The Duck Thread

[Miss Lydia]

I take these beautiful photos at the Veterans Hospital only four hours drive south of here at Loma Linda and that is a big city full of Hospitals .

She is gorgeous..

 

[Miss Lydia]

my new baby's. Went out with my mom today. Came back with one baby. Went back and got another one. Yard sale across the street from us. Went for breakfast. Came back with a duckling.

@tracyjg they are precious Congrats!!

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I have spent a lot of time picking up my ducks (they hate it) and feeding them, while held, one handful of peas or mealworms, then putting them down.  That way the experience is very short and they get treats.  If they are too upset to eat, after 30 seconds (or when they quit struggling), I set them down then feed them.  Now there are only about 2 ducks (it changes sometimes) that won't eat while being held and only about 4 ducks that have accelerated heart rates while they are held.  (So they are no longer scared, they just will never choose to be held.)  I work this constantly so that If I have to examine them for anything, it will be easier on them and me.  I have found that if ducks do things that scare them (even by force like being held) repeatedly and the only bad thing that happens is they are scared, then after a while, they aren't scared any more.  I even have about 4 ducks now that when they realize they are going to be caught, don't bother to run around until they are cornered, they just hunker down and wait to get picked up.  By the way this has nothing to do with the ducks that want to visit me.  Pocahontas is one of the first ducks to come over and see me and peck at me when I have no treats, but she has to be cornered to be picked up. She isn't afraid once she is picked up, but the only way it is going to happen is if she has no choice.

That's a really good plan. I think I will try it once I can actually get them to trust me and come up to me regularly. It's so iffy now. Some days they do and some days they don't. Yesterday they wouldn't come up to me even for fresh greens, but the day before, half of them gobbled meal wormso out of my hand. I need to spend more time out there with them, but it's hard to make time since i am working a full time job and taking care of all the animals at the housend and doing housework all the time. This weekend I worked nonstop from morning to night doing all that and painting cabinets and ceilings and doors, trying to prep the house to sell. Sigh I need a vacation lol

Jeepers is beautiful. I love the color pattern. What breed is she?
Linda

She's my little Welsh harlequin girl

They look really good! Are you going to be hatching any ducklings this spring?

They're really cute! Is one of them a aylesbury or are they both pekins?

I believe she is a welsh harlequin, but I may be wrong.

NI, probably not going to hatch anything this year, unless my husband gets another crazy idea in his head. We hope to move to a new house in the next few months, and all the prep plus baby birds would be too much. If somebody goes broody outside, however, I wouldn't mind. Plus I already have eleven feed store chicks and two feed store ducklings in the house (compliments of my husband, sigh) and they're driving me bonkers. I need a bird free house! Lol

 

[PotatoWaffles]

@Tevyes Dad thought I would copy your idea and post a time lapse of Jeepers. First pic is early last summer, second pic is last week. I dont think she's entirely done molting, but still a big change.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

@Tevyes Dad thought I would copy your idea and post a time lapse of Jeepers. First pic is early last summer, second pic is last week. I dont think she's entirely done molting, but still a big change.

What a difference! And if I remember right, she is only 1 year old, so her next moult will probably bring her into her full glory! I love that she has the eye stripes. Rhiannon doesn't have those. WH are awesome ducks!

 

[MandyJ]

When do Pekin ducks molt? About what age? Mine are about 1 year old. They "exploded" last summer. Do they usually molt in a certain season?
Thanks!

 

[Lamaremybabies]

When do Pekin ducks molt? About what age? Mine are about 1 year old. They "exploded" last summer. Do they usually molt in a certain season?
Thanks!

A full on molt is usually something they do twice a year from what I know, it happens the beginning of summer and end of fall. But keep in mind they lose and replace feathers year round. Kinda like people lose hair and grow new hair. Feathers are birds' hair.
Also this is something that happens from the time they are born.
And please if I'm wrong please anyone feel free to correct me.

 

[Amiga]

Thanks caesargirl. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her, she shows no sign of illness and has no problem with me touching the lump. It's always been there, and it has stayed the same size as she's grown. She cleans her nares just like all my other ducks and is as happy as a duck can be. I just have never known what this lump is!

@Margot30 - she may be fine - probably is. But there could be some kind of tiny foreign object in the top of the roof of her mouth, so to speak - something that got poked into the tissue and has stayed there. Now, at this point, it may just be like a little benign cyst. But I am not a vet, and haven't looked inside, there. I am not saying it would be easy to do, either. But I might feel better, if it were mine, having it looked at from the inside by a vet, if at all possible.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

They seemed disappointed when I didn't have a banana for them.

My drake is far from camera shy.

 

[Monstro]

So... Tips on how to get ducks OUT of water? We let them out for the day as usual but A few ducks discovered the creek running through our property. Now they don't want to return at night. This creek has high banks along it about 8 inches of water with 1.5+ foot muck so it's not the easiest to walk in.