Saying Goodbye To Mandy [long and graphic]

[Haunted55]

Oh I am so very sorry for your loss and how you had to "find her" after all that. I had my first experience "finding" my favorite drake a bit over a week ago. I like you thought, "Eh, they are fine. They are ALWAYS fine and nothing will happen." I let my duck and drake out for JUST A MINUTE and in that short amount of time a hawk swooped in while I was around on the other side of building. Found him face down, wings spread and dead. I don't think that way ANYMORE. It is sad it takes a dead favorite duck to make us realize that, but sometimes learning the hard way is good.

Again, I am so very sorry for your loss. I understand where you are coming from.

I am so sorry you went through this. No matter how we lose them, it hurts and leaves a big hole. I've always said, 'I learns hard, but I learns well'. More bitter words to swallow, I can't think of right now. I hope and think that our experiences will make us better keepers of the ones who depend on us.

 

[Haunted55]

I want to thank everyone who has read this and responded. Knowing 'you' are out there and understand what I'm saying helps alot. I hope this message will help someone else before they make the same stupid mistakes I have made.

 

[Carcajou]

So sorry for your loss. I lost two out of three of my first little flock during the night and was greatly saddened by their loss so I know how you feel. This first flock roosted around the pond and would just swim away when I tried to herd them. My pond is wide and deep enough that wading is not an option. I had to completely change my management style when I got new ducklings last spring so I could ensure that they go in the coop every night.

Thank you for starting this thread. I pray it will help others.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I am so sorry for your loss, but I am very thankful that you are sharing your story. Hopefully it will help prevent this from happening to someone else.

 

[countrygirl74]

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. I can tell you really loved her and she will be missed...

I am fairly new to ducks and want to do everything I can to keep them safe and healthy as I love them sooo much. I have 2 Pekin females, 1 Rouen female and 1 Rouen drake. We just recently bought a big pool for them. Should I not allow them to have access to the pool unless under supervision? They are now 10 weeks old. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[EmAbTo48]

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. I can tell you really loved her and she will be missed...

I am fairly new to ducks and want to do everything I can to keep them safe and healthy as I love them sooo much. I have 2 Pekin females, 1 Rouen female and 1 Rouen drake. We just recently bought a big pool for them. Should I not allow them to have access to the pool unless under supervision? They are now 10 weeks old. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

No allow access to a pool for short periods of time since your birds might not be fully featherd at 10 weeks. If they have their adult down and feathers they should be just fine without supervision as long as they can get out of the pool. You can put rocks or bricks in it to allow easier way for them to get out.

OP had aggressive drakes thats why OP explained their was a safe place for the female hens to get away from the overbearing drakes. Since you have one drake their shouldn't be this aggressive breeding problem since he isn't competeing over ladies plus hes still a bit young. Many drakes aren't as aggressive as OP's but some are. As he ages watch how he treats his ladies if hes over aggressive I would remove him. We eat duck and when a drake is nasty to his hens hes out.

 

[Haunted55]

No allow access to a pool for short periods of time since your birds might not be fully featherd at 10 weeks. If they have their adult down and feathers they should be just fine without supervision as long as they can get out of the pool. You can put rocks or bricks in it to allow easier way for them to get out.

OP had aggressive drakes thats why OP explained their was a safe place for the female hens to get away from the overbearing drakes. Since you have one drake their shouldn't be this aggressive breeding problem since he isn't competeing over ladies plus hes still a bit young. Many drakes aren't as aggressive as OP's but some are. As he ages watch how he treats his ladies if hes over aggressive I would remove him. We eat duck and when a drake is nasty to his hens hes out.

X2. I have extra males that were younger than the others and I thought I had until March before they came into 'their own'. My mistake, not the pool. I have always allowed them a pool or trough, if the temps are above freezing, without ever having a problem until now. For some reason the birds are acting up early this year, birds I would think are too young to be active this way are showing all of the signs and actions to go with them. Another thing I've learned, calendars aren't the only thing to tell you how soon a duck or goose or any animal will mate. My calendar said I had another couple of months, I guess these guys didn't get the memo. Use your eyes and your gut, they won't let you down.

This is my first year with ducks and geese as well. If I knew then, what I know now......yes, I would still have them. As I said before, it isn't the drakes fault, it is mine. Please, try and learn from my mistakes and this won't happen to you. Read, read and then read some more. Ask questions, there are so many knowledgeable poultry people on BYC that no one has an excuse not to do it right the first time. Others have already gone before you and marked the right path to take. Finally, again, go by your gut instincts. If something doesn't seem right to you, look it up, ask, whatever you need to do to find out. Chances are you're right and you can stop something bad from happening.

 

[blondiebee181]

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. I can tell you really loved her and she will be missed...

I am fairly new to ducks and want to do everything I can to keep them safe and healthy as I love them sooo much. I have 2 Pekin females, 1 Rouen female and 1 Rouen drake. We just recently bought a big pool for them. Should I not allow them to have access to the pool unless under supervision? They are now 10 weeks old. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah I agree with OP and EmAbTo...your ducks should be okay because you only have one drake, not a gang of bullies. I THINK...don't quote me, that also Pekins will eventually grow to be bigger than Rouens...I also agree that you should monitor his behavior as he ages to make sure that he doesn't become overly aggressive.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So true, and so sorry for your loss.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

X2. I have extra males that were younger than the others and I thought I had until March before they came into 'their own'. My mistake, not the pool. I have always allowed them a pool or trough, if the temps are above freezing, without ever having a problem until now. For some reason the birds are acting up early this year, birds I would think are too young to be active this way are showing all of the signs and actions to go with them. Another thing I've learned, calendars aren't the only thing to tell you how soon a duck or goose or any animal will mate. My calendar said I had another couple of months, I guess these guys didn't get the memo. Use your eyes and your gut, they won't let you down.

This is my first year with ducks and geese as well. If I knew then, what I know now......yes, I would still have them. As I said before, it isn't the drakes fault, it is mine. Please, try and learn from my mistakes and this won't happen to you. Read, read and then read some more. Ask questions, there are so many knowledgeable poultry people on BYC that no one has an excuse not to do it right the first time. Others have already gone before you and marked the right path to take. Finally, again, go by your gut instincts. If something doesn't seem right to you, look it up, ask, whatever you need to do to find out. Chances are you're right and you can stop something bad from happening.

This is SO TRUE! I DID read about hawks and predators in general. Growing up and living rurally I know this, but that ONE instance, less than five minutes, WHAM, gone. It leaves you breathless. If there is one good thing that comes from this, it is a learning experience for EVERYONE.