The Duck Thread

[Gloryjasmine]

Any ideas on how to sex a duck??? Also can y'all please tell me what I need to be feeding them. They're eating the chickens stuff and greens outside while ranging. What exactly do they NEED for their systems to be healthy? Like I said,I'm clueless with ducks. I'm learning though! And all for it!!!

Wanted to add: I just had a chicken I had to put down due to a URI. Is it possible the duck has it? I caught it too late. The antibiotics weren't enough. I've been treating the rest of the flock with antibiotics in the water. Which the ducks have access to.


(We have three creeks on our farm. But I really didn't want them down there all alone. With the coyotes,foxes and no real food. That's why I made them pools.

)

 

[Julie Birb]

Here are our ducks,Moses and Elijah. Any ideas on their breed?

I have no idea but they are very cute. Sweet little faces.

 

[quackingdom]

Yes. Muscovies should be easy to sex at that age. I wrote about it here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/130753/muscovy-keepers-share-your-pics/15290#post_15774644

I can't quite tell the sex in the pictures.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Thank you for the speedy response! Ok I'll check on that. I'm good at keeping the coop clean. As I've learned ducks are very messy! But I'll definitely do a scour of it just to be safe. I don't really have anywhere to put him. And he has to be with his buddy. I'll work on having an extra place for this kinda thing. Again thanks.

Can you put them both in your bathtub for a night? Bathtubs work in a pinch for an overnight observation and easier to clean out than other places, lol...

Any ideas on how to sex a duck??? Also can y'all please tell me what I need to be feeding them. They're eating the chickens stuff and greens outside while ranging. What exactly do they NEED for their systems to be healthy? Like I said,I'm clueless with ducks. I'm learning though! And all for it!!!

I feed all mine Purina Flock Raiser... is great for chickens and ducks both... beautiful ducks, btw...

 

[sryglet]

Question: we want to get some ducklings, but with the cold weather coming, would that be ok? They'd obviously be kept in a brooder as babies, but will they be ok if we move them
Outside in December?

 

[quackingdom]

They have to be fully feathered before they can withstand the cold. However, I live in a tropical area so I don't know much about winter care.

Question: we want to get some ducklings, but with the cold weather coming, would that be ok? They'd obviously be kept in a brooder as babies, but will they be ok if we move them
Outside in December?

 

[quackingdom]

Any ideas on how to sex a duck??? Also can y'all please tell me what I need to be feeding them. They're eating the chickens stuff and greens outside while ranging. What exactly do they NEED for their systems to be healthy? Like I said,I'm clueless with ducks. I'm learning though! And all for it!!!

Wanted to add: I just had a chicken I had to put down due to a URI. Is it possible the duck has it? I caught it too late. The antibiotics weren't enough. I've been treating the rest of the flock with antibiotics in the water. Which the ducks have access to.


(We have three creeks on our farm. But I really didn't want them down there all alone. With the coyotes,foxes and no real food. That's why I made them pools.

)

If you feed chicken feed, you might also consider feeding extra niacin. Ducks need more niacin than chickens for their legs to be strong.
I feed my Muscovies various grains (especially wheat and sorghum), greens, veggies, and forage. They find lots of bugs, and sometimes minnows in the creek. What you feed depends on how natural you want to go. 100% commercial feed is on the end of the non-natural scale, and 100% self-foraged feed (only feasible if you free-range) is on the other end.

 

[Ren2014]

I need help. I'm new to having ducks. I have two and I don't even know their breed. But that's not the issue. One of my ducks is displaying possibly neurological issues. Two nights ago I went to check on the flock,as they sleep with the chickens in the coop,and one of them was acting drunk. I mean literally drunk! Couldn't walk or stand without stumbling,and rolling its neck/head around as if he couldn't control it. I was clueless and just prayed! I did a full body check and no wounds. No blood. Nothing to indicate injury. In the morning,he was fine! Like nothing was wrong. Then,last night I go to do a check. He's in the coop,laying completely on his tummy,neck completely stretched out,head down. I picked him up and again checked him all over. I stayed with him for about an hour. Petting him and talking to him. Praying while wondering if I needed to put him down. His breathing was slow,and sounded congested. Mucous drooling from his bill. He couldn't stand or keep his neck/head up. His pupils were dilating like crazy. I put him back with his buddy. Thinking he'd be gone by morning and if not,I'd need to take care of it. As I'm not into any animal suffering. Then,I let them out today and he's fine again!!! Acting completely like himself. What is going on? Obviously I cannot see what's going on inside. It's happened only at night. Could it be seizures? Is he retarded? I'm so lost. How do I help my friend? Any and all suggestions welcome. As well as prayers for Elijah. Moses is his buddy. (I'll try to send pics. I don't even know if they're male). Thank you and God bless.

If it's only happening in the evening after they go in the coop, I would be checking the coop for anything harmful he might be eating... molds, fungi, etc...
Could be seizures, but really sounds more environmental... separate him tonight instead of letting him go in with the others... bring him inside if possible and see if it happens when he isn't closed up in the coop...

X2, prayers for Elijah

Here are our ducks,Moses and Elijah. Any ideas on their breed?

They are beautiful!

 

[RedIII]

Gloryjasmine, I worry that your duck might be getting into something toxic. It sounds like poisoning of some sort. There's no snail bait or rat poison he can get to, right? Hope you can get it figured out soon And on the feed, I fed my ducklings game bird feed for the first couple of months of life. They seemed to do well with that. I switched them over to all flock after that and gave them a little niacin at first to be sure they were okay.

 

[sryglet]

They have to be fully feathered before they can withstand the cold. However, I live in a tropical area so I don't know much about winter care.

Thank you. They'd be going outside as soon as they're too big for the brooder. Maybe I could transition them by keeping them in my shed for a couple of weeks....?