Show off your house ducks!

[Amykins]

Thank you for the supportive words, Amy. I've been reading your posts since I first became aware of this board in January. It is really nice to find like minded people, no matter how few in number we may be. Happiness feels even better when it is shared

This is Jupiter today at 25 days old. She is an American Buff and an April Fool's baby. I don't know for a fact she is a she, but I sense we've got a girl. I took pics during feeding time when she's not too inclined to pose for me, lol.

AHHHH she is so cute! Jupiter's a cutie patootie fuzzy football! I love it when geese are this age, and it's even better how much more slowly they grow up than ducks. <3 And where'd you get that sod from? That's such a great idea!

 

[Julie Birb]

AHHHH she is so cute! Jupiter's a cutie patootie fuzzy football! I love it when geese are this age, and it's even better how much more slowly they grow up than ducks. <3 And where'd you get that sod from? That's such a great idea!

Eeee, Amy, you nailed it. She is a football cute gooselet. I just went on line and looked at the buffs and they are very cute with their big chunk soft bodies. Could easily cuddle and snuggle with one. Jupiter's gonna be wonderful.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

These ducks are cute. I have a question- can outdoor-raised ducks adapt well to an indoor life, or must they be raised indoors?

Also- I am trying to find homes for a bunch of ducks (and geese) currently at a park. I talked to someone, and she said I should try posting on websites for pet ducks and geese. Do you guys have any recommendations for good sites that fit that description? I know I could probably find some good links if I read through this entire thread... but that would take days

Edited for spelling mistake woops!

 

[Amykins]

These ducks are cute. I have a question- can outdoor-raised ducks adapt well to an indoor life, or must they be raised indoors?

Also- I am trying to find homes for a bunch of ducks (and geese) currently at a park. I talked to someone, and she said I should try posting on websites for pet ducks and geese. Do you guys have any recommendations for good sites that fit that description? I know I could probably find some good links if I read through this entire thread... but that would take days

Edited for spelling mistake woops!

It's not impossible, but for the most part a duck raised outdoors prefers to stay outdoors, and vice versa. Ducks are creatures of habit, and they HATE change, so once they're adults their behavior is more or less cemented into their little ducky brains, and they'll get very stressed out and depressed if you force them into a lifestyle they're not used to. As I said there are exceptions though, I think MissBehavin was raised as an outdoor ducky, but she also gets to go out back to hang out with the rest of her flock anytime she wants, so there's that.


As for adoption sites, have you tried this one? We've got a great buy/sell/trade forum, that's how I rehomed my duckling Pancake and got my little female Bean! BUT, I strongly recommend that if they're at a park, you temporarily catch them and keep them at your place until they find forever homes. A park is a horrible place for domestic waterfowl.

Also just to let you guys know, have you seen this awesome video? Wobbles is doing the duck version right now, he's been stomping around the house quacking his head off for the past five minutes. xD He's not ticked off, just hyper and taking advantage of the nice, freshly vacuumed carpet!

 

[Julie Birb]

It's not impossible, but for the most part a duck raised outdoors prefers to stay outdoors, and vice versa. Ducks are creatures of habit, and they HATE change, so once they're adults their behavior is more or less cemented into their little ducky brains, and they'll get very stressed out and depressed if you force them into a lifestyle they're not used to. As I said there are exceptions though, I think MissBehavin was raised as an outdoor ducky, but she also gets to go out back to hang out with the rest of her flock anytime she wants, so there's that. As for adoption sites, have you tried this one? We've got a great buy/sell/trade forum, that's how I rehomed my duckling Pancake and got my little female Bean! BUT, I strongly recommend that if they're at a park, you temporarily catch them and keep them at your place until they find forever homes. A park is a horrible place for domestic waterfowl. Also just to let you guys know, have you seen this awesome video? Wobbles is doing the duck version right now, he's been stomping around the house quacking his head off for the past five minutes. xD He's not ticked off, just hyper and taking advantage of the nice, freshly vacuumed carpet!

I love that duck!! Is the quacking and running on the freshly vacuumed carpet due to the way it feels on his webs? Like, does it feel good?

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

OMG busy week - so many threads to catch up on! My Khaki Campbells turned into supreme escape artists, and showed me every little spot where the snow had collapsed the perimeter fencing. After two days of fencing repair, plus obligatory secondary clips (they started flying over the fence), they ended up in the garage of shame. I loaded incubator 3 with about 3 dozen khaki eggs... Home grown will likely be more obliged to stay at home... Then a skunk hit. He got into the goose nest, wiping out all but 3 eggs. He didn't bother the aviary, so the pheasants didn't alert. It was Narcissus hissing in the dark the night after I found the nests raided that tipped us off, leading to a chase through the field and the woods. I got one shot in, but only got his hindquarters. He hasn't been back, but I've been up half the night since watching the property... Spent a day working with my daughter at the egg farm where she works, showing the twenty-somethings how to do an efficient cull. The farm has endemic lice and coccidiosis, so I had to do hardcore biosecurity heading back home (my daughter keeps full changes of clothing and shoes there)... I'm all for all natural, but a little medication is clearly indicated there... Missy was VERY angry at me for being out all day, but finally decided that she really likes her sleeping spot at the head of the bed, and forgave me for being gone. One of my Pekin ladies went lame, and her leg is inflamed. She got a warm bath and a scrub down, IM antibiotic and anti-inflammatories, and is on complete rest in the house separated from Missy. I am giving her a couple days to sort herself out, but if she does't improve she is off to the vet. I'm concerned because big pekins are prone to leg injury. I'd hate to retire her from breeding in her first season, but I am breeding for strong feet and legs, disease resistance and temperament... Hopefully she just did something dumb and will straighten out with rest. I also forgot how loud Pekins are - you can hear them outside, but it is nothing like the sound in the confined space of a ranch style house.... She is calling for her friends from the bathroom at the moment... Missy is ignoring her, since she can always hear the other birds outside, and has not seen her or been in contact with her to even know she is not the only duck in the house.
One more week before the next crop of babies to imprint hits, then there is another batch due every week for the next month. No fun incubation runs for me at the moment, this is all to fill orders and to expand my rare breed stock...
It had been nice and quiet for a while... Going to sit back and catch my breath and watch Missy cuddle with my husband...

