The Duck Thread

[Julie Birb]

Except for my Noir... She just has feathers for brains.

It is a testament to duck intelligence that she stands out as being such an air-head, but there it is. Fortunately she is very sweet and we love her just the same, and she has 14 other flock members who all know how to open the feeder so she doesn't starve.

Precious Noir. Wish I could kiss her.

 

[Julie Birb]

Merlin is so funny! So when he runs out of water he quacks for me or jumps out of his bin and comes to my bed and wakes me up in the morning!

Well, this evening my family and I were watching a movie, and we all hear loud quacking from the kitchen. So I go to pick him up and bring him back to my room....and what do you know he was out of water! He was trying to find me so I could give him more water.

Wow. I love that. He is so smart and communicates so well.

 

[ShrekDawg]

She eats plenty.  But instead of learning (like all the other ducks) that if she steps on the plate the feeder opens, she learned that if someducky else goes to the feeder, it will probably open.

Maybe is just smart in her own way lol

She learned why open it myself when I can let another duck do it and save energy? My dad's always said/joked if you wanna find the easiest way to do something, just ask a lazy person! In this case, lazy duck! LOL

 

[Emilykoc]

I'm having some issues with my duck. He had a niacin deficieny as a baby and it wasn't treated in time so he has a permanent ailment. He walks mostly on the sides of his feet and doesn't balance well. I have tried a variety of things to strengthen his legs to help him but I'm running out of ideas. He has what I assume to be callouses on his feet. He is a little dirty in the picture so it sort of looks like bumble foot, but after baths they are the same orange as the rest of his foot? Does anyone know of any way to treat him to help him be more of a normal duck? He likes to be out in the yard with the other ducks, but he can't always keep up when he's having a bad day. They don't usually let him bathe because he is low man on the totem pole so he comes inside, which he loves, to take warm baths to sooth his legs. Please reply if you have any ideas about how I can strengthen, straighten, and help him.

 

[Amiga]

Do you know of anyone who makes prosthetics? You may be able to get some help that way.

Some people make wheeled carts for ducks with let problems,. Tub time is very good.

B vitamins won't hurt, either, though they won't correct everything.

Look up Buttercup the duck - they 3D printed him new legs.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Precious Noir. Wish I could kiss her.

I will not stop you

Is that her?? She is so so cute!
Okay, I have a question (Brace yourself

)
I want ducks again. I miss my former duckies, but it's been long enough now that I don't feel like I am replacing them. But, since coming to this site, I have re-caught a Major case of Duck Disease. I have learned a lot from this site that I didn't know before (Like ducks can be trained and understand people words like dogs - and eat yogut lol, strangely enough, I never knew that). Oh, sorry. I went wayyy off-topic...

Haha welcome to my world. Anyways, point is, I want ducks again. Now, I've figured out that Metzer Farms hatches a batch of duckies on the same day as me and my brother's birthday (We're twins lol)! Now, it would be very cool to have ducklings w the same bday as me. But, would the weather permit this? The ducklings would get here early February, and be outside in early April. Is this okay?

P.S. My ducks were named in a different language too. Aiye, meaning earth (Pronounced like you're saying the letters I-A), and Oorun, (O-roo) meaning sun.

Thanks, our ducks shipped in early March to Montana. I don't know where you are, but I would do the following if you want to order early Feb.

1 Order them no more than a week in advance. Although this could mean that Metzer runs out and you don't get the order in, it means you might be able to check the weather fairly accurately to avoid any possible storms.

2 Order them with the expedited shipping. A few years ago, it didn't make a difference. They shipped Monday and arrived Wednesday. Now with standard shipping, they could arrive Thursday or even Friday. Metzer now ships with grow gel, so food shouldn't be an issue, but if you are getting less than 10 ducks, they will be depending on a heat pad sent with them to stay warm. By Thursday that heat pad will be cold.

It sounds like you are giving them a full 8wks indoors so they should be fully feathered. They should be able to stand just about any weather at that age provided they have shelter. The only thing you might be extra careful of is that their feet are brand new and don't have callouses yet, so if there is still snow out in April, they should have plenty of straw to walk on so their feet don't freeze. Also if it is below freezing, you might want to take them out several days in a row for most of the day and see how they do. This should stimulate them to turn up their metabolism a bit so they don't go directly from all heat to all cold.

