The Duck Thread

[tinkerfairy]

I would love to get 2 dog lots and put them together for my ducks to be kept in. Of course mine will have to be kept up in the lot when I am not around. I want them to have room. The reason I want this covered lot is to keep some of the rain out, I know they love water but to try to keep there lot clean for there benefit. I haven't taken mine outside yet we let them play in the house I don't just keep them in the storage tub 24/7 also each duck gets 1 on 1 attention. Jumper our largest ancona someone earlier suggested he could be, let me know he wanted to be held I was petting them in the tub, he came up sat his chest in my hands then tried climbing up so I picked him up, to tell you how bonded they have become with me I stretched out on the bed and he stayed on me he was free to go when he wanted but chose to lay close to my face

they're feathers are coming in so they do a lot of grooming, he wanted to have his feet on top of my hands cradling him and he would happily make sounds its kinda like a chirp and whistle. We are hearing quacks from our runners but none from him that's why I say him. We are moving to a place with a fenced in front and back yard, I will still put them up in a lot at night but when I am home they will be able to play out in the yard. I don't think they would feel safe exploring without me when I have them out of the tote they don't want me out of their site they will run after me when I get too far away. I don't know how old they were when we got them, tsc had got them in a couple hours before I got them they had no feathers and were very small. Maybe a few days old? I actually think they may have imprinted on me as their mom these ducks really love being handled held and they give affection back. They trust me, they like to play with my pant leg to get my attention they stand and wait to be picked up and petted, I can cup my hand and they will stick there head in and nuzzle me. They're all very nice we don't have any biters, they like to groom me like they do themselves. I think one day when its warm and not windy I will take them out as a group for a visit to the outside world. I'm just not looking forward to moving them outside I am afraid they will be terrified especially when I'm not around. And they loved that shower idea posted on here let the tub fill up from the shower running and they got a good swim too

 

[tinkerfairy]

I've never seen this is person but saw on animal planet these ppl got in trouble for having full grown ducks in the inside the house wire dog kennels with a small pan of filthy water, they didn't have room to turn around, that to me is cruel confinement and that's not shelter from the elements. I could never do that to my ducks, they will have a large lot and id like to try to make them a small pond when we move but I think a large kiddie pool will work for the time being I will keep it dumped and fresh water put in, I want my ducks to be happy healthy and safe

 

[tinkerfairy]

Oh and to everyone that has posted pics I have to say, adorable ducklings and beautiful adults!!!!

 

[saulsberry]

I would love to get 2 dog lots and put them together for my ducks to be kept in. Of course mine will have to be kept up in the lot when I am not around. I want them to have room. The reason I want this covered lot is to keep some of the rain out, I know they love water but to try to keep there lot clean for there benefit. I haven't taken mine outside yet we let them play in the house I don't just keep them in the storage tub 24/7 also each duck gets 1 on 1 attention. Jumper our largest ancona someone earlier suggested he could be, let me know he wanted to be held I was petting them in the tub, he came up sat his chest in my hands then tried climbing up so I picked him up, to tell you how bonded they have become with me I stretched out on the bed and he stayed on me he was free to go when he wanted but chose to lay close to my face

they're feathers are coming in so they do a lot of grooming, he wanted to have his feet on top of my hands cradling him and he would happily make sounds its kinda like a chirp and whistle. We are hearing quacks from our runners but none from him that's why I say him. We are moving to a place with a fenced in front and back yard, I will still put them up in a lot at night but when I am home they will be able to play out in the yard. I don't think they would feel safe exploring without me when I have them out of the tote they don't want me out of their site they will run after me when I get too far away. I don't know how old they were when we got them, tsc had got them in a couple hours before I got them they had no feathers and were very small. Maybe a few days old? I actually think they may have imprinted on me as their mom these ducks really love being handled held and they give affection back. They trust me, they like to play with my pant leg to get my attention they stand and wait to be picked up and petted, I can cup my hand and they will stick there head in and nuzzle me. They're all very nice we don't have any biters, they like to groom me like they do themselves. I think one day when its warm and not windy I will take them out as a group for a visit to the outside world. I'm just not looking forward to moving them outside I am afraid they will be terrified especially when I'm not around. And they loved that shower idea posted on here let the tub fill up from the shower running and they got a good swim too

