Show off your house ducks!

[Espresso]

Are any of your ducks allowed to go in and out? Do you think it is better to hatch the ducklings yourself or buy babies? I want my ducks to be very attached to me... but also be ok to stay home with each other for a few hours at a time when I go to church.

 

[Fenris Lupa]

Ducks naturally have very wet poops, depending on how much water they have drank. Misty often poops straight up water sometimes. Is it a brown chocolaty color? Or maybe yellow? It could just be "cecal" poop or what some people call "sevens" because about every seven poop is one, they smell horrible! I'm not even sure what duck diarrhea would look like, all of their poop looks like it! There is a huge range of what normal duck poop looks like, I've heard neon yellow is what you need to worry about.

Neon?! Lol....yeah, I would say that's something to worry about.

But it's just in the morning, and yeah it's brown, we call it gravy poop.....and oh how can such an awful smell come from her?

But I'm just worried cuz the solid regular poops she was having before she started laying, she never has anymore.

It's always the real smelly once or twice in the morning and then the rest of the day its kind of a mix...not runny and not solid.

But thank you.....it makes me feel better knowing that others experience the smelly poop too.

 

[Fenris Lupa]

Are any of your ducks allowed to go in and out? Do you think it is better to hatch the ducklings yourself or buy babies? I want my ducks to be very attached to me... but also be ok to stay home with each other for a few hours at a time when I go to church.

I got my Floki when she was 4 days old and she's imprinted on me just fine. Who ever they spend the most time with is who they'll imprint on.....either a person or other ducks.

But since she's our only duck, she's just like a child, goes everywhere with us....24/7 she's with us.

They are flock animals and get depressed and lonely real fast if left alone.

So yes....having more then one will keep them happy, which is what ppl need if they work, go to school, church etc.

But 2 or more ducks, they still need a lot of love and attention, and believe me it's worth it.....these creatures are amazing to have.

 

[Amykins]

I agree, I LOVE mah haus duk!

I still think hatching is the way to go, yeah it's more risky, but you get the full experience and IMO it helps me bond with the baby as much as they bond with me. They'll even react to your voice in the shell, kickstarting the mama/ducky bond.

I wish I'd fought to keep that second duckling that Wobbles hatched with, but I had a deal with the breeder. Next year I hope to get her a buddy, but until then I think it worked out okay. Raising one duckling was challenging enough, I'd have probably lost my mind if I had TWO diapers to change every 20 minutes!

 

[Fenris Lupa]

I agree, I LOVE mah haus duk!

I still think hatching is the way to go, yeah it's more risky, but you get the full experience and IMO it helps me bond with the baby as much as they bond with me. They'll even react to your voice in the shell, kickstarting the mama/ducky bond. 

I wish I'd fought to keep that second duckling that Wobbles hatched with, but I had a deal with the breeder. Next year I hope to get her a buddy, but until then I think it worked out okay. Raising one duckling was challenging enough, I'd have probably lost my mind if I had TWO diapers to change every 20 minutes!

I agree 100% that hatching would be the way to go...but I'm new in the duck world so that will have to be in the future.

And oh how a single duck is challenging....lol....cuz it is like having a kid...

Feed

Bath

Babysit

Wipe their butt

But you kno what? I wouldn't give Floki up for anything.

And when we get our own place were want to get more....like you said a friend, but since she's a single duck....and imprinted on us....she thinks she's human.

But getting another duckling should be ok....so it can learn from Floki.

 

[Fenris Lupa]

So does anyone else's ducks do this?

So after Floki started laying, every night when we go to bed she makes a nest of bandanas, towels and sheets from the bed and pulls my hand under her.

Before she started to lay she would lay on top of her stuffed animals......now it has to be our hands.

And we'll sleep like that all night, till she lays in the morning, then she pulls my hand back and goes back to sleep.

If I have to get up for any reason, she'll go and pull my husband's hand and sit on it. And she'll stay like that till almost early afternoon

I must say it's kind of awesome.....the first time she did it to my husband, I thought he was gonna tear up.

But yeah, anyone else's duck do this?

 

[Espresso]

Aw Floki is beautiful♡

 

[Quackers Mama]

I have clipped both of Misty's wings and she can only get a foot or two off the ground for about six feet. She's a mallard, so she would be able to fly well without clipping. Clipping only one wing will cause them to fly erratically (we do it with our chickens). I think you would be safe clipping both wings if you want her to fly straight.

Good to know, thanks!

Floki loves being outside, but only if I'm with her.