I'm having some issues with my duck. He had a niacin deficieny as a baby and it wasn't treated in time so he has a permanent ailment. He walks mostly on the sides of his feet and doesn't balance well. I have tried a variety of things to strengthen his legs to help him but I'm running out of ideas. He has what I assume to be callouses on his feet. He is a little dirty in the picture so it sort of looks like bumble foot, but after baths they are the same orange as the rest of his foot? Does anyone know of any way to treat him to help him be more of a normal duck? He likes to be out in the yard with the other ducks, but he can't always keep up when he's having a bad day. They don't usually let him bathe because he is low man on the totem pole so he comes inside, which he loves, to take warm baths to sooth his legs. Please reply if you have any ideas about how I can strengthen, straighten, and help him.

I have no idea what to do here, but sometimes those of us that are too dumb to know what can't be done can inspire ideas in those who have a clue. To me it looks like his legs go out far from his body so that they have to turn back in at the knees in order to keep the feet below him. I'm wondering if someone who knows more than I might know of a way of bracing his legs, possibly progressively, to slowly correct the geometry of his legs (bringing his knees in toward body center and pushing his ankles out from body center.) I have no idea if this is possible or if the muscles/joints would be that forgiving, but it looks like the bones are sturdy enough. I also have no idea, if this worked, if this would lead to a fully recovered situation, or just a correct geometry that would require lifelong bracing. @casportpony Have you seen anything like this? To me it looks like the opposite of spraddle leg untreated. Anyway, I hope someone with an actual clue can help your boy.

 

[QuackSpeak]

Thank you for the advice @Tevyes Dad . I'm pushing to get ducks as soon as possible. My dad knows he has to fix up the pen before the ducks are grown, and he doesn't like the idea of working in the cold to predator proof a duck pen (I'll help, of course. Whenever he's out there, I'm out there. I'll do whatever it takes to get ducks again lol. Plus I don't mind the cold). The ducks don't have to hatch on my birthday - thatd be super cute, though - but as long as I have ducks, I'm fine. We'll keep all of the points that you mentioned in mind

. Fingers crossed for three WH babies

Also: Emilykoc, I'm sorry, but I have no idea what to do either, or I definitely would tell you. Hopefully, some more experienced members will know... I would give him time in the water to strengthen his legs, but that's the extent of my knowledge. Oh, also make sure that he has everything else he needs, excepting his legs: Food, water, warmth, shelter...etc. Sorry I can't help more!

 

[MandyJ]

Question on feed for ducks, please. I have 5 hens (2 1.5 years old, 3 6 months) no one is laying at this time. The young ones haven't started laying yet the others stopped for molting and haven't started up again.

I am feeding them Purina flock raiser crumbles with calcium chips added. Can I change them over to the layer pellets with the calcium added? I am having a lot of waste with the crumbles, someone suggested that I go to the pellets. The bag of pellets doesn't say that you can use it with ducks like the crumbles does, so I wasn't sure. I also add a handful of scratch to their feed as a "treat".

Thanks for any information!
Mandy

 

[Miss Lydia]

Question on feed for ducks, please. I have 5 hens (2 1.5 years old, 3 6 months) no one is laying at this time. The young ones haven't started laying yet the others stopped for molting and haven't started up again.

I am feeding them Purina flock raiser crumbles with calcium chips added. Can I change them over to the layer pellets with the calcium added? I am having a lot of waste with the crumbles, someone suggested that I go to the pellets. The bag of pellets doesn't say that you can use it with ducks like the crumbles does, so I wasn't sure. I also add a handful of scratch to their feed as a "treat".

Thanks for any information!
Mandy

Laying pellets is the same as laying crumble just in pellet form.

Congrats on your new ducks I am just seeing you got more. @MandyJ

 

[DuckLady256]

Okay I have a problem with my ducks. I have a mallard hen, blue runners, pekings, and other various breeds. Most all of my females are laying eggs. They are cooped up at night to stay away from predators so that is where they are laying them. I have been checking the nest daily and so far they have laid 4 directly in the nest they made and sprouted some other ones around in random places. Yesterday evening I took some fresh hay and just spread it around close to the nest. This morning when I went to check for eggs they have taken one out of the nest and laid two more beside it where they drug the other one out. Is this because they don't want the nest anymore since I laid fresh hay in there? Any advice would be appreciated.