The Duck Thread

[jenniferlamar70]

They drank too much too quickly and overfilled their crop so it started coming back up. I've had this happen before. It's scary, but it's nothing to worry about.

In other, sadder, news, the **** ravens got my duckling!!!! I had let the cemanis out to free range and the ravens went through the pop door into their run, then through the pop door into the coop, then got into the brooder and took my duckling out, into the run, and ate her All that was left was feathers.

And then they took two of the guinea keets that were in with her and were working on a third when I heard an unholy ruckus in the yard and went out to investigate. They had made an error and taken the third keet out of the coop and run and into the yard (or it took itself out there trying to get away), where its distress cries made my male guinea and my two juveniles from this year very angry. I went out to see the keet running for its life and the others pummeling the crap out of two ravens, who weren't backing down (until they caught site of me). So that keet got lucky and made it. It and the surviving keet were relocated to my Eglu coop which is totally raven proof.

So these ravens are likely to come down with a severe case of lead poisoning if I can get them. If not, they're liable to come down with a case of regular poisoning. Hope they like chicken with a side of rat poison.

Thanks. That makes sense.
Geez I'm so sorry for your loss. You've had the worst luck this year. Hopefully you find that raven so you can shoot it. I'd be livid..

when I got my baby's two of them was exactly like that but the day I got them. I called metzer and she told me it was from stress. To put some suger in there water or get the chick probiotic. Witch I had the probiotic already

and they was just fine the next day. No more duckling mucus.

Thanks. They haven't done it since.

sounds like they had too much fun in the water and drank too much. sometimes when i pic up my ducks after eating & drinking if i press on their full croop their food and water will come out.
if they are ducklings they do need food and water 24/7. maybe you could use a chicken feeder (the ones w/many holes) and put their water in that, so they dont get into the water bowl and play in it. this is what i did for the first week or so.
personally i feed them their dry food and moisten it. i make it thin, this way they get water and food at the same time and it is easier on them than just dry food, IMO.
hope this helps someone.
thanks

I'm using a new idea I got from a brooding book I purchased. So far it's working great!

 

[chickengirl72]

I'm using a new idea I got from a brooding book I purchased. So far it's working great!

just wondering what you're doing? ducklings can be soo messy with their water

 

[jenniferlamar70]

just wondering what you're doing? ducklings can be soo messy with their water

I can't find my book anywhere but as soon as I do I'll post the directions. It's really simple. I just took a milk jug. Turned it on its side and cut a hole only big enough for their head to get through. The water is deep enough to clean their whole bill but they can't swim in it and get water everywhere lol. I also tried this with a 2 liter bottle but the bill jug worked better.

 

[mischievouslady]

I finally had to separate my males from my females today. Two of my females have blood on the back of there heads. So is it true they will never stop mating? The boys will have to stay in the coop 24/7 until I can re home 3. I have the coop split.down the middle with a make shift door so I can open it when I let the girls out and close it when the girls go to bed. So I can keep them separate.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

So our oldest duck is a black swedish. She is 20 weeks old now and I'm wondering when do they usually start laying? Also is there a time they stop laying eggs? She hasn't started yet so I'm wondering when and if we will this year. Thanks.

 

[jtn42248]

So our oldest duck is a black swedish. She is 20 weeks old now and I'm wondering when do they usually start laying? Also is there a time they stop laying eggs? She hasn't started yet so I'm wondering when and if we will this year. Thanks.

She should start laying soon. My Swedish lay 3-5 eggs a week while my Khakis lay an egg a day as do most of my Cayugas. So, just be patient, it will happen soon. Also, watch for eggs being laid that are hidden from you. They are really good at that. And, my ducks lay year around.

 

[WVduckchick]

So our oldest duck is a black swedish. She is 20 weeks old now and I'm wondering when do they usually start laying? Also is there a time they stop laying eggs? She hasn't started yet so I'm wondering when and if we will this year. Thanks.

My black Swedish hatched the last week of March last year, started laying the first week of September. She laid darn near every day, and all thru winter, until I let her start a nest in May. She quit laying when she got to 15 eggs. They hatched June 6th, and she started laying again August 27th, and I've gotten an egg every day since!

 

[jenniferlamar70]

She should start laying soon. My Swedish lay 3-5 eggs a week while my Khakis lay an egg a day as do most of my Cayugas. So, just be patient, it will happen soon. Also, watch for eggs being laid that are hidden from you. They are really good at that. And, my ducks lay year around.

I'm so happy to hear that. We just started free ranging them. But up until now they have been in a pen and have a duck house with a nice nesting box. I ly the boys use it though lol

My black Swedish hatched the last week of March last year, started laying the first week of September. She laid darn near every day, and all thru winter, until I let her start a nest in May. She quit laying when she got to 15 eggs. They hatched June 6th, and she started laying again August 27th, and I've gotten an egg every day since!

I really hope mine eventually goes broody. I'd love to see baby ducklings following her around..

 

[Lynn Manes]

Hey guys, I got some ducklings from metzer farms. They are about a week old now. This morning after getting them water and food they started leaking mucus from their mouth and nose. I freaked out and cleared their passage ways. I took the food out because it seemed to be making it worse. Other then the mucus they act fine. Running around, playing in their water dish.

They drank too much too quickly and overfilled their crop so it started coming back up. I've had this happen before. It's scary, but it's nothing to worry about.

In other, sadder, news, the **** ravens got my duckling!!!! I had let the cemanis out to free range and the ravens went through the pop door into their run, then through the pop door into the coop, then got into the brooder and took my duckling out, into the run, and ate her All that was left was feathers.

And then they took two of the guinea keets that were in with her and were working on a third when I heard an unholy ruckus in the yard and went out to investigate. They had made an error and taken the third keet out of the coop and run and into the yard (or it took itself out there trying to get away), where its distress cries made my male guinea and my two juveniles from this year very angry. I went out to see the keet running for its life and the others pummeling the crap out of two ravens, who weren't backing down (until they caught site of me). So that keet got lucky and made it. It and the surviving keet were relocated to my Eglu coop which is totally raven proof.

So these ravens are likely to come down with a severe case of lead poisoning if I can get them. If not, they're liable to come down with a case of regular poisoning. Hope they like chicken with a side of rat poison.

Sorry about your loss. If it were me and those ravens, it would definitely be lead poisoning.

 

[AmandaMBG]

So you don't preditor proof your ducklings enclosure and your going to kill the Ravens for being Ravens. You do know that Ravens drastically reduce the likelihood of other birds of prey that can take off with much more than a baby or two? Just me but i'd be kicking my own butt not killing them. Guess everyone's different.