Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[BelovedBirds]

This is my boy's favorite tree. It's just outside the garden shed where they sleep when we are in Northern Virginia. Although it is lush on the outside, it is "hollow" underneath, with a huge concealed open area around the trunk. No signs of ducks in back yard? They are hiding under the tree. Trying to get them into their cubbies in the shed at night? They are hiding under the tree and do not listen when I tell them a raccoon could find them there. They go under the tree when it's View attachment 4223359hot (there are plenty of other shady spots but this is their preferred); they go under when it is raining (rain=nice weather for ducks, right? Mine hate the rain!)

Where do your ducks like to hide out?

My girls love the rain! Their pen is covered so they end up standing close to the wire to catch the rain!
They don't "hide" really either, they just lay on the grass, Dougie often sleeps in the pond as well.

This is due to them being in their pen, though if they were to free range, they would probably still just sit in the open on the grass. They feel no fear, they just gaze up at birds of prey that fly above them... They don't have very strong survival instincts

 

[Luv Ducks]

This is my boy's favorite tree. It's just outside the garden shed where they sleep when we are in Northern Virginia. Although it is lush on the outside, it is "hollow" underneath, with a huge concealed open area around the trunk. No signs of ducks in back yard? They are hiding under the tree. Trying to get them into their cubbies in the shed at night? They are hiding under the tree and do not listen when I tell them a raccoon could find them there. They go under the tree when it's View attachment 4223359hot (there are plenty of other shady spots but this is their preferred); they go under when it is raining (rain=nice weather for ducks, right? Mine hate the rain!)

Where do your ducks like to hide out?

Mine actually never hide. They have 7 pens from TSC and a 10 X10 dog kennel to roam in. With that much space for 25 of them they all seem happy to be hanging with their besties. lol

 

[ruthhope]

So here they are hanging out in and around their favorite tree! Although they could get underneath from anywhere round the tree, the first photo is of Louie Wilson taking himself in through the 'main entrance'.

 

[Goosebaby]

This summer mine liked disappearing into this mound of smartweed that took over part of their lawn. Other than that they like to hide in the lavender or in some shrubby roses.

 

[ruthhope]

This summer mine liked disappearing into this mound of smartweed that took over part of their lawn. Other than that they like to hide in the lavender or in some shrubby roses.

Mine love hiding but all I need to do is go to the back door and call out their names and out they pop and come up waddling! They are so nosy, they need to know what I am up to when I am in the garden!!

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Ducks, like dogs love water, but don’t try to put them in water. This activity can lead to very beat up hands and arms.
We were soaking a bumble.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Ducks, like dogs love water, but don’t try to put them in water. This activity can lead to very beat up hands and arms.
We were soaking a bumble.

Oh gosh mine are like this too. All wriggling and kicking. How dare I put them in water, where they love most? The shame of it.

Seriously though, bumbles are nasty. Hope she feels a lot better soon.
My girl Sprightly just went through a really bad one, I think there were other factors which made it worse. By the time we noticed it, two days later she couldn't walk at all. She went to the vets, we have a great vet, and he gave her some medicines, and she moved indoors. She lay in a pen in our lounge for maybe 2 weeks, unable to stand up on the leg. The swelling was awful. She stopped eating and lost a significant amount of weight. I started tube feeding her bird formula, eggs and oat milk (blended oats and water). She scared me! But she's all better now, I couldn't be more relieved.

Do you have access to a vet for antibiotics?

 

[Goosebaby]

Today I caught Estella, Rosebud, and Avis wandering down the driveway following a squirrel. It was cute and all, just like a Disney movie to the unknowing viewer, but I know my girls too well.
Those happy squeaks and chirps don’t fool me, I recognize the girly giggles of merciless hunters.

Their chances of actually bagging a squirrel may be slim, but it doesn’t stop them from trying with every squirrel they see.

 

[Kimmyh51]

Saw the name "support group for abused duck keepers" in my email and had to chrck this thread out.

I rescue ducks, and its been a day. Just wondering, how many swear words (i think you call em cuss words in the us?) are allowed, which ones, and how many in one post?

Otherwise I guess I can have ChatGPT clean up my language before I post about those bloody entitled shit-nami, disrespectful feathered little #&$*#'s! .

Might need to throw another lots of duck sh-t stained washing on first though, and take one more roam outside to find a small yet violent mallard who I have spent half the day looking for and is either dead, or hiding somewhere laughing at me.

Meanwhile heres a photo of my latest duck related injury (another rescue mallard, who quite frankly in 10 yrs of duck rescuing, is possibly the scariest duck Ive encountered - not due to the injury, Ive had much worse, but the frankly psychotic look in the eyes of what was basically still a duckling, as it glared at me and then charged up my chest to attack my lip.... it gave me a full on supernatural evil eye I swear it did! It's probably outside right now making human shaped voodoo dills and sticking pins its fashioned out of twigs in them...).