The Duck Math Thread: How Many You Started With, How Many Now

[FenDruadin]

Post your Duck Math findings in this thread.

Tell us how many ducks you started with, how many you have now, and how you got there. For fun, tell us your predictions for how many you'll have by the end of summer. I'll start:

I started with: 6
Now have: 19

How it happened:
10 - 4 = 8 I started out very rationally with exactly six ducks. Plus one for my neighbor. Oh, and the packing peanut. I had to order a minimum of ten, so I split the order with folks from craigslist.

8 + FOX = 1 Oh no! My first pen was poorly constructed and I lost all but one in one devastating night.

1 + 1 = 14 My dad visited and took pity on my little survivor: He ordered 10 new ducks and a quad of geese for protection.

14 - Sharing with a friend + Holderread + addiction = 19 Several years later, I've raised many ducks, rehomed many ducks, sold ducklings, and built many structures. I currently have 19 ducks and two geese, with more of both coming in Spring.

Prediction for end of summer: 25. I will probably raise many, many more than that, but I plan to keep it under control since space is limited in our suburban location. Ha ha! Wish me luck!

 

[gofasterstripe]

7 from Metzer
-2 died=5

5+2=7 drakes from Curiositycat the enabler
7+4=11...never go the Jockey Lot just for A LOOK...you will always come home with ducks
11+8=19 selling duck eggs to the asians..they wanted LOTS of dozen eggs a week so got a buncha mucha Khakis
19+3=22 Dipsey the enabler had 3 for sale
22+1=23 Im never going the jockey lot..EVERY AGAIN
23-8=15 Khakis were getting beat up by the big ducks on a daily basis

15+14...that I have ordered from Holderreads that my better half DOES NOT know about yet!!!!
= SOON TO BE LOTS OF DUCKS

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Well I can remember how it all began, but by a year and a half it all starts to get fuzzy . . .

3 Runner ducklings from the ranch store

(oops 2 are drakes!)
3 + 2 = 5 (1 Khaki Campbell and 1 Welsh Harlequin hens) That was to get a better boy/girl ratio
5 -2 = 3 The drakes got rehomed
3 + 11 = 14 A clutch of 11 Runner ducklings hatched!!

14 + 2 = 16 I wanted more Welsh Harlequins so I gave momma duck 2 newly hatched WH ducklings to foster
16 - 10 = 6 Sold 10 runner ducklings
6 + 4 = 10 mail-ordered 4 Khaki Campbell ducklings
10 - 1 = 9 one duckling died

9 - 3 = 6 sold three young ducks
6 + 2 = 8 found a pair of Gold Welsh Harlequins!

8 + 1 borrowed WH hen + 60 some ducklings hatched in incubator - 3 hens - 1 drake - 1 borrowed WH hen + 1 drake - 60 somewhat fewer ducklings sold + 3 new hens grown from hatchlings - 1 drake grown from hatchling - 1 drake + 2 drakes
= 8 ducks!! Whew!

edited for fuzzy math problems

 

[KansasKid]

Started with 4, then ordered more, and more, and more. Found this forum saw the ornamentals and made my total 16. Then saw more ornamentals and got the itch to make it 18. then once again i went to an auction to make it 20. This upcoming tuesday with a very hopeful safe arrival will make it 22. By summer I hope to have at least 6 ducklings from each pair to make it 52 (i wish/Hope

)

 

[duck_shepherdess]

I haven't even ordered yet and its already kicking in. I told my husband three, but it costs the same to order 5.
3+minimum charge = 5

 

[gofasterstripe]

Quote:

...you havent started but you catch on quick....I like it

 

[duckyfromoz]

Gee...Do I have to go RIGHT back to the start... That was 26 years ago..No way I could remember them all. Its not so much what I have at this exact moment that worries me... Its what the real total will be in just over three weeks when all the eggs in my full incubator are also hatched. If I do not sell any between now and then... And allowing for a few not to hatch.. I will have 1 goose 16 chickens and 70 ducks. (50 of them would be 5 week and under )

I have to add- that I live in the suburbs...with very understanding neighbours.

 

[gofasterstripe]

Quote:

Its a wonder the neighbourhood isnt walking ducks instead of their dogs. Now that would be funny

 

[javajanie]

Hubby wanted one duck. Just one. Went to Amish farm. Cute ducklings. Couldn't just get one. Ended up with two.

1+1=2

Two of the kids' chickens ended up being roosters. Had to give them away. Replaced them with ducks, of course...

2+2=4

Then we lost poor Willie..

4-1=3

But we are going to have to replace him and hubby insists on a white runner. Seems Holderreads is the only place that has them, and there minimum order is like 10....so, I'll let you know how many we end up with after that!

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I started with 30 (ordered)

The actually shipped me 31 ducklings

And then I found an ad for mallard hens since the 10 mallards that I have only 2 are hens I was thinking adding hens would be a good thing Problem was that these were not mallards....

So now I have 10 mallards, 9 jumbo pekins and 11 Welsh Harlenquins and 3 Rouen hens.


The reason I started with 30 was I started with 40 chickens and thought that they were easy

and I was really liking how things were going... DH really wanted ducks and on a thought for his birthday present I ordered the ducklings... Turns out 30 is a HIGH number for ducklings... But I have really enjoyed them and am still getting used to the mess and every week I end up changing things for the birds. Building a run.... (get to build it again thanks to snow), figuring out water and how to make it less messy and figuring out their food and of course having a "hospital" for the birds which ends up being in the basement of the house. I have nursed quite a few birds back to heath.

To say the least this year has been a learning experience with the birds. We have taken chickens to the fair, shown the ducks at a 4-H meeting. Some of the antics of the birds have made me laugh and some have made me cry.

I would recommend that anyone getting ducks goes a bit slower than what I did not that I dislike my 33 ducks but they are a bit on the wild side and the first plan was to butcher the extra males- After butchering two chickens I have chickened out on butchering myself...

Thankfully I have seen no fighting so I guess we will see. I have plans for a male pen if needed. Anyway I would only order less than 10 to get used to the ducks and their personality and their quirks as they are different than chickens.