*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[duckyfromoz]

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My white runners all lay blue eggs.

Where did your runners come from? Could be that they have some recent coloured bloodlines in their not too distance heritage.

 

[Senna95]

Quote:
My white runners all lay blue eggs.

Where did your runners come from? Could be that they have some recent coloured bloodlines in their not too distance heritage.

They're from Holderreads.

 

[DuckLover2399]

Duckys are so cute.

 

[DuckLover2399]

IM such a thread killer

 

[animalpro24]

We need gofasterstripe on here! And more from duckyfromoz!
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[Amiga]

Just checking in . . . 'been busy keeping the duckies warm over here.

I know that ducks are really cold hardy and all that.

But apparently little Achtie didn't get the memo - a couple of times today I've had to bring her in (which means the flock, since where one goes, we all go) because she was fluffed up, hunched up, and shivering.

Not for long - I check in every ten minutes or so while they're out in the cold weather. Often, I'm right there with them.

She's otherwise in fine shape. But her bmi is low. She's quite the svelte Runner girl.

It was about six or seven degrees F here last night - I think that's about -12C.

Warmed up to 25F and sunny around noon.

So the new routine is to delay our ventures to the great outdoors till it's at least in the teens, and come in for warmups. No, we don't sip cocoa by the fireplace. But a nice sheltered 40F is easier on the system. Several have started or continued to lay eggs, and I don't want to stress them.

Another part of the new routine is to dump the swim pans and drain the hoses and outdoor spigots no later than mid-afternoon. I was getting away with doing it just before sundown, but yesterday a hose and spigot froze up on me before 3 p.m. phooey.

I find keeping a 5 galllon jerry can of water in the basement helps for when I forget to drain the hose.

Having the ducks has been a big help to my health - I need to be out in all kinds of weather, so I am much more acclimated to working and even resting in sub-freezing temperatures. As a fellow student once told me - there's no such thing as bad weather. Just bad clothes. (yes, I know there can be exceptions . . . )

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Gosh, what a time you get to have!
I haven't dumped the pool in a few days here because they insist on going swimming before bed and it has been getting down to 18-20 degrees at night and they have open top coops so they get a fresh bucket of water to dump faces in but no swimming right now. Why they want to go to bed wet is beyond me but the shavings do not hold up well with that yuck so once the weekend rolls around and it gets back to 60 degrees they can have clean pools again. Duckies seldom listen to mommy!

Love your stories and so understand about the clothes!

 

[Amiga]

WestKnollAmy,

they do have their own duckie ideas, don't they??

I try to get shivering girls to go inside and let the rest stay out, but that is not easy to do and seems to stress the ones inside. sheesh.

The thing that helps immensely with our winter setup is the bottom half of a very large dog crate - it's a big plastic bowl, essentially, with a doorway. I put a few inches of sawdust pellets in it and set the stew pot (nice and deep for them to dunk their heads and flat bottomed so they don't dump the pot) in the middle of that. Approximately 99% of the splash stays in the crate bottom. I call it the watering station.

That way I only have to change out the straw in their pen once a week or so. I do pull out the straw at the doorway daily. But I put sawdust under that, too and it really helps.

When temperatures are wicked cold, they take mini-baths in the fresh water I give them first thing. If it's too rough to go outside (we get nor'easters sometimes) then I'll change the water again after an hour or two. Seems they'll bathe first, then drink.

 

[bantiehen]

I figured out which duck was laying what egg

my runners are laying the much prettier (well its a toss up) greener eggs

and my mallard is laying the much smaller olive colored egg

So I've got a mixture of both I have 9 eggs in the incubator now from all three hens and I have some that I'm auctioning off

if anyone's interested in runners

 

[duckyfromoz]

What better way is there to spend a friday night,.... Firstly I was out the front of the house with my little visitor- the vitamin deficient duckling that I have been caring for over the last month and a bit. He was so happy to outside- flapping around and jumping and running around in circles.

Then I took a week old duckling out the back to let the adults see it. Pretty much everyone came for a look during the 20 minutes we were outside. Flippy came over and had to try and taste the duckling - even the drake came for a closer look. Some of the ducks that are currently laying took the most interest. I hope it doesnt suddenly set them off in being broody

Every one is fed and locked up for the night now- so its time to spend some cuddle time with the inside babies. with 9 little one between 3 and 7 days old- its so hard to choose who to cuddle first.