The Duck Thread

[holm25]

here is a pic of Aspen(cayuga) and her boyfriend Birch(f&w runner) they are about 2.5 months old and are such cuties. i have a pair of younger(will be 6 weeks old on monday) female cayuga's named Willow and Maple and am wanting suggestions on introducing the two pairs together and making them into a flock

We just put our little duck's in with our cayug hen and 1 of the 5 drakes cayuga drakes can be mean to ducklings so our's are with the appleyard drake.

 

[Miss Lydia]

here is a pic of Aspen(cayuga) and her boyfriend Birch(f&w runner) they are about 2.5 months old and are such cuties. i have a pair of younger(will be 6 weeks old on monday) female cayuga's named Willow and Maple and am wanting suggestions on introducing the two pairs together and making them into a flock

If you can separate them with temp fencing for a while that is really the best way to introduce, no one can get picked on and they see each other all day long then after about a week try giving them all a tasty treat together that way they are focused on munching on treats instead of each other, I use the plastic poultry fencing from Lowes and the plastic fence posts and that way it's easy to put up and take down. They sure are cute.

 

[holm25]

We don't have problems with birds picking on each other we just put our chick's in the coop there fine with the big girl's same with the duck's.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We don't have problems with birds picking on each other we just put our chick's in the coop there fine with the big girl's same with the duck's.

Some drakes cannot be trusted with ducklings and it's always better to err on the side of caution when introducing young to an established flock. Glad your group are so accepting.

 

[holm25]

Some drakes cannot be trusted with ducklings and it's always better to err on the side of caution when introducing young to an established flock. Glad your group are so accepting.

We could only trust our apple yard drake he is so sweet .

 

[PrayingMantis]

We are in VA and have 5 laying ducks since last September and have only skipped a day or so even in the extreme cold this past winter. As of a week ago, we dropped to 4 eggs and then 3 eggs now today 2 eggs today. We only have female. None act Brody. One has gone off to make nests in random spots in our yard but not sitting in any of them. Nor has she laid an egg in any of them. They appear healthy, foraging well, eating normal amount of feed. Feathers, eyes, bill, vent, legs, feet all look good. Getting vitamin water also. That whole mite thing still a concern but cleaned everything in coop and no sign of mites. No more bites on us either. (Thinking a farm we visited is where we got the bites!) we have 4 ducklings that are not kept with them and they appear healthy as well. Khaki's, WH, and runners are the breeds we have. The only thing I see that the adults do that I can't figure out is they kind of flutter their wings when they are standing still. Sometimes when they are sitting. It's like they twitch their wings, like relaxing them then twitching them back up to normal position. Is this normal? And could they be just taking a break with laying? Is the wing thing related? I have provided ACV in with water too.

 

[subhanalah]

We are in VA and have 5 laying ducks since last September and have only skipped a day or so even in the extreme cold this past winter. As of a week ago, we dropped to 4 eggs and then 3 eggs now today 2 eggs today. We only have female. None act Brody. One has gone off to make nests in random spots in our yard but not sitting in any of them. Nor has she laid an egg in any of them. They appear healthy, foraging well, eating normal amount of feed. Feathers, eyes, bill, vent, legs, feet all look good. Getting vitamin water also. That whole mite thing still a concern but cleaned everything in coop and no sign of mites. No more bites on us either. (Thinking a farm we visited is where we got the bites!) we have 4 ducklings that are not kept with them and they appear healthy as well. Khaki's, WH, and runners are the breeds we have. The only thing I see that the adults do that I can't figure out is they kind of flutter their wings when they are standing still. Sometimes when they are sitting. It's like they twitch their wings, like relaxing them then twitching them back up to normal position. Is this normal? And could they be just taking a break with laying? Is the wing thing related? I have provided ACV in with water too.

if it is hot where you live I would not add acv to the water. It has something to do with nutrient/calcium absorption.

 

[ringaring]

ringaring

We were talking about kids (human) getting chiggers. I don't put anything on my ducks.

The "Bug Off" is definitely for people only. Dusting the ground with diatomaceous earth interrupts their breeding - also works great for fleas. I dust several feet around the perimeter of my house, the duck house and all through the dog yard. It works against all insects that I know of. (it's the main ingredient of the non-chemical stuff you dust on your carpet to rid it of fleas) Commonly available at feed stores & gardening centers.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Introduced ACV just yesterday as a result of the drop in eggs. Ducks went to it very little, more interested in their plain water bucket and their vitamin water bucket.

 

[alscatS]

I am thinking of getting some Buff duck eggs to hatch in the incubator - eggs/meat - anyone have any? I have 1 hen call duck so hopefully she can have a buddy, then if all 12 survive would likely thin out by selling the ducklings - keep about 4 for food and the rest for eggs & maybe a drake for breeding. What does anyone know about the breed?- & once they got big enough they would share the chicken coop with the 2 white rocks, 2 Maran, and 1 lady call