The Duck Thread

[NewToChix]

Well how are things going? have they met yet?

Yeah. They were "talking" to each other when I put them together. All perked up. Then when I came back they were laying by the water cuddling. Think it seems good. The other duckling sure sits around a lot. Lazy, I guess.

 

[joyfulkeeper]

Yeah. They were "talking" to each other when I put them together. All perked up. Then when I came back they were laying by the water cuddling. Think it seems good. The other duckling sure sits around a lot. Lazy, I guess. 

I'm so glad you aren't giving up on ducks. They have brought so much joy and entertainment to us, not to mention the yummy eggs they give.

Have fun with! Pictures?

 

[NewToChix]

I'm so glad you aren't giving up on ducks. They have brought so much joy and entertainment to us, not to mention the yummy eggs they give.

Have fun with! Pictures?

Yeah, me too. I just couldn't That little one was too sweet. Our cuddle session didn't help it any! Too cute. So yeah, I am looking forward to having them.

Once I charge the camera, I will get a ton of pics I'll post some.

 

[New-2-Ducks]

Hey everyone! I've never had ducks before and plan on getting 6 white pekin ducklings within the next two weeks. We are almost done building their coop after a lot of suggestions on this site. But first, any suggestion in what to do with the ducklings before they are old enough to be outside in the coop??( and at exactly what age would that be)

 

[farm n louisana]

I got mine at a few days old I keep the in a large size dog kennel with a heat lamp on the until they where old enough they didn't need the heat then I started buy putting the outside during the day in the kennel so nothing can get to them n inside at night but it's really warm during the day n at night n when they were 3 weeks old I put them in there coop

 

[Amiga]

Hey everyone! I've never had ducks before and plan on getting 6 white pekin ducklings within the next two weeks. We are almost done building their coop after a lot of suggestions on this site. But first, any suggestion in what to do with the ducklings before they are old enough to be outside in the coop??( and at exactly what age would that be)

Have you seen this?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

And Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks has a chapter on ducklings - really, really good information.

 

[Starfire669]

Hi, I just picked up 5 ducks last week, the females are just reaching point of lay. We have a Pekin drake we named Howard the duck, 3 white crested females we call Daisy duck, Ivory, and Loudmouth, and a black crested duck named Ebony. We finally got them all settled and accepted into my flock of chickens and geese. The geese were a bit mean at first but now mostly ignore the ducks. But I am seeing some behavior I don't like. Howard will try to mate (he hasn't figured it out yet he just got his drake feather in) with any of the white crested females, and sticks pretty close to them. But he attacks the black crested, Ebony. He runs her off food and I saw him attempt to drown her. Is he doing this because she is the only black duck? The previous owner told me Ebony was a loner and was always by herself, but didn't think anything of it. Now I think it is because she is an outcast in the duck flock. If Howard don't straighten up, he will either go to another home or to freezer camp. I won't have him trying to drown my Ebony girl. I was also thinking of maybe getting a couple Cayuga ducklings. Ebony seems to want to build a nest every time she lays. I could put some wooden eggs down, see if she goes broody and let her raise some black companions.
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi, I just picked up 5 ducks last week, the females are just reaching point of lay. We have a Pekin drake we named Howard the duck, 3 white crested females we call Daisy duck, Ivory, and Loudmouth, and a black crested duck named Ebony. We finally got them all settled and accepted into my flock of chickens and geese. The geese were a bit mean at first but now mostly ignore the ducks. But I am seeing some behavior I don't like. Howard will try to mate (he hasn't figured it out yet he just got his drake feather in) with any of the white crested females, and sticks pretty close to them. But he attacks the black crested, Ebony. He runs her off food and I saw him attempt to drown her. Is he doing this because she is the only black duck? The previous owner told me Ebony was a loner and was always by herself, but didn't think anything of it. Now I think it is because she is an outcast in the duck flock. If Howard don't straighten up, he will either go to another home or to freezer camp. I won't have him trying to drown my Ebony girl. I was also thinking of maybe getting a couple Cayuga ducklings. Ebony seems to want to build a nest every time she lays. I could put some wooden eggs down, see if she goes broody and let her raise some black companions.
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

It could very well be her color, and watch him closely your crested have no skull where the crest is and can be injured it's just soft tissue covering over her brain there. She may go broody but alot of ducks have had the broodiness bred out of them. And duck mating behavior can be pretty brutal when i first saw my drake mating with one of my ducks i thought for sure he was trying to drown her but that is just the way of mating. That's too bad about Ebony though maybe you can find some Cayugas on Pet Finder or craigslist. they wouldn't have to be cayuga just dark like KC even.

 

[Starfire669]

It could very well be her color, and watch him closely your crested have no skull where the crest is and can be injured it's just soft tissue covering over her brain there. She may go broody but alot of ducks have had the broodiness bred out of them. And duck mating behavior can be pretty brutal when i first saw my drake mating with one of my ducks i thought for sure he was trying to drown her but that is just the way of mating. That's too bad about Ebony though maybe you can find some Cayugas on Pet Finder or craigslist. they wouldn't have to be cayuga just dark like KC even. 

Howard is fairly gentle with the white cresteds when he attempts to mate them. Ebony hardly ever gets in the pools, and now I know why. She got in with Daisy and Ivory this morning. Then Howard came in and grabbed her head, I thought he was going to mount her, but he pushed her head underwater and then tried to cover it with his chest and hold her down. When he grabs the white cresteds he immediately tries to mount, not so with Ebony. I had to run out there yelling to get him to let her go. Right now Howard is on my freezer camp list for bad behavior. The reason I am looking for Cayguas, aside from color is they are supposed to be quite for ducks. The white cresteds are very loud. I don't need more loud ducks disturbing my neighbors. I believe that the white cresteds are Pekin, and the black crested is mallard. Not sure as previous owner knows even less about ducks than I do.

Miss Lydia! Didn't realize it was you answering my question. Thanks.

 

[dazza1965]

Pellets break down just like crumble. 

thanks. Thought so, just wanted to check. How does that work though? Isn't the same as them eating and digesting pellets?
also, I have read a few threads and othef websites regarding food. A lot are saying to feed them boiled eggs, and feed them cruched eggshell. Would this encourage egg eating? I know they can't peck and break the shell like a chicken would but they may step on the egg to break it.