The Duck Thread

[hennible]

@Amiga ever run into foot and/or leg injuries with your watering set up?

 

[OldMissionChick]

Hello! My fiancé just surprised me with some new additions to the flock: four adorable crested ducklings. I am aware of the lethal gene that creates this mutation, so these babies are just for showing / pets. I have a couple of quick questions!

1. I'm just now getting into showing... Can you show any color of crested duck? We have a blue bibbed, two magpie, and a white.

2. It'll be December when they're ready to go outside. We have a duck house and a fenced in run. We plan on slowly getting them used to the cold before just throwing them outside. Will they be fine as long as they have access to an enclosed shelter and we put straw on the ground?

Thanks guys! Here's the babies:

1. Dr. Doom (drake)

2. Afro Samurai (duck)

3. Ladybird (duck)

4. Flocksy Cleopatra (duck)

Thanks again!

awe look at those precious faces! Sorry I cant offer any advice as I am a first time duck mom of 5 - 8 month olds and 2 - 12 week olds. I am someone with more experience will chime in

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hello! My fiancé just surprised me with some new additions to the flock: four adorable crested ducklings. I am aware of the lethal gene that creates this mutation, so these babies are just for showing / pets. I have a couple of quick questions!

1. I'm just now getting into showing... Can you show any color of crested duck? We have a blue bibbed, two magpie, and a white.

2. It'll be December when they're ready to go outside. We have a duck house and a fenced in run. We plan on slowly getting them used to the cold before just throwing them outside. Will they be fine as long as they have access to an enclosed shelter and we put straw on the ground?

Thanks guys! Here's the babies:

1. Dr. Doom (drake)

2. Afro Samurai (duck)

3. Ladybird (duck)

4. Flocksy Cleopatra (duck)

Thanks again!

They are adorable!!!

I knkw nothing about showing but as for your other question, I can give my 2 cents, lol...

As long as they are fully feathered and you acclimate them properly, yes you can put them outside... a good solid duck house with lots of ventilation but no drafts is a must... I'd make sure you could close it up at night so predators can't get it, but leave them access during the day to get off any snow or ice and out of the weather if they choose...

 

[Amiga]

No, @hennible , none. I did, just to be on the safe side, put large rocks in front of the entrances to the smaller (cat litter pan) watering stations last week.

 

[Amiga]

@sryglet , RavynFallen has good advice and I would like to add that three or four of my Runners were less cold-hardy than the books had led me to believe. So there's the general guideline, and then there are the individual ducks. So just keep an eye on them - you should be able to tell if they are not warm enough.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Well said, Amiga!

 

[caesargirl]

My 3 newest. Hatched on Thursday and Friday. Named cup, Saucer and Button!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My 3 newest. Hatched on Thursday and Friday. Named cup, Saucer and Button!

 

[LittleLakePhil]

they are from my mixed flock. At the time of set I had a Peking & 2 Rouen hens and a Peking, a Rouen & 2 Khaki Campbell drakes. A few days ago I traded my 2 Khaki Campbells for 2 Welsh Harlequin hens. They are only about 12 weeks old so they wont be laying probably until spring.

ETA: the khakis were getting more business done than the other two. So they will be most likely khaki crosses.

yeah KC's are like that...horny little birds.

 

[Julie Birb]

My 3 newest. Hatched on Thursday and Friday. Named cup, Saucer and Button!

Little specials of cute.