The Duck Thread

[Amiga]

Here are a few ideas for you to consider.

It is ideal when the duck pen drains so that there is no standing water. A 2% slope will do it. At the low end, a shallow channel leading into a garden bed, mulch pile or even a grassy area will make good use of the enriched water.

Spalding labs sells fly predators, and has some advice about controlling flies. That's where I get my fly predators from.

If you can set up a fan - that is not exactly a fix, but it is a kind of work-around until things get managed.

Our first year with the ducks I was getting concerned about the flies - they seemed to suddenly proliferate. Now, there are some around but nothing to worry about.

I am wondering if flies are breeding under the OSB boards. I may not be picturing it quite right.

 

[WVduckchick]

@Debs Flock Amiga gives great advice! I'd just like to add that my little Chibs pipped low while hatching and the others pecked his bill while it was sticking out of the shell. It actually made a hole that a pinpoint amount of water would come out of when he first started drinking! I'm telling you this because it healed in mere days!! And you can not even tell now that it happened. Granted he was a baby, and I hope your Diva heals quickly, but I was actually amazed. Just wanted to share that they are such resilient little beings. Hopefully you might worry a little less. Good luck!

 

[City farm]

 
Yes, it is a normal thing for female Muscovy. They are the most broody of all ducks. They will sit on eggs irrespective of them being fertile or otherwise.

I have 3 Muscovy ducks sitting on fake ceramic goose eggs happy as larks.

Our girl, Lauren went broody with the fake egg's.. She got all puffed up & like " don't come close or I will charge" so funny. We took them away, she has decided to lay wherever she want's now..

 

[City farm]

This made me giggle. The first time my ducks experienced rain, I had just put them in their enclosure and walked in the house to do dishes or something. I looked out there a minute later to find a downpour and my ducks running around like, "Ahhh! Too much! Turn it off turn it off!!" Silly ducks.

That's the way mine were too, running around and sort of freaking out.  Of course then I showed up with my giant umbrella and really scared the bejeesus out of them!  Ducks do not like umbrellas.  I was trying to heard them back to their house since it was storming so bad and they ran like the dickens to get away from me.  Then Deliah got separated from the others and went under a pine tree.  I feel bad for scaring them so much, but Deliah was so cute when I went back for her. She was crouched under the tree with her neck stretched out, trying to be as small and flat as possible. Poor baby was in scared duckling mode, I think.  Anyway, I no longer use my umbrella around them and now try to put them in the pen before any major weather happens, just to be safe.

What is so funny is these duck's are, our pet's.. They could get out while it was raining, they would go play in the street gutters.. My neighbors would call or text telling me they are out in the street. But all they were doing was playing in the gutter's.. I tell them they will go back in the yard when their done.. We have a sign that say's "Certified Wildlife Habitat" it is from the Wildlife Fereration, our neighborhood is still working on getting Nationally recongnized by them.. Here is the green plaque we purchased. You get a paper one, but we enjoy looking at this one.. When visitors pop on over for tea, or just stroll threw out neighborhood, I tell them they are highly trained duck's.. .
I have posted this before.. But here is the sign again..

 

[City farm]

Here are a few ideas for you to consider.

It is ideal when the duck pen drains so that there is no standing water.  A 2% slope will do it.  At the low end, a shallow channel leading into a garden bed, mulch pile or even a grassy area will make good use of the enriched water.

Spalding labs sells fly predators, and has some advice about controlling flies.  That's where I get my fly predators from.

If you can set up a fan - that is not exactly a fix, but it is a kind of work-around until things get managed.

Our first year with the ducks I was getting concerned about the flies - they seemed to suddenly proliferate.  Now, there are some around but nothing to worry about.

I am wondering if flies are breeding under the OSB boards.  I may not be picturing it quite right.

We decided to use fly predators for the first time this year.. What a drastic difference from last year!! Fly's carry tapeworm. With chickens here on our property we know how hard it is to get rid of them in chicken's.. but really nothing we can do about the duck's. Spalding labs have great item's.

 

[City farm]

Do we have a ducky 911 on here? I'm freaking out a bit. Diva seems fine, but her bill is injured. The pic doesn't show that well, but I could see blood and there's definitely a scrape. The only thing we can figure is she somehow got it caught in the feeder hole. Please tell me how to care for her injury. @duckies1230 - sorry, I'm kind of going around your post/question about the aggression. I'll tag some experts and hopefully we'll both get some help. @Amiga @Miss Lydia @Kaessa @WVduckchick I know there's more, but my brain is in freak out mode.

Agh, I read only a few post's..I will catch up tomorrow. How is Diva?

 

[caesargirl]

@Debs Flock how's Diva this morning????

 

[caesargirl]

My incubator is gonna be here today!!! My incubator is gonna be here today!!! Yaaaaaaa!!!!! C'mon UPS man!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do we have a ducky 911 on here? I'm freaking out a bit.

Diva seems fine, but her bill is injured. The pic doesn't show that well, but I could see blood and there's definitely a scrape. The only thing we can figure is she somehow got it caught in the feeder hole. Please tell me how to care for her injury.

@duckies1230 - sorry, I'm kind of going around your post/question about the aggression. I'll tag some experts and hopefully we'll both get some help.

@Amiga
@Miss Lydia
@Kaessa
@WVduckchick

I know there's more, but my brain is in freak out mode.

Put some ACV in the drinking water it is great for cleaning and healing of face wounds. and at night when you put them up where she can't wash it off put some neo or triple antibiotic ointment on it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My incubator is gonna be here today!!! My incubator is gonna be here today!!! Yaaaaaaa!!!!! C'mon UPS man!

Looking at your avatar caesargirl I don't think you need one. lol