I leave her sight for more then 30 seconds, she freaks and does this LOUD.....and I mean loud like quaking.

Quackers is the same way lol. Even in the house if she doesn't see me she'll walk around the entire house chirping for me. Sure glad she's a Muscovy Lol

But that's our routine everyday.....get up anywhere from 0330 - 0530....she lays her egg and goes back to sleep for a bit then have breakfast.....and sleep a bit more, then around noon or so we go outside for lunch, when she's done a few hours later she comes and lays with me....we go inside for a nap and then around 1600 we go back outside for dinner. And when 1800 comes I put up her food....whatever she finds foraging is fine.....but having her on a feeding schedule is very helpful, cuz when it's bed time, she's empty....lol....kno what I mean.....yes she sleeps in the bed with us.....and it's awesome not waking up to a bed full of ducky poops.

You sure are a brave one to have Floki in your bed. There's no way I could let Quackers sleep with us lol. I'd probably accidently kick her off with as much as I move Lol. Either that or I'd wake up with a toe missing haha.

We have our routine and she loves it....and if something comes up to were it's interrupted, oh she lets me kno how displeased she is.

I'm working on a routine with Quackers. Today we fell off it because my daughter didn't have school today so I finally got to sleep in. She's funny though because she'll let me know when she's ready for bed. She'll go to the room and quack til I go in there. Then she'll walk into her bed and lay down lol. Sometimes though she will put up a fight and won't go to bed till I do lol.

But as far for her loving to be outside, like I said, I'm with her.....finding bugs and digging in the dirt and mud.....if I wasn't out there then, yeah, she'd be running from door to door around the house wanting back in.

Quackers quacks when I'm out there and when I'm not. She's just spoiled and enjoys the ac to much lol.

Do you have a pool or anything that Quackers can play in?

It's small, but yes. She's not really a water bird so to say. She'll get in to clean up then jump out. I give her either cereal or her favorite mealworms to encourage her to get in. Which isn't working, she'll just walk around and eat Lol.

Oh....and how's the jumping off the bed going?
Last night I had her on the couch. It was funny to watch her slowly slide off the couch Lol.

Neon?! Lol....yeah, I would say that's something to worry about.

But it's just in the morning, and yeah it's brown, we call it gravy poop.....and oh how can such an awful smell come from her?

But I'm just worried cuz the solid regular poops she was having before she started laying, she never has anymore.

It's always the real smelly once or twice in the morning and then the rest of the day its kind of a mix...not runny and not solid.

But thank you.....it makes me feel better knowing that others experience the smelly poop too.

Lol your definitely not the only one. Every morning without fail as soon as Quackers walks out her house she stretches, flaps her wings, then you hear a LOUD splat! Then the smell hits you, talk about a rude awaking.

I agree 100% that hatching would be the way to go...but I'm new in the duck world so that will have to be in the future.

And oh how a single duck is challenging....lol....cuz it is like having a kid...

Feed

Bath

Babysit

Wipe their butt

But you kno what? I wouldn't give Floki up for anything.

glad to know I'm not the only one who wipes their ducks butt too.

And when we get our own place were want to get more....like you said a friend, but since she's a single duck....and imprinted on us....she thinks she's human.

Lol Quackers thinks she's human and a cat. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw Quackers scratch herself with her foot like a cat. She loves cuddling with them too.

So does anyone else's ducks do this?

So after Floki started laying, every night when we go to bed she makes a nest of bandanas, towels and sheets from the bed and pulls my hand under her.

Before she started to lay she would lay on top of her stuffed animals......now it has to be our hands.

And we'll sleep like that all night, till she lays in the morning, then she pulls my hand back and goes back to sleep.

If I have to get up for any reason, she'll go and pull my husband's hand and sit on it. And she'll stay like that till almost early afternoon

I must say it's kind of awesome.....the first time she did it to my husband, I thought he was gonna tear up.

But yeah, anyone else's duck do this?

That is too cute! Quackers doesn't "nest" yet, I'm guessing it's because she's not laying age. She's only about 10 weeks old. She does however lay right ontop of my foot. If I move my foot she'll scoot over to lay back on my foot Lol.

 

[Amykins]

Aww, that IS cute! Wobbles does something similar, only it has to be on my chest or snuggled into my thigh with her bill tucked into my waistband. At night she'll sleep on my chest, then smoosh her bib up against my face, usually suffocating me. XD You know you're a house duck owner when you wake up with a sore throat and cough up a feather.

 

[Fenris Lupa]

Aw Floki is beautiful♡

Thank you!!