The Duck Thread

[Julie Birb]

I LOVE DUCKS I LOVE DUCKS I LOVE BIRDS AND DUCKS!!!!!

 

[jtn42248]

I LOVE DUCKS I LOVE DUCKS I LOVE BIRDS AND DUCKS!!!!!

Ditto Julie Bird. That is why we feed our wild birds as well as our chickens, ducks and geese. We have hundreds of birds that now winter with us (probably not really a good thing) but we provide food and shelter and they are warm and well fed. In return they eat insects, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, etc. It is a great arrangement for us and them. Plus we have bird song year around.

 

[Julie Birb]

Ditto Julie Bird. That is why we feed our wild birds as well as our chickens, ducks and geese. We have hundreds of birds that now winter with us (probably not really a good thing) but we provide food and shelter and they are warm and well fed. In return they eat insects, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, etc. It is a great arrangement for us and them. Plus we have bird song year around.

That is beyond wonderful. Don't you find you have an awesome and intimate first hand glimpse into nature? All too often we have such busy lives that so many of us let it pass us by without a care. But not those of us that have these wonderful birds and other sweet critters.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

That is beyond wonderful. Don't you find you have an awesome and intimate first hand glimpse into nature? All too often we have such busy lives that so many of us let it pass us by without a care. But not those of us that have these wonderful birds and other sweet critters.

I wish I could feed wild birds. But I live on the edge of a town that is absolutely overrun with stray cats. A bird feeder would just be a cat feeder, in reality. And it would attract lots of cats in my yard, which might, in turn, bring unwanted kitty attention on my ducks. I wish people would spay and neuter their pets. I've brought one of the town strays into my home, and she's been my wonderful chubby house kitty for five years now. And I have two other rescue cats in the house. But I also have a dog and a ferret in the house, and I just can't keep all the strays. If the strays are friendly and I can handle them, I load them up in the car and bring them to a local no kill shelter/wildlife reserve in the next town over (which is also where I have taken one of my overly hormonal drakes that I couldn't keep). They find the cats good homes there and they MAKE SURE THEY'RE FIXED before they adopt them out. Sigh...

 

[Julie Birb]

I wish I could feed wild birds. But I live on the edge of a town that is absolutely overrun with stray cats. A bird feeder would just be a cat feeder, in reality. And it would attract lots of cats in my yard, which might, in turn, bring unwanted kitty attention on my ducks. I wish people would spay and neuter their pets. I've brought one of the town strays into my home, and she's been my wonderful chubby house kitty for five years now. And I have two other rescue cats in the house. But I also have a dog and a ferret in the house, and I just can't keep all the strays. If the strays are friendly and I can handle them, I load them up in the car and bring them to a local no kill shelter/wildlife reserve in the next town over (which is also where I have taken one of my overly hormonal drakes that I couldn't keep). They find the cats good homes there and they MAKE SURE THEY'RE FIXED before they adopt them out. Sigh...

I have to say that stupid people=too many stray cats=major threat to our wild bird population. It is so sad and an epidemic. I want to sincerely thank you for being so responsible and 'fixing' your animals. You actually care about the world beyond your own 4 walls. You are to be commended.

 

[anniepoo9]

Thanks for the info I luv these guys!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have to say that stupid people=too many stray cats=major threat to our wild bird population. It is so sad and an epidemic. I want to sincerely thank you for being so responsible and 'fixing' your animals. You actually care about the world beyond your own 4 walls. You are to be commended.

X2!!

 

[MrsPlopPlop]

Thanks for all of that info. They are safely enclosed at night with three gaurd dogs who adore them. There is ventilation in the rear of the house. The plastic mesh is for Hawks, and since they are locked up at night I'm not too worried. ive talked to a handful of duck and chicken owners in my neighborhood who seem to think this is fine as long as they are in the container at night. I appreciate your concern and thorough attention to detail

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks for all of that info. They are safely enclosed at night with three gaurd dogs who adore them. There is ventilation in the rear of the house. The plastic mesh is for Hawks, and since they are locked up at night I'm not too worried. ive talked to a handful of duck and chicken owners in my neighborhood who seem to think this is fine as long as they are in the container at night. I appreciate your concern and thorough attention to detail

Just to warn you, predators don't just attack during the night. If they're hungry they'll strike whenever they have the opportunity, and a raccoon or a fox would have no trouble tearing into that run during the day. Neither would a weasel, and if the gaps are bigger than an inch, it wouldn't have to even tear, it could just squeeze right through. Foxes do hunt during the day. If your dogs aren't outside guarding them 24/7 I'd really upgrade to hardware cloth. It's worth it - why take the chance and potentially lose them?

Does the coop part have a solid floor?

 

[Ren2014]

What was their starting weight?

Whoops, sorry I forgot that. Average starting weights:
WH 75.5 gm
BY 61 gm

I came home this evening to find a huge drop in temp in my incubator. 96 was the average temp

How horrible do you think that will be?

I have to say that stupid people=too many stray cats=major threat to our wild bird population. It is so sad and an epidemic. I want to sincerely thank you for being so responsible and 'fixing' your animals. You actually care about the world beyond your own 4 walls. You are to be commended.

X2!!

x3