The Duck Thread

[chicknfun]

ok, I forgot to say in my reply,please fill me in on the details.....head washer?
I guess it's a good thing, this gives me time to make sure I have all my 'ducks in a row' before they get here.....please excuse the PUNniness....LOL

ETA: the ones that my daughter fell in love with were all black-with black beak-
what kind of duck would that be?
uh, I guess it had yellow on chest

 

[zbraswell92]

ok, I forgot to say in my reply,please fill me in on the details.....head washer?
I guess it's a good thing, this gives me time to make sure I have all my 'ducks in a row' before they get here.....please excuse the PUNniness....LOL

ETA: the ones that my daughter fell in love with were all black-with black beak-
what kind of duck would that be?
uh, I guess it had yellow on chest

These are Swedish. Adults have black bodies and a white breast. Do they look similar?
Mallard ducklings have a dark brown/blk back with a yellow belly/chest, yellow wing tips, and black feet and bills. They also have stripes across the sides of their heads.

 

[zbraswell92]

ok, I forgot to say in my reply,please fill me in on the details.....head washer?
I guess it's a good thing, this gives me time to make sure I have all my 'ducks in a row' before they get here.....please excuse the PUNniness....LOL

ETA: the ones that my daughter fell in love with were all black-with black beak-
what kind of duck would that be?
uh, I guess it had yellow on chest

These are Swedish. Adults have black bodies and a white breast. Do they look similar?
Mallard ducklings have a dark brown/blk back with a yellow belly/chest, yellow wing tips, and black feet and bills. They also have stripes across the sides of their heads.

 

[luluann]

I forgot what these are called anyone?

 

[Amiga]

ok, I forgot to say in my reply,please fill me in on the details.....head washer?
I guess it's a good thing, this gives me time to make sure I have all my 'ducks in a row' before they get here.....please excuse the PUNniness....LOL

ETA: the ones that my daughter fell in love with were all black-with black beak-
what kind of duck would that be?
uh, I guess it had yellow on chest

Here is one design. Not perfect, but this is the basic idea.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/313746/larger-face-wash-bucket-for-ducklings

 

[zbraswell92]

I forgot what these are called anyone?

Probly Swedish . They look like them to me, but I've never had Swedish ducks before...

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

ok, I forgot to say in my reply,please fill me in on the details.....head washer?
I guess it's a good thing, this gives me time to make sure I have all my 'ducks in a row' before they get here.....please excuse the PUNniness....LOL

ETA: the ones that my daughter fell in love with were all black-with black beak-
what kind of duck would that be?
uh, I guess it had yellow on chest

They may have been cayugas. They are all black (with the occasional little bit of yellow).

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Helllloooo! I usually lurk on the Washingtonians thread (lightening fast thread!) but decided to pop in over here. I've had chickens for a bit under a year and I agree they are a gateway drug

Now the fever has struck and I've decided to seriously consider ducks and a couple geese this spring (also goats, turkeys and maybe guineas some day

) If you were starting over with ducks, knowing what you know now, what would you change? I have a total of 2.33 acres and live in a temperate scrub desert (don't let the name "Evergreen State" fool ya

). There is grass on the land, in addition to the lawn, during late winter thru late spring but dries up in the yucky hot summer. Plans are in the making to irrigate the field but I think I'd keep the ducks and geese near the lawn to forage. I think I'll be looking for dog houses and kennels on craigslist for their sleeping quarters but would like to let them range a good portion of the time. Any thoughts on starting out, including breeds to start with, would be appreciated! I prefer to be prepared before getting them, haha!

 

[luluann]

How can I make my ducklings less skidish? Every time I go near the cage its full sheer panic. I get them out most days and hold them or take them swimming but the cry when I do and fight like everything to get away.

 

[Amiga]

How can I make my ducklings less skidish? Every time I go near the cage its full sheer panic. I get them out most days and hold them or take them swimming but the cry when I do and fight like everything to get away.

I will guess they are about three weeks old. Most ducklings go through this phase, and it's heartbreaking. But it is normal. And the hard part is that you need to be patient, and do things a little differently, perhaps, for a while.

One bit of advice I received was to approach them as low as possible. Tall things terrify them right now. Spend time with them, just near them, talking to them (bring a book or something and sit tight). I offered mine peas, which I had to roll toward them since they would not come very near me. After several weeks, they started coming around. sigh.

Anyway, nowadays they are very friendly, love to be with me, a few let me pet them, no one likes being picked up. But we're good.