The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[destinduck]

About the same. Although I always will subscribe to twice that if room allows. I have kept 3prs of these smaller type ducks in a 8ft widex14ft longx 6ft tall pen and had good success with it before.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yes , that's the good thing about migratory waterfowl, you can mix most all of them with little trouble.
There are a few grumpy species though, read back threw the first few pages for more detail, but shelducks are pretty much a no no in most cases, some tree ducks can be grumpy but usually do no real harm. American merganzer can be a bit fiesty too.

I know some mix in calls, but I STRONGLY advise against it. Reason is all domestic drakes are super "effectionate" in breeding season. They can bully smaller males, and will mix with anything and everything they can catch.
I did it back in my young days once, they were the last in, just got some and didnt have a pen for them. Everything medium sized wise, hatched half call duck till I pulled them. Pintails, widgeon, shovelers etc, they made a mess in no time of my breeding for that year, and there were just 2 male calls in a pen of over 100 birds,and yes they had several call hens... they are just breeding machines.
If you dont mind mutts, it's no problem, usually, but some males can be agressive to smaller teals

 

[destinduck]

Hope all is well with you Aubrey. Im glad this thread never got lost. I also revived my pic thread. I have been playing on the computer non-stop.I got my brother to help me also and finally got everything the way I like it and more. I can post my pics and even video from you tube. Its great now and my frustration is finally gone.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

haha

doing good here, hope the same for you.. Yes I saw where you were a bit frustrated with the new stuff, glad you stuck around. It took me a while to get the hang of things too... not bad with it now

My biggest problem was relearning the image links, I use photobucket for all mine and that changed somewhat.

Anyway, glad to see you still on here.... by the way, caught some nice blackfin over your way on new years weekend. Plan to go to the Spur next good weather weekend, there or the stream at St Augustine for some more tunas

 

[roocrazy]

Ok. So what ornamental breeds won't fit through a chain-link fence?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

about half of them. Kinda hard to say in one post but here's a few

any of the shelducks
northern pintail
shoveler would border line bu shouldnt
goldeneye
widgeon shouldnt
eiders
tree ducks (javan may)
most all the pochard family
scaup


pretty good list

smaller stuff would be what to watch
all teal pretty much
wood ducks, mandarins, merganser, the cavity nesters more less, most of them are slim built for getting into and out of hollows

 

[mckenzie]

I have my apricot wood ducks and blue winged teals in a chain link pen. One day my blue winged teal hen was out but she is pinioned so i just caught her and put her back in. She has only gotten out one time in six months. I haven't had any problems with my wood ducks getting out though.

 

[jgell]

I am considering adding a pair or two of diving ducks to my collection. Buffleheads and Common Goldeneye are currently all that I have on my list of possibilities. I am trying to stick with species that might at least fly over my area of southeastern PA. I'm also trying to stay with those that eat more insects and less fish. I would appreciate it if those of you with experience with these species could tell me a little about their demeanor, entertainment value, and suggestions on where I could buy a pair. I have found only one farm with Buffleheads and they are on the opposite coast. Please let me know if there are other species I should be considering.

Thanks

 

[exoticduckluvr]

what about hooded mergansers. I just got 2 pr and they are awesome. They drag sticks into the pool to play with. It is so much fun to watch them. You don't have to feed them fish all the time. You can buy floating catfish food. I put some in a bowl of water for them. They will stink up your pool if you put them in there and they don't eat it all. I get minnows once in awhile or crickets. I also feed mine Mazuri Waterfowl food and not chicken food. I also give them white proso millet and fresh rye grass daily in winter. You ought to see 30 ducks chasing crickets all over the aviary. I have a pr of Common Goldeneye that are as laid back and friendly as they can get. I almost trip over the drake under my feet all the time. he won't move when I am cleaning. I think Shawn said his were mean.

I am sure others will speak up with opinions. Bufflehead are on my want list too. Maybe next year if I am good and alive lol

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I agree, the merganser were always one of my favorites, like you said, they are just always getting into stuff seems like. The goldeneyes are nice too and have an awesome courtship display, either work great (buffleheads too, they are more less a tiny goldeneye.

Common goldeneye arent aggressive at all, they'll bit a tail here in there if they run over them, the Barrow's are the more grumpy ones, though I never had an issue with them either in large aviaries. Any will be good, just remember they all need fish food. Divers have a higher protein intake in the wild than puddle ducks, so it 's really not going to matter unless you go with pochard/red head style ones. They dont need it, but it helps.

All the saw bills, goldeneye, sea ducks, etc, they all need the fish food. You dont have to feed any of the fish, but it's fun to watch if you do, especially if you have crystal clear ponds. I use to have minnow traps out in our pond just for that reason. I'd give them anything I caught, from small fish to crawfish, tadpoles, small eels, anything. They look like otters under water chasing them down..pretty cool to watch.


jgell, there are breeders scattered all over the country. The Great Lakes area is crawling with them. Lonnie Bougie in Green Bay has just about everything, especially diver related and has awesome birds. He's usually in the Gazette and A.P.W.S. magazines