The Indoor/Outdoor duck thread

[Snipes]

I wanted to see how many of us have exclusively indoor, or a mix of indoor/outdoor ducks. Nettie's crowd in other words

I suppose we have different things to think about don't we? Like non-disposable alternatives to diapers, how to keep them from sitting in the cat's favorite place in front of the heater, keeping the smell down, etc.
Stories, problems, quirks ---- of the house-roaming anatidae

I have 3 male mallards.
I have Pollock, the oldest by 6 hours, who is scaredy-cat and always seems a bit more nervous about me for some reason.
Bergensteinstien is the underdog, who is my lap duck and the obvious duck on the bottom of the totem pole, a total sweetie.
Tethys had to be helped out of his shell when he pipped too soon and tuckered himself out. He has always been the runt and looks a little disheveled, and he has a little man complex and is the most aggressive and vies with Pollock and me for head of the flock.

Their schedule is that they go out in the daytime and I bring them in at night, give them a bath, and then put them in their diapers to free roam.

A funny story- about 1/10 of the time, I forget to separate the cat's food, so they always make a bee-line for it when I open the bathroom door to let them out into the rest of the house for the night, because they know that 10% of the time, they might get a mouthful of cat food.

My frustrations- Number one is finding sitters for going away for a day or two, and for even longer, whoa, I need to really start planning ahead in case.
-Going through so many diapers and knowing they go to a landfill; I want to maybe look into something else.
-"I think it's adorable that you like to sleep aside me on the floor right by my bed, but that's where I usually put my feet when I get up in the morning!"
-They try desperately to get on my lap to get at, or simply jump up to and snatch at, my dinner while I am eating it comfortably in my chair.
-"Bergensteinstien, I don't know how many times I have to remind you that my armpit is not a hiding place for peas and I'm ticklish there"


My triumphs-When they sit on your lap and let you pet their feathers and stroke and kissy their soft cheeks. A sleeping duck on your lap. That look they give you when they wake up suddenly and are immediately at peace seeing that it's nothing bad, it's just you *yaaaaawn* *back to sleep*
-Having people come over, and they wonder aloud genuinely about what we are going to have for dinner, and then the fast forward to when they come out of the bathroom with diapers. on.
-The cat eventually stops getting freaked out by them, and you get times where all the ducks and the cat find space together in front of the heater.
-Making food and having ducks at your feer
-They're ducks!

 

[HottentotTeal]

Near the bottom of this page, someone has a pretty cool indoor setup:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=432385&p=5

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have ducks inside the house for many reasons. One is when they are in the brooder. Most of mine stay inside the house for 3- 4 weeks in summer and 6 - 8 weeks in winter. It depends on the number of babies I have at the time.
Another is just coz they are so darn cute and I love having them around.

But my biggest reason is that I care for some disabled ducks that need to be inside as they would not survive outside.

I have cared for many disabled ducks and geese over the last 26 years- Currently I have 3 special needs ducks. Flippy hatched with a major vitamin deficiency and although fairly normal she does need extra attention with regular vitamins and extra feedings. She lives outside- with Stevie Ray who is blind. Stevie- Ray gets dehydrated easily, but she can see just a little and can see blue containers in the yard which are either drinking water or the swimming pools.

Ollie is my current disabled house duck. He cannot walk at all and lives in a baby's portable cot. Currently he is molting so lives in the kitchen where it is easiest to clean up the feathers. I will put a young duck in with him sometimes for company, and often when he gets a swim there is another duck in the tub with him. He can move around a little on the grass and likes to be outside with the other ducks.

I spend hours every day cleaning brooders- and Ollies cot. Washing Ollies towels and giving babies a swim and cuddling them so they stay quiet and used to being handled. But I wouldnt want my life any other way.

I dont use diapers on my ducks, but have about a dozen bath sheets and other towels that are replaced as needed for them all. Its a lot of washing at times- but I cant use shavings or hay inside the house- and Ollie was getting crusty eyes when I did try them out for him for a while when he was smaller.

I know what you mean about finding sitters for them. I havent been on holidays in years. I have a block of land in the country and I have a secure pen up there for them and have taken some of my ducks up in the past, but I havent slept over up there for about 8 or nine months and I miss it so much.

Monty is another of my ducks- he is a huge fat Aylesbury who will wander inside anytime the back door is left open. He will sometimes sit in front of the TV for a while or just wander in for a look before going back out again. He was hand raised and is such a big sook.

