Tell me about Welsh Harlequin Ducklings!

[KaleIAm]

View attachment 1955432 View attachment 1955433 View attachment 1955434 View attachment 1955435 View attachment 1955436 View attachment 1955437 View attachment 1955438 View attachment 1955439 View attachment 1955440 View attachment 1955441 Photo overload coming at ya! Nibbles & Mellow are enjoying their time outside, they free ranged for awhile while we were out with them including some creek time. They are hanging out their soon to be home now!

So cute! I love their tall teenager legs. I want to hug them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Another thing with cold feather coming and here for a lot of us I’d def leave feed out during daylight hours with foraging going down to nothing and having young birds they need the nourishment especially since they are still growing pretty fast up until 10-12 weeks.

 

[Quackattack717]

It takes time for ducks to accept each other they look at the younger ones as intruders and should be run off. I’d have the younger live side by side with the older ones till they can be out together with out anything but a little pushing or shoving but it doesn’t last an they go about their business. It takes time but they will be one flock. As for feed when we say 5-6 weeks for food 24/7 that is not for when they go outside it’s for while they are in the brooder. It use to be an still is for many that 5-6 weeks until fully feathered they are inside in a brooder. I still leave food out during daylight for my flock but they go with out over night.

When we built our coop there was the “coop” & the “run” with a door that closes in between. We’ve kinda just turned it into one big coop and have the Rouen separate from the muscovies because they are mean to her especially in a smaller space. We’re not exactly sure what we’re doing when the WH move outside. We may built another smaller coop as we were planning on building another thing for them to get out of the elements during the winter, but still be able to leave their coop if they want too.

So far we’ve only fed our bigger ducks breakfast & dinner. If we were to switch to a larger feeder and leave food out all day for them, will they stop eating when they aren’t hungry anymore? That was our main concern with leaving food out all day, our muscovies are PIGS and hog all the food if we aren’t there to keep them away from Shadow’s bowl! As for the babies, I’ll keep food out for them all the time.

 

[Quackattack717]

The babes updated digs! Hoping for less of a water mess and also them having enough water and not running out which was happening this last week with the quart and container water. May need to find out a way to still put the container water in for them to clean their nose. Thank you for the rubber bowl idea! Works great!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Love my rubber bowls. Looks good but they do need a way to wash their faces this bowl was where we started then I just added a deeper bowl to the lid as they grew larger they never tipped it over. I put a rock in the bottom to make it too heavy to tip.

Nice digs for them too. and as for the adults mine eat when hungry I don't ever see them gorging. But you have to keep in mind the colder it gets the more food they will eat to keep warm. [Fuel] so they will consume more in colder weather especially when foraging is way down.

Hey Gettysburg was always our most favorite place to visit when we use to go see our grandparents. Then when my kids were young we took them there many times.