The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Ah got ya. Forgot that was up there. Been a while since it was posted

 

[cajunfowl0]

No thanks swan if I'm gonna spend that much I might as well buy a pair and btw I'm a dude

 

[duckmanjim]

This thread was so fun to read! I got my first pair of ducks from aubrey in1996. A pair of woodies and boy did it ever get in my blood! I went from those two woodies to Mandarins, No. Pintail, GW, BW, Cinn Teal, Wigeon, ring necks, redheads, canvasbacks and i think thats it! I had a beautiful aviary on my 2.5 acre property that was my pride and joy! Hatching eggs was the most fun and raising baby ducks in my basement and having them follow my kids around was the best! We had a pintail that we hatched who grew up in our garage with our Golden Retriever and when we opened the door to the house she came right in. Had lots of trouble with critters getting in the aviary, mostly raccoons! If there was a weak spot, they would find it! Lost a beautiful hen canvasback to one. Had just finished a huge expansion with a big natural pond when the wife decided to give up on our family and we got divorced. I donated all the birds and netting and nest boxes to an amish zoo in VA. That was 2005. Now ten years later my kids are 19, 17 and 13 and remember the ducks and want some to raise. We live on a small property so a few mallards is the plan. BTW, back in the day, i bought most of my birds from Mike in Texas. I dont recall his last name. He was outside of Dallas. I visited his place one business trip out that way! Anyone know if he is still around? Glad to learn Aubrey is back in the business. My duck obsession all started with him.

 

[puttindownroots]

Did you ever get some barheads or nene geese??

 

[elsfieldchickens]

I was recently gifted a red breasted goose egg to hatch.I am really hpoing it turns out well!

 

[cajunfowl0]

Lucky! Hope it hatches for ya!

 

[elsfieldchickens]

Thanks i put in under my pekin hen

 

[Mccluckers]

soooo,i have completely fallen in love with ornamentals/wildfowl! the problem is that i will probably will be moving house in a year-2 years so i don't want to build an aviary because i will have to take it all down again when we move so i have to wait like 2 years!!! my patience is aweful.

anyway i have already planned it and i will se what your guys think.

so it will be about 16x60 and i was wondering how many birds i will be able to fit in there comfortably. i am looking at mandarins,wood ducks,teals,pintails,widgens and whistling ducks.

i would like to be able to sell some of the offspring. presumably that mean i need 2 pairs of each variety so i can sell unrelated pairs (male from one pairs clutch and female from the others.)

what do you think of this plan? i am aware i may not be able have all these breeds but yeh.... your verdict will decide!s

 

[gemimaduck]

I have what appears to be a mandarin or mandarin cross and I'm really worried. His beak was red With very colourful feathers his beak has now turned brown with hardly any feathers on his head that are now very dull colours il attach some pics. Could someone help he find out what's wrong with him or help me get him back to his beautiful self!!

 

[gemimaduck]

This is what he looks like now