I love hearing their footsteps on the wooden floorboards. Be they babies or fully grown...I can never hear that sound often enough.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Here is a pic of Ollie in his soft little dogs bed. I have found that if I turn the dogs bed on an angle into the corner- his water container will fit perfectly and he cant tip it out. he is just due for a swim..so Shortly i will take another photo of how things are set up for him now.

 

[Muscovies]

Cute pic of the duck

 

[Snipes]

That's so great of you to care for them! May I ask why you do not use diapers? I couldn't imagine cleaning so much- with diapers I hardly ever have to clean towels. I would happily sit for you if we lived closeby

.
OH i love the sound of their feet on non-carpeted floors. Slap slap slap *hold pea out* slapslapslapslap!
Are yours pretty tame; if they suddenly are injured, when you take them in is it a huge shock for them?
You should have a website!

Awwwww Olie, cutie pie. And GORGEOUS too!

Quote:

 

[duckyfromoz]

Because I work - diapers arent an option during the day- so I just dont use them at all. I wash one big bath sheet a day and a few smaller items. I take the soft dogs beds outside and hose them off. They are lines with a cut up towel which gets changed more often than the bed itself. I take everything outside and hose it down first. I used to try and do it in the laundry tub- but it was so messy. Because Ollie cant walk- he can only be where I put him- so cleaning up all over the house isnt an issue either. Monty will come for a wander inside sometimes- but he is usually not too messy as he will come for a look at whats going on and then wander back outside again. If he sits inside a while it is on one of the soft dog beds- so again..not a big mess to clean.

They have all been handled enough that I can pick them up- check them over etc.. so if they needed to be segregated- handling doesnt stress them. I havent had the need to segregate an injured duck in a few years - the last was Harvey- and he was only young when I bought him - a very sick boy from a market. Fingers crossed I dont have to segregate a duck again for a long time- but I do have an area set up in the shed- where a hospital cage can be set up in view of other " companion " ducks.


Oh Snipes.. You would love to babysit my guys..firstly because there are so many at all different age groups but also because of their different personalities and needs. I would return the favor- if again...we didnt live so far away from each other.

Flippy is fine by herself outside but comes running so fast when she sees the shovel...she knows that means I am digging up some worms for her. She is still effected by the vitamin deficiency- and has nerve and muscle problems in her neck. She digs at the ground like a flamingo sometimes. With her beak upside down. She is such a character.

Stevie- Ray can get around OK outside. She follows the sounds made by the other ducks. I go outside and sit down and call her name. She will come walking over to me and loves a cuddle. She very gently nibbles my nose.

I have a group of 11 young ducks that are between 5- 16 weeks old that mostly will only come over to me for food at the moment. But they are all beautiful- even if some of them are molting and leaving piles of feathers everywhere at the moment.

Next is the group of breeders. I dont handle them too much- but did show some of them last year. They will eat out of my hands but are a nervous bunch. Most of them have been purchased as adults so will never be as tame as some of the others.

I have a pair of Pekins who share a pen with Monty. He is the biggest sook of the whole flock. He is an Aylesbury and his waddle makes up for the lack of waddle in all the other runners..

His tail swings around 20 cm as he walks around.

A have 9 little ones inside the house at the moment- hatched mostly on Christmas and New Years Day. I love just sitting and watching the little ones.

And of course then there is Ollie. My daughter begged me to let her keep him - but there was neer any question of his future. As soon as I saw his little legs- I knew he was special. Of course I am the one who does everything for him now- but thats ok. He is very slow to mature- but pretty much full sized. His head is currently darkening and he is going to be such a pretty boy. Its sad to see him in his bed not being able to walk- but he is still a happy boy. He is my shakey boy. His whole head and neck shakes when someone else comes near us when I am holding him.
Raising show quality ducks has not stopped me from having a heart and allowing those who are not the better specimens still have a chance at life. I put the eggs into the incubator- so I am responsible for their care and to provide them with the best quality of life that I can.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Here is a better photo of Ollie in his bed. As mentioned I can put his water, in the yellow container in the corner so it never gets spilt. He can be messy with his food, but at least its dry and easy to clean up.

I have seen some wonderful set ups for indoor ducks- regardless of if they are disabled or full bodied - Im amazed more people havent posted on this thread.

 

[dawnjoennikki98]

I am (insanely) considering bringin my 8 ducks indoors....only if forced to, if the town decides not to grant me a waiver

...but not sure at all how I'd manage that!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That was such a sweet story about your ducks duckyfromz, Ollie is precious, when you put him in water can he swim?