Second hand story and I need advise

[debilorrah]

A friend asked me about ducks picking butts. Of each other. I had not seen this behavior before and eventually it turned out that her friend that works on a farm saw ducks doing this. Further conversation, I find out the ducks have no water. Yes yes I know. More conversation and I find out that the farmer "used to have water but some ducks drowned in it" so they took it out.

Please please, tell me that ducks do not drown. I am not an expert, but that is like saying a chicken will die if it eats. Ducks FLOAT right??

I am losin it over this dude with ducks and no water!!!!

 

[aggie9296]

A duck should only drown if being held under water. Like by a turtle or gator. I think he's probably FOS.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
That is what I said. Then I found out they are ducklings. different story right? NO!!! They are 5 weeks old. Plenty big enough!

 

[ducklover15]

I've had ducklings drown at 5 weeks...

 

[aggie9296]

My chickens can swim, so I'm pretty sure the ducks can swim even better. They may have been losing ducks to something IN the pond, not the pond itself. Large catfish have been know to eat the smaller ones, too.

 

[gryeyes]

If they get waterlogged and can't get out, they can easily drown. They don't have their full, oiled feathers yet at 5 weeks.

Still a stupid reason to remove a pond - put in step stones for them to rest and get out!!

 

[aggie9296]

AH, maybe he was referring to a tank or pool or something. I was thinking like a natural pond. Sure, if any land animal gets trapped in water it can't climb out of, it could drown.

 

[debilorrah]

I really don't know the set-up but the thought of ducks without water is like chickens without feed to me!!!! Seems a no-brainer!!!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
If this is what the guy if referring, you are right!!! Good Lord, people!!! This is just not that hard!!!

 

[pbjmaker]

I had a duck drown just last week even with stepping stones to get out of the kiddie pool

I still wouldn't remove the pool. They live in that thing and I have a feeling one of the other ducks held him down (I have one that spent a couple of days holding various ducks upside down on land)


They NEED water.