The Duck Thread

[tracyjg]

Right now it's Timothy hey and pine and dirt in one side. They love that section. When we pour water out every night they like to float in mud. When we get the area done it will have a drain leading to front gate in the other side is a garden. That will eventually get netted off so they go up front. We our going to build a large coop house in back yard for them and split it off for chicken and ducks. My dogs don't need a lot of space. Just enough to go to bathroom. There inside dogs.

 

[caesargirl]

Right now it's Timothy hey and pine and dirt in one side. They love that section. When we pour water out every night they like to float in mud. When we get the area done it will have a drain leading to front gate in the other side is a garden. That will eventually get netted off so they go up front. We our going to build a large coop house in back yard for them and split it off for chicken and ducks. My dogs don't need a lot of space. Just enough to go to bathroom. There inside dogs.

Lol, my ducks love to slurp the nasty water I dump out of their pools!! Yuck! They also stomp their feet in it and then slurp some more! In the summer they dig for worms in the mud soup!! When I give them clean water, they each take a few sips then jump in and make as much of a mud puddle as possible. If you do any gardening or have any plants, use the duck pool water for growing. The plants love it!!

 

[sryglet]

Sounds like the ideal place. Do you have a duck that is getting close to being broody?  I have never had a problem moving my ducks once they have committed to brooding. Others have had their ducks give up and leave the nest so there is always that possibility. You'll have to make the decision for your duck. I just saw caesargirl hasn't been able to do it. So if you have the slightest doubt about your duck you could wait till they start hatching too I have done that moved them during hatch nest and all to an enclosed stall where the top was closed off too.

I have a Cayuga / runner mix that is close to being broody. She's got five eggs right now and has built a nice little nest for them. I'm worried about the babies hatching overnight because they'd be enclosed with five other ducks until I could move them... but she's never hatched a clutch before, so I feel like I shouldn't mess with her eggs. I think I'll just make sure that I know when they should be hatching and I'll keep a close eye on everyone. I'm really excited - if she succeeds and hatches some babies, they'll be 50% runner, 25% mallard, 25% Cayuga. I feel like the babies would make good layers and brooders!

 

[Amiga]

Mmmm, nice mixes, yes.

We have to be creative sometimes with housing! I know I keep a supply of short sections of fence, towels, clothes pins, etc. to rearrange the night pen from time to time for various reasons.

I admit I would consider trying to obtain a monitor camera if there was any hatching going on in the duck shelter....

 

[sryglet]

Mmmm, nice mixes, yes.

We have to be creative sometimes with housing!  I know I keep a supply of short sections of fence, towels, clothes pins, etc. to rearrange the night pen from time to time for various reasons.

I admit I would consider trying to obtain a monitor camera if there was any hatching going on in the duck shelter....

I'm seriously considering setting up a tent right beside the duck house and just camping out until the babies hatch once the time comes haha

 

[City farm]

Good morning from Arizona.. Our flock is getting spoiled with extra treats

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm seriously considering setting up a tent right beside the duck house and just camping out until the babies hatch once the time comes haha

How about putting the other 5 ducks in your other shelter till hatch is over then you could switch them around. Then you wouldn't have to camp with the ducks. lol

 

[foxygoober]

Saturday I brought home two ducklings from TSC. They had arrived Monday, so I figured since they had lived a week they were likely to continue living. Right now they are in our kitchen. We plan on getting a couple more once we get their pen built-if it ever stops raining long enough for us to build! With my luck both ducklings are male and we really want eggs. We already have three roosters and no hens -sigh.

 

[foxygoober]

My husband has this idea to build a tractor and a permanent dwelling. My idea was to build a shelter and just have a move able nesting box. We do have an issue with predators-snakes, raccoon, possums, foxes, random dogs and cats.

 

[sryglet]

How about putting the other 5 ducks in your other shelter till hatch is over then you could switch them around. Then you wouldn't have to camp with the ducks. lol

Lol true. I would definitely have to remove them from their actual house every night and put them in the temporary one. They'd just be so mad because they're used to having access to a run overnight!