The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Yep,
Ones like that will be the ones to have trouble, these guys need a little more care than that.
As for monitoring the FED papers, on the ones that require it, you best have it, for your sake and the one buying them. They dont police it heavily, actually you would have to be reported or caught advertising to have trouble, BUT when that came to be, I assure you, it wouldnt be a good thing for any involved, LOL

I'll get to work on your brooding questions you PM ed me about too

 

[Matapatos]

If the person doesn't have the papers to sell them, and I buy them but have my own papers, can I still get in trouble? Just a question... I plan on getiing the Fed papers to sell them, but it seems like quite the hassle. I'll most likely be getting rid of them to the taxidermist and any others to local dudes around here... Do I need to have my pen tested? So I can sell them disease free sort of deal? I'm sure I would have to have the tests done if I were to ship over State lines...

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
People have their buddies with papers sell them for them all the time, is it legal, nope! All I can say on that...
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As for the buying from an unlicensed seller even if you have a license, same deal, though the seller is more liable for the transaction legally, also you are only licensed for species you hold a valid 3-186 form for. Your license allows you to sell any species covered, but you are only permitted the species that you hold a 3-186 form for. That way, you cant say, go out an just start collecting wild eggs and be covered for all those species, you have to maintain a paper trail showing you bought them from other permit holders.
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Also even Taxidermist have to have the license to sell them after they are mounted too, and they have to have the papers from you showing where they came from.


As for being tested for NPIP, each state is different, but that is a USDA program and in most all cases is only required if you are shipping birds or eggs out of the state you live in. It's getting kind of complicated any more, cause more and more states are now requiring A.I. (Avian Influenza) Tested and clean certificates too. This is not required to be NPIP certified though, BUT your tester can do it at the same time for you. Mine was a $1 per bird for a maximum of 30 birds, so I have 300 or so birds A.I. certified for $30 now
Each state has different fees on that, but that's what GA cost.

 

[1lpoock]

Got some questions...

My wood ducklings are coming close to three weeks old. When can I put them in the aviary with their parents and the mandarins and teal? Its been staying around 85 degrees....

I have some ducklings about to hatch (they are being incubated by their moms in the nest boxes) should I switch over the feed that is in the aviary to duckling starter? Will the adults be okay with this?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
yep they'll all be fine on starter, may slow production down a little if any are still laying.

As for putting the others 3 week olds out. I wouldnt do that til they are feathered up, or at least mostly feathered up, no wing feathers are fine. Being that they wont have a mom to watch them and such. They can still get chilled at night for a few more weeks, oh and make sure they cant get threw your wire too. I wouldnt do it til say week 6-8. when you do, watch the drakes too, be sure they dont chase them all over the place and hurt them, if they are still breeding especially.
Few more weeks and all should be fine though, keep me in mind when you start getting those silvers regularly too. Just started clearing a new waterfowl aviary area this week end, got about an acre of it half way beat down, should be room for a good start next year when I can afford to play with them a little. Gone try to build the pens over the winter as I can afford it bit by bit, that way it wont be such a pocket blow all at once. That and a recent computer crash, and over $5000 in Dr bills a month or so back, put a hurting on my plans!

 

[1lpoock]

Oh thats not good. I'll keep you in mind though! I plan to make a pen for the silvers and put all silver females in and regular or split silver males. That way I will get all split or silver birds and no regulars....

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
That'll work for sure.
Next year barring any more stinking Dr bills, I plan to be aviary ready and in a buying mood!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

hers' a new quick subject regarding keeping these birds mixed with domestics, as I have seen a lot of threads and discussion about it
DONT!

They can not be in with domestics, period! Dont care what any one says on the topic, the wild species will always be on the loosing end, and here's why.
First, we all know how "LOVING" domestic drakes are in breeding season. They will cross up every thing you have in there. Furthermore, they do get very aggressive with their "LOVE" thus all the smaller migratory males will be the brunt of their aggression. I have seen it a million times, they can, do, and will kill smaller males even calls will. If they dont kill them, they will never allow the males to breed the hens. They also can and will kill young offspring.
I know in a domestic collection they may seem sweet and easy going, but not when put with more shy and docile species of migratorys, so for your own benefit and most importantly the sake of your birds, do not mix in domestics at all, have separate aviaries for them.
It is also best not to mix them in a brooder too as the domestics will out grow the fastest growing wild species and bully it and compete for the food again the migratorys will always some what be on the loosing end of things one way or the other. If you choose to use some to start younger ducklings, thats fine, but once they are eating good, usually just 1-2 days, move the domestics out, they will fair much better.

Hope that helps , just didnt want to see anyone kick themselves over a mix up.

 

[sgt_dane]

I have a few questions. I have three mallard eggs that are one week off from hatching, I have everything set up, from the brood box to the flight pen outside. I'm trying to set up the pond and want it as 'wild' as I can get without dropping a cage in a swamp. I'm creating a pond and am thinking of getting some reed grass from the wetland next door and putting it in the pond. Is this ok to do or am I at threat for anything harmful? I live in southcenteal Alaska so I have quite a bit of land around me that migratory birds sees as ideal living grounds. Even have some that stay year round wherever the water is still melted. Well my flight is temporarily 8x10 ft but as soon as I can expand (have some clearing to do) I'll be making them a substantially larger flight. I don't have to have a permit to own or breed them as far as have researched. As long as i remove the rear toe from the right foot when they hatch to show they were domestically bred and hatched. My main questions I have are what is the best, healthiest food to feed the new chicks? Can they get along/be housed with pheasants and chukar? I have a larger flight for them already. Any input or suggestions are greatly appreciated. My flights are 6 ft tall and covered with latching doors with locks.

 

[1lpoock]

You can feed your ducklings duckling starter. I get mine from TSC, it is Dumor brand and has a little duckling and chick on the bag. I would definetly not put them in or raise them with your pheasants. Your flight pen sounds good, does it have netting on it?

There is no need to clip their hind toe if they are domestics, however if you got the eggs from the wild, I hope you understand that is illegal.