The Duck Thread

[needlessjunk]

Anyone have any advice for introducing a lone duck into a flock? Not a huge flock, just a drake and a duck, but the drake will NOT accept her. I tried today since my pekin has gone broody and he has no one to hang out with while she's on the nest, but he will accept the juvenile khaki cambpell duck I'm trying to introduce. She was supposed to have friends, but unfortunately there was a flood in her brooder when a waterer broke and all the others died. He's been able to see her for over a month now since she's just been living in a different coop with my ayam cemanis.

So sorry for the other babies. How old is the juvenile duck now? They really should be the same size and do slow introductions. Do supervised time to getter and work up from there.

 

[needlessjunk]

So a few days ago (week?) I found 5 eggs that I believe are either my Cayugas or mallard x runner. The newest flock members. They were due to begin laying. So I set them in the bator... Holy bananas, they're fertile! All of em!!!!! So eggcited (had to!) to find out who's laying mystery eggs!!!!

Awesome!!! Can't wait for a progress report.

 

[needlessjunk]

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These are pics of my four Indian runner ducklings on the first day I got them!

How cute! What colors did you get?

 

[Pyxis]

So sorry for the other babies. How old is the juvenile duck now? They really should be the same size and do slow introductions. Do supervised time to getter and work up from there.

She's as big as she's getting, full grown now. Poor thing just got chased everywhere and he kept grabbing the back of her head and biting her repeatedly, ugh. No real damage done but she was so upset and exhausted from being chased all over. I'm thinking I might try to find a friend for her and see if introducing two at once goes better, and then at least she'd have the friend. That's if all else fails and I can't get anything else to work, but it's an option.

 

[jtn42248]

She's as big as she's getting, full grown now. Poor thing just got chased everywhere and he kept grabbing the back of her head and biting her repeatedly, ugh. No real damage done but she was so upset and exhausted from being chased all over. I'm thinking I might try to find a friend for her and see if introducing two at once goes better, and then at least she'd have the friend. That's if all else fails and I can't get anything else to work, but it's an option.

You may have already answered this but how many ducks total are you talking about. I know that many people have just two, a drake and a female, but the recommended mix is one drake to 4-5 females minimum. If you have a drake he is going to mate with the females he has available and they will mate often during season. So, just one or two females you are really risking over mating and injury of the females. Also, after a certain point/age the introduction of another duck does not always result in compatible relationships. There is the chance that you may have to establish two "flocks" that are kept apart from one another or to rehome the drake to protect your female.

 

[jducour]

It was requested that I post pictures of inside my duck house. I cleaned it tonight, so I took pictures of the process. Sorry about the lighting, it was dusk when I started.

This flooring of the coop is ice and water shield. My uncle was roofing his house, and it is rated waterproof for 50 years.

I line the coop with a painter dropcloth. When it comes time to clean, I gather the edges and dump the shavings in the garden.

The pail holds 12 pounds of feed, and the 5 gallon bucket has a lid that keeps bugs out, and 5 nipples for the ducks to drink out of. The pad under the water is washable, I change it out every other day. This keeps all water off the wood shavings.

Time for bed!!! They love the first time back in their clean house.

Locked up and ready for bed!

 

[Julie Birb]

It was requested that I post pictures of inside my duck house. I cleaned it tonight, so I took pictures of the process. Sorry about the lighting, it was dusk when I started.

This flooring of the coop is ice and water shield. My uncle was roofing his house, and it is rated waterproof for 50 years.

I line the coop with a painter dropcloth. When it comes time to clean, I gather the edges and dump the shavings in the garden.

The pail holds 12 pounds of feed, and the 5 gallon bucket has a lid that keeps bugs out, and 5 nipples for the ducks to drink out of. The pad under the water is washable, I change it out every other day. This keeps all water off the wood shavings.

Time for bed!!! They love the first time back in their clean house.

Locked up and ready for bed!

that is the cutest house just right for your precious ducks.

 

[Pyxis]

You may have already answered this but how many ducks total are you talking about. I know that many people have just two, a drake and a female, but the recommended mix is one drake to 4-5 females minimum. If you have a drake he is going to mate with the females he has available and they will mate often during season. So, just one or two females you are really risking over mating and injury of the females. Also, after a certain point/age the introduction of another duck does not always result in compatible relationships. There is the chance that you may have to establish two "flocks" that are kept apart from one another or to rehome the drake to protect your female.

I am aware of this, and it's why I'm trying to get the female introduced. I've actually kept ducks for almost eight years, so I'm not new to it. Right now I only have the drake and the duck and the juvenile I'm trying to introduce because a predator attack this winter resulted in the death of my entire duck flock aside from the drake. Then, when I was growing up the ducklings that would be his new flock, he vanished for about two months and came back with this pekin from somewhere. Sorry if I sound snippy at all with this reply, it's totally not my intention, just trying to give background info so no one else thinks I'm new to this. I really do already know all about basic duck care

 

[City farm]

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These are pics of my four Indian runner ducklings on the first day I got them!

Agh, how precious!!!

 

[City farm]

Anyone have any advice for introducing a lone duck into a flock? Not a huge flock, just a drake and a duck, but the drake will NOT accept her. I tried today since my pekin has gone broody and he has no one to hang out with while she's on the nest, but he will accept the juvenile khaki cambpell duck I'm trying to introduce. She was supposed to have friends, but unfortunately there was a flood in her brooder when a waterer broke and all the others died. He's been able to see her for over a month now since she's just been living in a different coop with my ayam cemanis.

So sorry for the other babies. How old is the juvenile duck now? They really should be the same size and do slow introductions. Do supervised time to getter and work up from there.

X2!!
& condolences from us..