The Duck Thread

[OldMissionChick]

We had a similar set up. Thought the pea gravel was a sweet idea! Dragged bags into the pen, spread it all. Looked lovely. Flash forward 8 months. Now, we have a poop, mud, straw, feed mix on top of said pea gravel...which by the way makes it impossible to 1. Hoe in or 2. Rake off ...resigned to those little flat feet making a mess. (And FYI they are only in there at night...) at least if it was just dirt, I could remove it with a shovel/rake or churn it into the soil underneath. The pea gravel was a mistake.

On here, others were like "I just use the hose to rinse the poo through the gravel." Well, by morning, their little flat feet turn each poop pile into a tiny piece of cement. It's a good thing they are cute.

Thanks for the heads up! I also was thinking gravel, now wondering if sand would be better than dirt. We are in the process of clearing out 40 trees for the coop, run & future garden so not much existing vegetation.

 

[City farm]

Today's daily swim session

Precious!!

 

[City farm]

One pure bred pekin and the rest are a mix of blue swedish, Ancona, and khaki Kampbell!

So cute!! 

It will be great to see how they turn out.. Keep the photo's coming!!

 

[needlessjunk]

Hello everyone.

Just a funny story.    I have one drake and seven ladies.  Most of them are various breeds.  The drake ( a WH) was trying to have some fun with the WH female when all of a sudden he shoots out of the pool with my little fawn & white runner rushing after him very intent on his backside.   The drake was booking like his life depended on it.   I then saw that his little dingus was still hanging out.   I am pretty sure the little runner thought it was a nice tasty worm and was determined on nabbing it and he was trying to save his dingus from being removed.   I suggested he get back in the water or stick it back in.   He'd did lose his dingus that time but he'd be careful and not have it hanging out when that little runner is in the vicinity!

 

[needlessjunk]

Today's daily swim session

What cuties!

 

[WVduckchick]

Hello everyone.

Just a funny story.    I have one drake and seven ladies.  Most of them are various breeds.  The drake ( a WH) was trying to have some fun with the WH female when all of a sudden he shoots out of the pool with my little fawn & white runner rushing after him very intent on his backside.   The drake was booking like his life depended on it.   I then saw that his little dingus was still hanging out.   I am pretty sure the little runner thought it was a nice tasty worm and was determined on nabbing it and he was trying to save his dingus from being removed.   I suggested he get back in the water or stick it back in.   He'd did lose his dingus that time but he'd be careful and not have it hanging out when that little runner is in the vicinity!

Dingus.... Is that a technical term?

 

[caesargirl]

I put a flashlight on the ground in the duckling pen and now they have a rousing game of Catch The Moths going on!!

 

[Lynn Manes]

Haha, poor little drake. Guess it's not nice to laugh at his expense though, huh?

 

[needlessjunk]

I have a question for y'all. Have you noticed that you ducks stop laying when it gets hot? I'm getting less eggs this week but we are almost at 100 degrees. Also do ducks molt their first year? They were born in Dec so should I expect a fall molt this year or will it start next?

 

[Amiga]

Hot weather can slow down egg laying with my Runners and Buffs, seems to me. MIne molted at 2 or 3 months, then I think it may have been more than a year before the next molt. Oh, and each duck molts on her own schedule. My broodies molt about a month after they are done feeling broody, then start laying a month or two later.