

For the ducks I want to make their lives good. Even if DH decides an animal is a dinner, we try to spoil them and when we do have to take their lives it is with the knowledge they were spoiled and they shall not go to waste. Circle of life thing.

My ducks i had before would come running when we came any where near the pen. I think it as because we got them as day olds and we spoiled them from the day they arrived.

 

[KBgirls]

Still can't figure-out if my Rouen is a boy or a girl?

 

[ducklover87]

Still can't figure-out if my Rouen is a boy or a girl?

How old is your Rouen? Looks female but still may be too early to tell.

 

[KBgirls]

Around 5 to 6 weeks, and is starting to get blue feathers under its wings

 

[Kelsykin]

Looks identical to my hens. Boys usually have the green head with grey. Girls are brown.