Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[fluffycrow]

Like a kind of recall?
Definitely a wise thing to train.

I trained my girls last summer to follow me when I say "come" in a high pitched tone. Reason being, when they free range. They're totally dumb. If they see a bird of prey circling, they tilt their heads to the side and gaze up at it sweetly. Totally unfazed, just fascinated. Mesmerised.
Well, they're white. And they stand out. So the dafties now know to come to me, under the trees, whenever I see them bird watching. Of course, I meet them halfway, and honestly I'm never too far from them anyway.

Yup, like a recall. That's so funny because my aseel make warning calls and hide even when a dove flies by . Even when they were 2 months

 

[BelovedBirds]

Yup, like a recall. That's so funny because my aseel make warning calls and hide even when a dove flies by . Even when they were 2 months

Lol! Better to be over cautious I guess!

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I didnt realize how quickly ducks get mad when you dont let them out of the coop.... Everytime i go out there they peep their heads off.

 

[ruthhope]

Like a kind of recall?
Definitely a wise thing to train.

I trained my girls last summer to follow me when I say "come" in a high pitched tone. Reason being, when they free range. They're totally dumb. If they see a bird of prey circling, they tilt their heads to the side and gaze up at it sweetly. Totally unfazed, just fascinated. Mesmerised.
Well, they're white. And they stand out. So the dafties now know to come to me, under the trees, whenever I see them bird watching. Of course, I meet them halfway, and honestly I'm never too far from them anyway.

Two days ago, I was warned at 5.15pm that a red fox had just run up the side of my immediate neighbor's house into their back yard. My 4 boys are out free-ranging in my back garden. It has a 6 foot privacy fence but a determined fox could get over that and get in. I went straight to the back door and called the ducks and they all obliged by coming straight up to the house and then remaining on the patio within sight and sound of where I was preparing dinner.

My ducks are very good at coming when called fortunately.

My initial thought was that the fox is going looking for bunnies, then, with in an hour -- when I went out to tuck my ducks for the night -- there was an adult cottontail in my back garden. They come in the spring every year. I have seen her everyday since but haven't seen the babies yet. I hope they are now too big for my ducks to snack on -- as snack on they would if they found newborn bunnies. I think the bunnies are safest in my fenced yard -- all the neighbors are open plan.

It's worrying though knowing there is a fox around. I'm just visiting here [for maybe 6 months] and so don't have a run for the ducks just the shed where they are sleeping and the fenced back garden

 

[BelovedBirds]

Two days ago, I was warned at 5.15pm that a red fox had just run up the side of my immediate neighbor's house into their back yard. My 4 boys are out free-ranging in my back garden. It has a 6 foot privacy fence but a determined fox could get over that and get in. I went straight to the back door and called the ducks and they all obliged by coming straight up to the house and then remaining on the patio within sight and sound of where I was preparing dinner.

My ducks are very good at coming when called fortunately.

My initial thought was that the fox is going looking for bunnies, then, with in an hour -- when I went out to tuck my ducks for the night -- there was an adult cottontail in my back garden. They come in the spring every year. I have seen her everyday since but haven't seen the babies yet. I hope they are now too big for my ducks to snack on -- as snack on they would if they found newborn bunnies. I think the bunnies are safest in my fenced yard -- all the neighbors are open plan.

It's worrying though knowing there is a fox around. I'm just visiting here [for maybe 6 months] and so don't have a run for the ducks just the shed where they are sleeping and the fenced back garden

That's worrying, I hope it'll all be okay

We have a ton of foxes here, they're around my coop most nights- thankfully they can't get in though

 

[ruthhope]

That's worrying, I hope it'll all be okay

We have a ton of foxes here, they're around my coop most nights- thankfully they can't get in though

Last September, when I first visited northern Virginia with ducks, I got muddy feetmark on the shed door one night. Its a well made shed and strong door so the fox could not get in and never returned.

I say fox as the muddy marks extended too far up the door for a raccoon

 

[ruthhope]

Aaaarghhh and now I have a poorly boy!

we had a huge thunder storm with high wind and heavy rain for 2 hours from 2pm today. Two of the boys sheltered right by the rear porch. The other two -- stinkers who don't bathe -- stood it out, facing the rain a little further from the porch. Well one stood out for half an hour or so but was back by the rear porch when I next checked them. The other boy stayed out. Sometime before 5pm when I went out with peas, that boy took himself down into the shed and up onto the roost [not his roost but the muscovy whose roost it is does ceded it periodically] . I went down to check him and he looked cold wet and sorry for himself. He ate some peas from me -- but he normally has a voracious appetite for peas and he didn't eat all offered. I have left him be for now, with a food bowl with the peas and some mealworms on top. I thought about putting him in dog crate in my rear porch but I think he will be warmer in the shed with the other boys -- forecast low of 48F tonight. I think he needs a molt and maybe about to molt as he has a couple bare patches with new feathers just showing on his back.

It's worse than having sick babies haveing an ill duck!!!! At least I could take a sick babe into my bed.

 

[Luv Ducks]

You know, I've actually never made it. I fry the liver in butter and that tastes pretty good.
My favorite though is duck leg confit or roasted breast.

Are they Pekins? They sure are pretty!!

 

[Isadora]

Are they Pekins? They sure are pretty!!

They are

 

[Corbdee]

we do have a game where I say "Ima gobble you up!!" And she runs into my arms doing happy squeaks while I smother her with kisses aggressively

But she knows it isn't serious

That's adorable

Look how big they are. View attachment 3476984

They're huge!