The Duck Thread

[BODEENY]

No cedar, too aromatic... aspen is better than pine if that's a choice...

Thanks

 

[season1223]

Sorry for this chicken question but is it pine woodchips or Cedar woodchips that chicks can't go with??

I use poplar chips! I was told evergreen chips r bad for them ( cedar & pine)! Something about the oil in evergreens! Our local co-op sells the poplar chips if that helps!

 

[season1223]

My KCs were never nervous. You could also consider Pekins and Runners.

I have a pekin! Shes a sweetheart and lays an egg everyday!

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I have two 4.5wk old ducks that are imprinted on my husband and myself. They follow me everywhere, crawl in my lap and cry when I leave them in their pen. The ducklings I raised before this last spring were never imprinted. They would eat out of my hand, but stopped doing that around 8-10wks old, and are now very skittish. Anyone have experience with imprinted ducks know if my two little ones will get skittish around the same age like the others did? Any tips for keeping them tame? I'm going to do everything I can to make see it doesn't happen, but it's going to be difficult, as winter and snow are coming and I won't be able to spend as much time with them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have two 4.5wk old ducks that are imprinted on my husband and myself. They follow me everywhere, crawl in my lap and cry when I leave them in their pen. The ducklings I raised before this last spring were never imprinted. They would eat out of my hand, but stopped doing that around 8-10wks old, and are now very skittish. Anyone have experience with imprinted ducks know if my two little ones will get skittish around the same age like the others did? Any tips for keeping them tame? I'm going to do everything I can to make see it doesn't happen, but it's going to be difficult, as winter and snow are coming and I won't be able to spend as much time with them.

Can you bring them inside some? my imprinted drake spent his first 10 weeks inside sleeping and being with us but he is now over 4 yrs old still comes in to visit and get loved on and even has his own bed when he is in. As long as you spend time with them they should stay close to you, Opie have 5 girls of his own but still likes to be with his dad and mama.

and my other ducks do not want me to touch them or hold them so they haven't changed Opies personality one bit.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

Can you bring them inside some? my imprinted drake spent his first 10 weeks inside sleeping and  being with us  but he is now over 4 yrs old still comes in to visit and get loved on and even has his own bed when he is in. As long as you spend time with them they should stay close to you, Opie have 5 girls of his own but still likes to be with his dad and mama. and my other ducks do not want me to touch them or hold them so they haven't changed Opies personality one bit. 

It's funny you say bring them inside because I just put them outside over the weekend, lol. They were too big for the brooder, too cramped, and we needed it anyway for the eggs that will hatch this week. It just killed me to put them outside but I'm glad to hear your duck's temperament wasn't affected by the other skittish ones. I'm going to spend as much time as I can with them, and of course shower then with treats. I take them for daily walks around the yard and sit with them and cuddle. Hopefully that will be enough.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's funny you say bring them inside because I just put them outside over the weekend, lol. They were too big for the brooder, too cramped, and we needed it anyway for the eggs that will hatch this week. It just killed me to put them outside

but I'm glad to hear your duck's temperament wasn't affected by the other skittish ones. I'm going to spend as much time as I can with them, and of course shower then with treats. I take them for daily walks around the yard and sit with them and cuddle. Hopefully that will be enough.

I hope so too, having a special relationship with these guys is just well special. I am amazed at how much time Opie likes to spend with us, if I ever had to bring him in for good I don't think it would be a problem at all. How are they doing outside now, I bet they missed you but having each other really helps. Look forward to seeing your new babies.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I hope so too, having a special relationship with these guys is just well special.  I am amazed at how much time Opie likes to spend with us, if I ever had to bring him in for good I don't think it would be a problem at all. How are they doing outside now, I bet they missed you but having each other really helps. Look forward to seeing your new babies.

To be honest, I think moving them outside has been harder on me than them! lol, they seem quite content to splash in their little pool and see the other ducks through their separation fence. They do come runnin whenever I come out, and they try to dash through the door of their pen to follow me when I'm leaving, but they're doing well. They have much more room, and I'm hoping they will start bonding with the older ducks.

I lost a young newly introduced duck earlier this spring from the other ducks drowning her and pulling all her back feathers out. It was pretty gruesome to find her floating in the pool like that, and the other ducks had her feathers stuck in their mouths. So I make sure to introduce new ducks slowly through a separation fence now. Learn from our mistakes I suppose. In other news, I am soooooo excited for more ducklings this week!!!

Here they are in their new, temporary pen:

 

[Miss Lydia]

@PotatoWaffles they look an cozy in the last pic and having the other ducks around I'm sure helps them feel better about being outside. I'm sorry about the duck you lost that must have been heart breaking.. Learning from our mistakes can really hurt . But learn we do. Let us know when hatching begins!!

That last pic of the 2 snuggled in their bedroom is so precious What are their breeds?

 

[jducour]

I have two 4.5wk old ducks that are imprinted on my husband and myself. They follow me everywhere, crawl in my lap and cry when I leave them in their pen. The ducklings I raised before this last spring were never imprinted. They would eat out of my hand, but stopped doing that around 8-10wks old, and are now very skittish. Anyone have experience with imprinted ducks know if my two little ones will get skittish around the same age like the others did? Any tips for keeping them tame? I'm going to do everything I can to make see it doesn't happen, but it's going to be difficult, as winter and snow are coming and I won't be able to spend as much time with them.

I have two drakes that imprinted, and they are still close to me and my daughter. They follow us around, sometimes right under my feet, and walk up to us to get picked up. My 6 other ducks merely tolerate our existence, so it doesn't seem to be contagious. We moved ours outside around 4 weeks too, but I still spent as time as I could with them. I would go to their pen and sit and read after the kids went to bed. I bring them inside sometimes, but not very often. I will watch a movie with them and rub their heads. It's more for me than them I'm sure everyone else has seen these pictures - but here are my guys - all grown up and still our buddies.