 

[Kaessa]

OMG busy week - so many threads to catch up on! My Khaki Campbells turned into supreme escape artists, and showed me every little spot where the snow had collapsed the perimeter fencing. After two days of fencing repair, plus obligatory secondary clips (they started flying over the fence), they ended up in the garage of shame. I loaded incubator 3 with about 3 dozen khaki eggs... Home grown will likely be more obliged to stay at home... Then a skunk hit. He got into the goose nest, wiping out all but 3 eggs. He didn't bother the aviary, so the pheasants didn't alert. It was Narcissus hissing in the dark the night after I found the nests raided that tipped us off, leading to a chase through the field and the woods. I got one shot in, but only got his hindquarters. He hasn't been back, but I've been up half the night since watching the property... Spent a day working with my daughter at the egg farm where she works, showing the twenty-somethings how to do an efficient cull. The farm has endemic lice and coccidiosis, so I had to do hardcore biosecurity heading back home (my daughter keeps full changes of clothing and shoes there)... I'm all for all natural, but a little medication is clearly indicated there... Missy was VERY angry at me for being out all day, but finally decided that she really likes her sleeping spot at the head of the bed, and forgave me for being gone. One of my Pekin ladies went lame, and her leg is inflamed. She got a warm bath and a scrub down, IM antibiotic and anti-inflammatories, and is on complete rest in the house separated from Missy. I am giving her a couple days to sort herself out, but if she does't improve she is off to the vet. I'm concerned because big pekins are prone to leg injury. I'd hate to retire her from breeding in her first season, but I am breeding for strong feet and legs, disease resistance and temperament... Hopefully she just did something dumb and will straighten out with rest. I also forgot how loud Pekins are - you can hear them outside, but it is nothing like the sound in the confined space of a ranch style house.... She is calling for her friends from the bathroom at the moment... Missy is ignoring her, since she can always hear the other birds outside, and has not seen her or been in contact with her to even know she is not the only duck in the house.
One more week before the next crop of babies to imprint hits, then there is another batch due every week for the next month. No fun incubation runs for me at the moment, this is all to fill orders and to expand my rare breed stock...
It had been nice and quiet for a while... Going to sit back and catch my breath and watch Missy cuddle with my husband...

Wow, you ARE busy!! Hope everything goes well, and your Pekin girl gets better.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

Wow, you ARE busy!! Hope everything goes well, and your Pekin girl gets better.

The fact that she is feeling well enough to complain about being confined is a good thing. She was totally quiet and listless outside, so I think I got her feeling a bit more comfortable. If she looks bad tomorrow there is a full service 24 hour veterinary ER with exotic vets on staff an hour away. They are awesome there - and during the week I can take her to my regular exotic vet if need be. My biggest job today is keeping my mother (who has alzheimers) from bothering her every 10 minutes checking up on her... I have her in the quietest place in the house - the grow out pens are packed with chicks and the Khakis are currently residing in the Garage of Shame, so she will have to put up with the intrusions by a well meaning 85 year old for a while....

 

[Amykins]

The fact that she is feeling well enough to complain about being confined is a good thing. She was totally quiet and listless outside, so I think I got her feeling a bit more comfortable. If she looks bad tomorrow there is a full service 24 hour veterinary ER with exotic vets on staff an hour away. They are awesome there - and during the week I can take her to my regular exotic vet if need be. My biggest job today is keeping my mother (who has alzheimers) from bothering her every 10 minutes checking up on her... I have her in the quietest place in the house - the grow out pens are packed with chicks and the Khakis are currently residing in the Garage of Shame, so she will have to put up with the intrusions by a well meaning 85 year old for a while....

Oh, LadyHawke...you need a break, it's been a rough month for you, hasn't it? :/ Is there anything I can do?

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

Oh, LadyHawke...you need a break, it's been a rough month for you, hasn't it? :/ Is there anything I can do?

I'm used to chaos - granted, I wasn't expecting the skunk, especially after the fence work, but Narcissus did his job and protected the flock. Even the random quail rooster loose with the big birds came out unscathed, and it was fortunately dark out, so the neighbors were not subjected to some crazy middle aged woman running around in her underwear with an air rifle.
Plus, incubator 3 is DONE! Finally!! My current incubating capacity for ducks (until I change incubator 1 over to a dedicated hatcher) is 135, although I can go up to 150. If that doesn't motivate me to complete another couple grow out pens, another shed and some protected outdoor runs for the little ones, I don't know what will!! Waterfowlsplosion is close at hand!!
The chaos is manageable, although once my daughter leaves for her clinical rotation at NYU and I lose my extra help I'll have to get more creative! I'll put Missy to work then!!