The Duck Thread

[CyndiD]

What is everyone's experience with free ranging and more importantly, free ranging unsupervised???
Also my ducks eat grass. Will they eat dandelions and can this sufficiently provide for their free-range diet?

In the Spring, Summer & Fall my Runner ducks will forage on our horse pasture (wild grass land) and go 3-4 acres away towards our pine forest. i have since hatched and bought more ducks and have Buff O, Pekin & Blue Sweds i have not seen them go that far, YET, and i will not let them. especially since the coyotes have been coming closer during the day. Runner ducks are the ones who like to really go far. I have fenced pen areas that i can keep my ducks in when i do not want them out too far. I have 2 dogs that are constantly barking and roaming the property. just a few minutes ago a deer was licking on our salt block not far from my ducks, very cool but i am constantly looking for coyotes and hawks. we have lots of hawks, but they have not yet come down for my ducks, chicks or chickens, YET... Praise God, i have not had a problem w/racoons or other preds... i pray i am not jinxing my flock by saying this...??
edit to add: I give my ducks and chickens grower/finisher crumble in AM and PM, they all forage during the daytime.

 

[Ren2014]

Ok i was confused im new to ducks but they are a great pet she follows me and my daughter everywhere and does everything with us

Ducks are amazing companions... intelligent and have huge personalities...

x2 again, lol. I think Muscovies especially. At least with all of mine, the muscovies have better personalities.

glad we're not the only ones who have ducks who aren't taking advantage of their giant pond haha
it's our first time raising ducks and my boyfriend built them the most incredible floating duck house, but as soon as we let them out in the morning, they float right to shore and stay there all day.

Awesome house! They are probably staying near the shore because that's were the most bugs are.

How do ducks do living indoors our duck lives in the house with me and my daughter she's disabiled so we are home all the time we let her out of her bed in the mornings and she stays out with us in the house all day untill bedtime she takes a bath twice a day we go outside she want get in the pool she doesnt like it i think shes spoiled to the warm baths in our garden tub she even goes in the car with us when we go somewhere i took her in target the other week we put her in one of my daughters lil babydoll carriers and she sits in it no prob and she stays with us anytime we walk in another room she doesnt like bein left alone but at night when i put her in her bed she lays down never makes a pep she knows its bedtime but as soon as we get up and she hears us shes crying to coem get her out lol this morning when i got up she was out sittin in my chair looking at me then she got down and came running to me with her tail just a waggin

OMG, how PRECIOUS! I'd say she's doing very well indoors

@katiew24 sounds like an adorable duck and spoiled rotten I am thinking

Show us some pics if you will.

Welcome to BYC.

x2

Sparkles in the bed with my daughter she loves to cuddle

 

[DuckGirl77]

great Picture

x2, and btw, @mischievouslady , I love your avatar!

Two of my babes having some fun before bed.

Gorgeous!

Ine
one I lost

Oh, so sorry to hear you lost one!

Adorable!

What is everyone's experience with free ranging and more importantly, free ranging unsupervised???
Also my ducks eat grass. Will they eat dandelions and can this sufficiently provide for their free-range diet?

I free range my ducks all day if I'm home, but, of course, I keep an eye on them and the dog is also outside alot so I don't have trouble with predators.
I give mine food in the morning and at night (actually they technically have access all day, but they don't go in their coop during the day so they don't eat it then.)

How do ducks do living indoors our duck lives in the house with me and my daughter she's disabiled so we are home all the time we let her out of her bed in the mornings and she stays out with us in the house all day untill bedtime she takes a bath twice a day we go outside she want get in the pool she doesnt like it i think shes spoiled to the warm baths in our garden tub she even goes in the car with us when we go somewhere i took her in target the other week we put her in one of my daughters lil babydoll carriers and she sits in it no prob and she stays with us anytime we walk in another room she doesnt like bein left alone but at night when i put her in her bed she lays down never makes a pep she knows its bedtime but as soon as we get up and she hears us shes crying to coem get her out lol this morning when i got up she was out sittin in my chair looking at me then she got down and came running to me with her tail just a waggin

She can live inside with you. Sounds like she has a great time, too! Ducks are the best!

Sparkles in the bed with my daughter she loves to cuddle

Awwwww

that's cute!

 

[mischievouslady]

...

x2, and btw, @mischievouslady
, I love your avatar!

Thank you.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Gorgeous!

Thanks!

 

[Ren2014]

I just noticed my 4mo. old boy Fred has blood around his vent. It's not pouring out and I'm not seeing any kind of wound. Might this have something to do with him recently becoming interested in the girls??
The blood is on the feathers just under his brown tail.

 

[MandyJ]

What is everyone's experience with free ranging and more importantly, free ranging unsupervised???
Also my ducks eat grass. Will they eat dandelions and can this sufficiently provide for their free-range diet?

My ducks (7 hens) free range unsupervised all during the day. We have 10 acres that is fenced with just regular barbed wire (no chain link). They do fine. Now I wouldn't let young birds do this. Mine are 2 adults (2 years old) and 5 4 month olds. The adults seem to keep the "babies" out of trouble. When there is a danger (strange dog or anything they don't like) they run underneath something. I do put them into an enclosure each night. I can guarantee that they would be eaten during the night! I have seen a few predators on our game camera.

Mine eat grass as well, I haven't noticed whether they are eating dandelions. They have access to food during the night but after they eat first thing in the morning they don't have it till I put them to bed at night. I feed them Purina multi flock crumbles with a small amount of scratch mixed in.

Good luck!
M

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just noticed my 4mo. old boy Fred has blood around his vent. It's not pouring out and I'm not seeing any kind of wound. Might this have something to do with him recently becoming interested in the girls??
The blood is on the feathers just under his brown tail.

@Ren2014 Could one of the older drakes mated with him they will do that to show dominance. I think I'd check him out by getting hold of him to make sure nothing is torn.

 

[mischievouslady]

Hello i hope everyone is having a good weekend. I have a quick question. Is there anything you have to do different for your ducks when they are in eclipse phase?

 

[Ren2014]

@Ren2014 Could one of the older drakes mated with him they will do that to show dominance. I think I'd check him out by getting hold of him to make sure nothing is torn.

O no, I didn't think of that. But I did get him for a closer look and here's what it looks like. I couldn't find a hole (not even his vent) or a flap of torn skin but it seems feathers are missing and there are blood feathers in the area. He is pooping and there is no blood in his poop. He was MIA this morning for awhile. I went out and walked around the big pond and he was here when I got back. I soaked him in warm water while my husband went to the store for epsom salt and I washed it with Betadine. Should I put some Blue Kote spray on it after I soak him in the epsom salt water?