The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Take those pans out, they obviously are having a hard time getting out of them for some reason.
All this is why I always dry brooded most everything I had, they are much safer that way. Though like Shawn said, even then, lights going out etc can cause problems. BUT they at least arent picked on my big ducks, lost threw wire into other pens away from mama, or stuff like that. Also, just get you some 1 gallon water fonts and use them for the babies, they aint gonna drown in them. If you do continue using pans, put something like a brick or something in the pan that is just above water level. This way they can have something to get up onto and out of the water IF they get stuck in there, can also help them get out too if you place it right next to the side of the pan.

Hope your luck turns for you

 

[destinduck]

 

[exoticduckluvr]

I have never dry brooded and had no problems. Have had our pond flood in spring rains and back up 3 to 4' deep with ice cold water into the old Aviary several times with day old duckling. hubbie and I had to swim to catch them after they floated over the top of the 1/2 mesh which lined 3' high in the nursery and out into the open pond. Never lost any in fact 3 we couldn't catch an a escapee Drake raised them out on the pond to adults.

Another Cin Teal duckling drown this morning. 1 left. I pulled the big pan and left only the shallow one and this i will change it to a clay saucer which is only 1/2 to 1" deep. I pulled the other ground nest boxes that were in there so they would get more sun to since the roof is covered.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

BUT sounds like you are having trouble not brooding them??
They aint gonna drown in a wire brooder for sure.
Free range raising does work, dont get me wrong, but they are a million possiblities to kill them, snales, rats, chills, drowning, killed by aggressive love struck males, etc, trust me I've tried it every which way you can think.... I'll never raise another one out side a brooder

 

[exoticduckluvr]

I put 2 plant pot bottoms that are very shallow and a big flat rock at the edges to make sure they can get out. I guess the Cin Teal are more delicate than the others. I have never used a light either. I leave a clean nest box for them in the nursery to hide in or sleep. I let the parents raise them as long as they do a good job. let me tell you that little Momma is a fiesty little witch. I do have 1 gal waters by the food bowls. I guess next year or if she lays again this year I will do the dry method.

I saw the neatest thing today. My White-faced mated. She went underwater and he followed spreading his wings like a stingray and glided over her under the water(both of them) A first for me. She also destroyed the Fulvous nest and had herself parked in the other one near by. Found 2 eggs out yesterday and the other nine this morning. Of the 9, 5 were developing. I didn't check the 2 from yesterday before throwing them out.

I pulled the Sterile Chiloes eggs since she is off the nest tending her 2 mystery ducklings. All 11 eggs were clear. She is so happy to have babies. The new hen flies in to visit with her since I caught her and put her in the nursery. now she knows she can fly in and out. The drake has visited too. They are 1 big happy family

I have 10 out of 12 eggs developing on my Gray Runner Ducks eggs in the bator. Amazing for shipped eggs. My Chocolate hen is brooding but I swapped out her eggs today with fresh one so those wouldn't hatch. I want her to hatch out these but won't give them to her until a couple of days before they are due to hatch. I am afraid we will get a sever rain and the pond flood their pen(Old Aviary). It has happened in 2007, 08', & 09' in either March or April. So far we have had no rain to speak of and need it desperately. My pond is down to a big mud puddle

 

[KansasKid]

Quote:

really? you can have some of ours. Last week it rained all week, washed out my mallard hens nest, flooded my aviary to where they could swim in more or less the whole thing, (mind you that this whole time my aviary is on a slight hill compared to the rest of my land)

 

[exoticduckluvr]

KK that's why I had to get a new Aviary built. We bought this place after losing our home in Hurricane Katrina. We were in drought for the next yr. Then we started getting rain in November. we got 10" in about 3 hrs. My Aviary was waist deep in water. They loved it eating fish and frogs lol. I didn't love it having to wade in and feed them every day for 2 weeks. At least I didn't have to clean pools lol. The 4th time it happened I had 16 day old Mandarin ducklings and more on the way due in 2 weeks. hubbie wasn't to happy spending 2 hrs swimming in ice cold water and chasing ducklings over a 1/2 acre pond.

We had wondered why half way front down the yard(front of house is built facing the back of property over looking the pond, backs side to street) it sloped all the way to the pond. We found out quick. It is because that was how big the pond was 50 yrs ago when this was a cow pasture!!!

 

[exoticduckluvr]

here's the only photo I got. he went all the way under too and did his thing

 

[Dbreeder]

Was he breeding?

 

[exoticduckluvr]

that's what i'm thinking was going on. They came up and took a bath afterwards like all the others do