The Duck Thread

[Speceider]

This is a little something I learned about black vultures and I must say from the photo I cannot tell if this is a turkey vulture or black vulture.

I was told that occasionally black vultures will attack smaller animals.  Let me see if I can find a reference for that.  I just would not want to assume these large birds are incapable of taking another duck.

It's a turkey vulture, tail is too long for a black. While vultures can kill, they rarely do.

Clint

 

[Amiga]

Thanks, Clint. And I did recall correctly that on occasion, black vultures will kill animals.

I trust information from Cornell.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black_vulture/lifehistory

 

[Amiga]

Thank you

I'm very fortunate that my ducks have not suffered from my lack of thinking before I jumped

Thank you

I'm glad I found y'all. I have learned so much from you, Miss Lydia and everyone else here.

Please do share. I hope everyone thinking about getting ducks can read it before they leap

And, if I missed anything that you can save me from please add to my list

I LOVE your approach and OMG... 3 mos in the house, what a hoot that must have been! Lucky you actually. My husband would never allow it and we even have concrete floors. Geeesss... I kept telling him, it's just concrete they are pooping all on, lol.

My inner nine year old was in heaven! My beloved, well, I believe he thought I had lost my mind. I am not exaggerating. We have since sorted things out.

We have hardwood floors. I covered them with old sheets. Worked out fine. In fact, because I was always cleaning up after the duckies, the house was in pretty darn good shape!!!

 

[Amiga]

My ducks are coming tomorrow and when they come should I put there heads in the food or water first?(I know they need there food wet)

I dipped their tiny bills in lukewarm water as I took them out of the box they arrived in and placed them in the brooder.

 

[Starfire669]

They will accept them it just takes time... Ebony sounds like where Emmie was she would hold her leg and foot limp but when i'd put her in water she would use it fine, that's the importance of water therapy  they can use the leg without putting stress on it. Hopefully with your TLC she'll start improving in the next couple days. 

I hope so, it hurts to see her in so much pain.

 

[Amiga]

 

[chickengirl987]

How do I use chick grit for my ducklings?

 

[Starfire669]

Ebony is napping with the 2 goslings tucked up against her sides. It's very cute. I hope she is as accepting of the ducklings when they arrive. They are ment to be her companions and I'd be thrilled if she bonded to them while they were young. I'm working on separating the nursey in 2, right now. The ducklings can't be put with the goslings and I'd like to see Ebony's reaction to them before allowing her to be with them.

Does anyone know if a drake, hand raised from a day old, will end up as violent as Howard? It would be wonderful to have a nice gentle drake for these ladies, I have 2 white Pekin cresteds, Ebony who I believe to be a mallard crested, and i am picking up at least 2 Cayuga female ducklings this Thursday. If I purchase a male Cayuga duckling will he grow up and hurt my ladies as Howard did? Howard was a rescued Pekin drake, no clue about his previous life and he was huge. I think Cayugas are smaller than Pekin. Opinions?

 

[randerson846]

In a while I am going to hatch some Muscovey eggs along with some pekin and some Rouen, so, do I just put the Muscovy in first in (for 48 hours (they are shipped)) in an egg cartoon at around 30% humidity (dry hatch) and on day three take them out of the egg carton and start to turn them three times a day until day 32. once they have been in a week I put in the other eggs turn them as well until day 25 (lockdown for both) and then raise the humidity to 65% and let them hatch (hope I made since lol )

 

[DuckDodgers]

I know call ducks have many different colors. But does anyone know if domesticated mallards come in different colors?