The Duck Thread

[gimp32]

Nothing wrong with old school. I think that most of us overthink what we're doing most of the time anyway! I don't do goldfish, I do shiners (it's a great excuse to go ice fishing!) and what you're doing isn't necessarily old school, so much as spoiling your ducks!!!

 

[gimp32]

Spoiling ducks????? What!?! Never

Just call it a hardty hobby

 

[caesargirl]

Spoiling ducks????? What!?! Never

Just call it a hardty hobby

There's a farm up the road from me. They raise Highlander cattle. Big huge shaggy beasts. I saw the owner out there one day pointing at something and realized he was trying to get one of the calves to move. I realized, I do the same darn thing with my ducks, and get the same results, nothing.... We both resort to bribery. Peas for the ducks and the farmer used sugar cubes. They have us well trained!

 

[gimp32]

....... What's interesting is that we think, that WE are training them....... Gives a whole new perspective on " through the looking glass"

 

[caesargirl]

....... What's interesting is that we think, that WE are training them....... Gives a whole new perspective on " through the looking glass"

Nah, I know better. Had to round up a wayward duck yesterday. The neighbor brought his shepherd dog over and he got the duck where she needed to be. My shepherd snoozed on the couch, watched tv and farted. I'm well aware of who has who, trained in this house.....

 

[Tevyes Dad]

For all of you who have, in the past, asked if ducks can fly. Well, we just had a Blue Swedish, a Fawn Runner, a Khaki drake and two Cayugas take off flying and make it over their 6 foot fence into the field where they were being chased by our Toulouse geese for intruding in their space.

Of course they have a sustained wind or 40 mph to give them extra lift. It was really fun watching them fly while trying to avoid us getting them back into their pen. Fortunately the wind is from the north so they can't get the lift to fly into the yard where the dogs are. And, it probably won't be the last time today that we have to go rescue them. Silly ducks.

I even saw our Pekin "fly" about 15 feet horizontal three feet up at her full weight of 11 lbs with no wind. I'm sure it was a great effort, she never did it again and she would never have migrated.

But with a workout and motivation any of them "can" fly. (see any of @NathanZee 's videos). There is just such a high wing load with domestic ducks and geese that on their own, they do the hoppy flappy thing without much success and never get up the speed to fly much so they don't learn or build up the muscles required. Our F&W runner, Entie, just recently got off the ground higher than our fence and scared us quite a bit. (She was spooked because she didn't go in her house on time.) I know she would never fly away, but I am scared that If she flew out the back side of our yard, she might not be able to fly back in. We are debating clipping a wing now because of that. On one hand I don't want her to fly out and not be able to get back in (don't think it is too likely) but on the other hand, that little bit of flight might be able to save her (also not too likely).

We will probably just keep a close eye on her (she doesn't fly much more than any of the other ducks normally.)

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Hi All! This is my first post here, and I'm a new duck mom!

I saved two 6 month old mallard drakes from some pretty awful conditions - I've had them for about a month now, and everything has been great until recently. They were hatched and raised together, and there are no hens, nor have they ever been with hens. Their names are Max and Shadow.

The past few days they have both been doing this neck quiver thing, and then whenever I feed them some meal worms or something special (other than pellets), Shadow attacks Max. This only happens if I feed them, not my boyfriend or my dad who they just met. I've read a little on here that they could be wanting to mate with me, which is flattering I suppose but kind of awkward - they are my newly adopted sons!

Any advice or help is appreciated, there isn't too much on the internet about ducks! Thank you again!

I am certainly no expert, but I've raised a couple ducks now. The neck quiver thing I equate to "Now I am going to do something crazy!!!". When a duck that is higher in the pecking order attacks a duck lower in the pecking order, they just do it. The neck quiver thing means they are feeling aggressive, but are not sure of themselves. They may be establishing (or reestablishing) their pecking order. You are probably right about Shadow being infatuated with you. But it might be for the food too. The reason that they might not act the same with your boyfriend or dad is that they might be more wary of them so they are focused on them more than competition for the food.

When I got my first two ducks, they were two months old - fully feathered and just hit the "we aren't ducklings stage". It took me several weeks to get them to eat from my hand. Tella was the first and she would do the neck quiver thing then chest bump my hand to get the treats out. This eventually went away and she is now a happy hand-feeder first class.

If the attacks are just pecks or chest bumps, I would wait and see what develops. If they are more violent, you might want to narrow down the trigger further. If they will both take pellets from you in a civil manner, I would guess that Shadow thinks all the treats are his (I have a few flock members like that: Roxette, Tevye). You can sit down and put your legs between them and feed each duck in turn or one with each hand.

 

[NathanZee]

I even saw our Pekin "fly" about 15 feet horizontal three feet up at her full weight of 11 lbs with no wind. I'm sure it was a great effort, she never did it again and she would never have migrated.

But with a workout and motivation any of them "can" fly. (see any of @NathanZee 's videos). There is just such a high wing load with domestic ducks and geese that on their own, they do the hoppy flappy thing without much success and never get up the speed to fly much so they don't learn or build up the muscles required. Our F&W runner, Entie, just recently got off the ground higher than our fence and scared us quite a bit. (She was spooked because she didn't go in her house on time.) I know she would never fly away, but I am scared that If she flew out the back side of our yard, she might not be able to fly back in. We are debating clipping a wing now because of that. On one hand I don't want her to fly out and not be able to get back in (don't think it is too likely) but on the other hand, that little bit of flight might be able to save her (also not too likely).

We will probably just keep a close eye on her (she doesn't fly much more than any of the other ducks normally.)

Wow, I can't imagine a pekin doing that! She must have been flapping like a hummingbird! Actually, for a strong Runner duck, flight isn't very hard. They don't have to flap much faster than a mallard, and seem to be the best at landing as well. And while perhaps most domestic geese weight is a bit too much for their wings to carry them comfortably, a light and fit goose of a lighter breed can fly with relative ease. Here is a little info I have gathered from my own ducks.

Best at taking off quickly: Khaki Campbells (the drakes take off extremely easily, and our hen can circle the yard high above the trees.)
Best at landing and slower flappers (which usually means easier flight): Runners
Best at a smooth long flight: Buff Orpington (our hens can't fly, but the drake can).

This video shows some of our ducks in flight. The runners are mostly absent because of molting, and the last shot includes 3 mallards.

 

[Julie Birb]

Ducks are such cute birds. I love ducks. They are a combination of bird and duck. Neat.

 

[Julie Birb]

Wow, I can't imagine a pekin doing that! She must have been flapping like a hummingbird! Actually, for a strong Runner duck, flight isn't very hard. They don't have to flap much faster than a mallard, and seem to be the best at landing as well. And while perhaps most domestic geese weight is a bit too much for their wings to carry them comfortably, a light and fit goose of a lighter breed can fly with relative ease. Here is a little info I have gathered from my own ducks. Best at taking off quickly: Khaki Campbells (the drakes take off extremely easily, and our hen can circle the yard high above the trees.) Best at landing and slower flappers (which usually means easier flight): Runners Best at a smooth long flight: Buff Orpington (our hens can't fly, but the drake can). This video shows some of our ducks in flight. The runners are mostly absent because of molting, and the last shot includes 3 mallards.

Love it love all of it. Absolutely wonderful. Sweet flying duck bewrds.