The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

you'll love those! They were always one of my favorite teals, that tribal face patterning is awesome. I have a pair mounted over my TV from some I lost to old age years back.
They are one of the most vocal of the teals too with a very disguisable clucking sound out of the drakes. Mine usually took 2 years at least to start to breed, and they really need to feel secluded to do much, so be sure to give them some cover and they'll do good for you.
I know the feeling about missing them, not having all mine is killin me! Sure hated to have to pass on yours!


and Yep, I too know more treeduck breeders out in other states, if shipping is an option.

 

[kangababy]

Does anyone where I can get some Barrow's Goldeye close to Huntsville, AL?
I have found some with Lonnie Bougie but I would perfer not to have them shipped. Mallard Lane farms didn't raise any this year.

Thanks

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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You'll never beat Lonnie's birds, especially his divers. They keep all of their stock on flowing water year round and it makes a tremendous difference. All the goldeneye, buffleheads and eiders I have bought off them over the years have come in nearly fully adult colored as yearlings. This is unheard of in yearlings. All these take a minimum of 2 years to color up, but not his.... If he has some, I wouldnt look any further, they are worth it, and they ship well too, so no worries there.
Not sure about Mallard's,never seen any of their birds first hand??

For any diver species though, I highly recommend Lonnie, or Aronld Schouten in WA state. He's pretty much the Godfather of divers and especially seaducks. Aviculture awards out the wazoo, and personally is responsible for all the seaducks being available now in captivity, as he was the one who got the permits and personally went to the Arctic to collect specimens. Aronld now also has the Chinese Scaly Mergansers, probably the only one in North America with them.
As for breeders in AL, dont know of any in that state with any good divers, sorry...

 

[kangababy]

Thanks! I'll have to call him and see what he has left.. Trying to get our pen done but we keep running into problems or things we want to change!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I know the feeling there for sure, do call him though, you'll be glad you did. I refer most every one to him

 

[jsvand5]

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You definitely will be happy with your birds from him. I bought a pair of hooded mergansers last year from him that came in looking great and I am getting a pair of smew in a few weeks.

 

[destinduck]

kangababy, have you tried Mark Hall in Huntsville ? He has lots of great birds at good prices also sea ducks need clean water moreso than other ducks

 

[kangababy]

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Oh yeah! I have Mark on speed dial! I am getting alot of ducks from him but he doesn't have those.

Thanks for the information on the water. Our pond in the pen, which is concrete, has well water consently flowing into it and draining out so I hope that would work for them. I just know I want to add The Barrow's Goldeye but know if I can wait till next year to get a few pair!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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yep, that is a good point. They really need clean water, green stuff or muddy aint gone cut it with them too well. They'll over pick their breast, and never be pretty for you. Be sure to keep it clean with any seaduck. Basically if they dive and are over $125 a pair, this holds true for any of them.

I know the, it's hard to wait feeling too, I'm the same way. Also , on the barrow's, they need nesting boxes, but you have to over size them a bit too, the hole should be at leats 4 inches tall and 5 wide for both goldeneye species. Maybe a touch bigger on barrow's as they are larger than american's.
Good luck.

What all does Mark keep? Gone be looking for a good southern breeder here myself again, once I get caught up on all the other stuff.

 

[kangababy]

Thanks for the advice! Anything I can learn about them before I jump off the deep end and buy them. That so happened with my Ruddy Ducks..I went and got them from Mark before thinking and we ending up having to build stairs so they could get out of the water... and then that got the wheels spinning for this new pen!!!

What all does Mark keep? Gone be looking for a good southern breeder here myself again, once I get caught up on all the other stuff.

This is what he had for sale the other day: Silver Bahama Pintail Pair, White Mandarins, Silver Teal, White Faced Tree Ducks, Ringed Teal, Wood Ducks, Mandarins, Fulvous Tree Ducks. Redheads, Shoveler Breeders, Blue Winged Teal breeders, Bahama Pintails , Breeder Canvasbacks, Bufflehead hens
He Normally doesn't have the bahama pintails so I am not sure if he got them for me or if they are from another breeder here close that was getting out. I know Mark is getting out of the Blue wing and Green Wing teal and Canvasbacks.
I ama getting White Face Tree Ducks, Silver teal, Silver bahama Pintails and Canvasbacks from him and maybe some more wood ducks. Most of my birds last year came from him. I know he also has Ruddy Ducks. I think he has common goldeye as well. I am trying to remember

Basically if you drive over to mark's to get Bird I am maybe 20 mintues away and if he doesn't have them I probably will here soon.

We are going to have Mandarins, White Mandarins, Wood Ducks, Silver Wood Ducks, Apricot Wood Ducks, Ring teal, Green Wing teal, Silver Teal, Marbled teal, Bahama Pintails, Slver Bahama Pintails, NA Pintails, Ruddy Ducks, Hooded Mesangers, Canvasbacks and eventuall Buffleheads, Barrow's Goldeye and Widgeons. My 8 year old son though has decided that once we are done with our new pen that he gets to design the next one so that we can have some of the ducks he wants that we can't put together because of cross breeding like Redheads and cinnamon teal. He wants some geese too.​