They like to huddle in a corner together at night, I would rather see them in a indoor place (shed, dog kennel, crate) for the 8 hrs or so we sleep and the predators hunt, just to make sure they are protected than rush them outside and lose them. I've heard many a story rural and city duck keepers losing their ducks, bc once the predator takes one they come back for more and sometimes with more hungry friends.
During the day they are pretty safe except for air attacks from lg birds but they let me know when something is there, our neighbors dog got out and they sounded the alarm, even the wild ducks were quacking the alarm quack.
What's so cute is they will hear me being loud in the house or singing at the top of my lungs and they quack at me, as if to say "you ok mom" or "we hear u mom" it makes me feel so loved ;-)
Now that it is getting quite warm outside we get to spend much more time with them, which is my fav thing to do. Spending time when they are little really pays off because you are all they know and its so cute to see them loving you in their own birdie way, and I lost one to a pool incident, where the males drowned my other female mallard, I couldnt bear to lose any more of my quacking feathered lil kiddos ;-)

Are you going to give them a dog house or some kinda lean too to get out of heavy downpours or to hide in when they dont feel safe, even if its just a outside table with a piece of ply wood like i used for our extra Rouen Males I gave to a friend? Even with the make shift lean too I put them in a crate at night so they were safe and more importantly feel safe. And if thats all you have till u can upgrade there's nothing wrong with that.

It doesn't have to be fancy or even store bought, the ducks are easy to please, some water and some greens thrown in their yard and mine are happy happy happy;-)

 

[tinkerfairy]

Oh yes they're going to have a safe house in there lot, kinda like a dog house I guess I could compare it to. So every one has room inside and can snuggle up and stay warm.

 

[saulsberry]

Sorry for all the edits ya'll, my phone doesnt cooperate with the posting thing...its easier to do this on the computer

 

[tinkerfairy]

I have invested a lot of time with these little ones and they seem to really enjoy human interaction, it would break my heart if I lost one to a predator. I'll be an overprotective duck mom, making sure there lot is secure, checking for any signs of something trying to dig in, I've thought about easing them outside like let them be out in the lot during the day and bring them in to sleep at night, I probably won't sleep well there first night out, up and down checking on them

but they are outgrowing the storage tub they can stand up and look over the top, I bought the biggest one I could find

they're great with the 2 a couple weeks younger and smaller they are always the ones on top of the duck pile. I'm thinking jumper is our only male, he's either ancona or black Swedish, I guess I will know more when he's feathered, we have 2 runners both are solid brown one is lighter with brown feet and bill the other is a dark brown with black feet and bill that's cocoa and pebbles

then our Rouens (they look like little mallard ducklings) are ducky and dodger, since dodger was our most skiddish, the two youngest used to run away screaming when we would try to handle them, so we didn't force attention on them and they learned by watching the others and now greet us just as happily as if they loved us from day one

my young chickens seem to like attention they will greet me and run up to the door, but the ducks are way more affectionate. So far not much luck with my bantams they're skiddish except for a couple I have 1 that hops on my hand and wants to come out and be handled, it just lays in my hand very calmly. I'm concerned it cant fly the way it acts when it tries, if it cant fly I have considered just letting it stay inside, I don't want it to be picked on by the others or be an easy target. I have quite the mixed flock on my hands

of course they all won't be kept in the same pen. I can thank chick days at tractor supply lol, hard to pass up the cute fuzz balls

 

[Jdc361]

What's the loudest duck breed?!

 

[Jennn27]

Mine like peas, but they looove cheerios! Lol

Hahaha....mine, too!! When we put them in the tub, we put a hand down in the tub with Cheerio's and they swim up and practically inhale them right out of our hands.

They also LOVE to dive for sweet peas!

 

[Jennn27]

What's the loudest duck breed?!

Don't know about the loudest of all, but I have a Runner and he LOVES to talk....all the time! I have three different breeds. An Indian Runner (well, he's black, anyway,lol), a black and white that we think may be Magpie or at least part-Magpie, and a Khaki Campbell. The Runner is by far the loudest (first one to start quacking, too), the Khaki Campbell is definitely the heaviest, and the Magpie has the most personality.

We got this mix purely by accident. haha Just decided we wanted ducks with our chicks and went to Horaney's and picked three out as babies.

Good luck on your decision! We are gonna need pics!