The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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I like it, nice location for them and beautiful property!

 

[heatherindeskies]

Great thread!!!
just curious, if you handled these birds from birth, could they become just as tame as the domestics?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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I thought that was ruffly the size you had told me before. As for quantity per pair, yes 100 spft per pair is a good rule of thumb, however you can add extra pairs when dealing with all small and mild mannered species like the teal. You would be safe with about 8 pr per pen that size on them. But the pintail and widgeon are a little bigger so definately go 1 per 100ft with them. I was going to say the northern pintail do make good lawn mowers too!
You'll be able to tell when it's full, you wont have that grass problem any more. When you notice they are somewhat keeping up with it, stop there.

As for the crosses, The only way I ever messed with them was on the accidental end of things, never intentional.
Most end up sterile, though not all are. No wood ducks and mandarins can not and are genetically impossible. To be honest, I have never seen a mandarin cross with anything, not so with wood ducks though. I use to get red head x wood ducks every now and then, very beautiful crosses, but useless really.
Pintails cand cross with other large bodied puddle ducks too. Problem with trying to make them is, no one other than taxidermist want them...
Never seen a shoveler cross, sure it would look cool too, but I am one of those that do like to try to keep them pure if possible. Best way to do that in mixed community pens is to keep every one equally paired, spares of either sex will hunt a mate. But for some reason, if kept evenly paired, they all for the most part stay with their own species.
All but mallards, they could care less.

 

[HottentotTeal]

As always, I really appreciate this thread.

I don't have too many questions right now, as i am waiting to get a little farther in my construction. Rain still has us tied to just 5 posts of 12 up at the moment.

If a person has the flu, can they pass it to the ducks?

 

[OSUman]

Is there a way to dig a pond and not have to use the liner? I thought i saw that somewhere but I cant remember where. Also how high does an aviary have to be? would the standard 6 or 8 ft tall be tall enough?

Thanks you guys are alot of help.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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no problem, always glad to help where I can. You got to get an umbrella and get that pen finished, I've been waiting for a long time to see your final results!!

Oh and no

human flu cant be spread to birds, different kind there

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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You can, but the ducks will make a God awful mess out of it. They will dig at the sides of it, and unless it's massive, they will fill it in in a year or so, also they are impossible to clean. I always just made my own concrete for mine. Doesnt have to be super thick, a couple inches is fine. Also, unless you have divers, a foot deep is all you really need.
If you dont want the expense of the concrete, liners will work, though I personally have never used them, some one else would have to chime in on that. It it's not a heavy liner though, their toenails will shred it getting in and out unless you had the water level very high at all times.
As for height, yes 6-8 is just fine, I did 12 because I loved to watch them fly and it gives them more room to do aerial maneuvers. Also allows for more trees and higher nest boxes which they appreciate. But 6-8 would do just fine too... As long as you can walk in comfortably, you are in good shape

 

[HottentotTeal]

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You just gave me an idea.

We still have 2 large plastic "painters sheets" that you basically use to cover the floor when you are painting.

I think one is large enough to cover the ground.

I might go look into seeing if i can use that somehow. I am guessing covering it right over the ground wouldnt help dry it out as fast, though.

edit:

I'd work in the rain if it wasn't a factor in all this. I feel almost like a duck in that regard!

 

[Matapatos]

Quote:
I thought that was ruffly the size you had told me before. As for quantity per pair, yes 100 spft per pair is a good rule of thumb, however you can add extra pairs when dealing with all small and mild mannered species like the teal. You would be safe with about 8 pr per pen that size on them. But the pintail and widgeon are a little bigger so definately go 1 per 100ft with them. I was going to say the northern pintail do make good lawn mowers too!
You'll be able to tell when it's full, you wont have that grass problem any more. When you notice they are somewhat keeping up with it, stop there.

As for the crosses, The only way I ever messed with them was on the accidental end of things, never intentional.
Most end up sterile, though not all are. No wood ducks and mandarins can not and are genetically impossible. To be honest, I have never seen a mandarin cross with anything, not so with wood ducks though. I use to get red head x wood ducks every now and then, very beautiful crosses, but useless really.
Pintails cand cross with other large bodied puddle ducks too. Problem with trying to make them is, no one other than taxidermist want them...
Never seen a shoveler cross, sure it would look cool too, but I am one of those that do like to try to keep them pure if possible. Best way to do that in mixed community pens is to keep every one equally paired, spares of either sex will hunt a mate. But for some reason, if kept evenly paired, they all for the most part stay with their own species.
All but mallards, they could care less.

Thats what I've heard, the mallards and Pintail will cross with anything they can... And thats what I was thinking, for the taxidermist. Though there isn't a market for them other than that, and I can't sell oodles of em, I'll probably not mess with them. Good idea, I'll keep an eye on the grass and when they start keeping up, that'll be it! Do you have any pics of the redheadXwood ducks?

Travis

 

[HottentotTeal]

I have watched the Ringed and Hottentot Teal ducks at the zoo and a lot of the time that i can see them sleeping, they sleep with one eye open or their head tucked back and standing on one leg.

Do they actually sit/lay down and take a load off their legs, like in the nest area or anywhere else?