The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
varies by species, as long as you see movment, let 'em ride, have heard of some going 32 days, usually in those cases a thermometer is reading wrong and the temp is too cold. every 1/2 degree cold is one more day to cook, 1/2 degree to hot is one day early.

get a new thermometer and double check for sure to see if that's the problem.

 

[KansasKid]

Well i have 2 in there. One of the electronic ones from walmart that reads highs and lows, and another just plain thermometer. temp is fluctuating between 99.5 and 100. Humidity is middle 80's. I see if i can get another thermometer to triple check. just want everything to go smoothly. as much yolk as the two had i almost wonder if she started setting on them a few days later than i thought, considering i started counting when she had 7 under her and i pulled 10. hmm.....

 

[toejam]

Quote:
Hoodies will be pure white and almost totaly round not egg shaped, Woodies and Mandies are egg shaped with the Woodies being whitish and Mandarins having a tan tint to them.

yep do it long enough and you can tell virtually all of them by species, some are a little tricky, but hooded are easy. Like waterdog said, see how white and golfball shaped they are. hooded all the way

Are all merserganders like thategg wise

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
oh you didnt fully incubate you let her do it....that's the problem, you and her werent on the same page then, she started later than you thought is all.

 

[Riffecreek]

what is the best breeds to start with?? Love the little teal, but some will cross breed... I'm building a 25' by 100' pen that I would want to use as a mixed species pen for about 4-6 different breeds without cross breeding.

 

[KansasKid]

Ok quick update, so far i have had 4 die inside there shells, 1 of the 4 had apparently ruptured a blood vessel while inside plus he was mal-positioned and head was deformed. the rest of the 4 i can't explain, all look white (instead of yellow) like they could have been ringed teal. So far of the alive ones two internally pipped last night and externally pipped this morning and are half way out of there shells, i've been trying to keep the lid shut on the bator as much as possible but i did look and see that both of these ducklings still have a significant amount yolk left to absorb. the other 2 are still moving inside there shells but no internal pip yet.


EDITED TO ASK: In the event that they ever break the un-absorbed yolk sac, what actions should i take? (hoping that doesn't happen but as much kicken as there doing it seems possible.)

 

[waterdog]

Quote:
You could start with about anything if you like the teal you could keep Ringed, Greenwing, and Cinnamon without to much cross breeding concerns, or Bluewings instead if Cinnamon just don't put Cinnamon and Bluewing together. The prices of the birds generally tells you how easy they are to keep the lower priced birds are the best for starting out with.

 

[Riffecreek]

Thanks for the info.. Good looking site too waterdog!

I'm still a little lost on a few subjects though!

If the pond is concrete, how do you plant water plants??? Do you just plant them beside the pond, not in the water?

I have swamps all around me to gather cat tail, and all the other goodies.. but most require to be in contact with water for them to do good.

I take it that if I want to keep them in a community pen, it would be advisable to get breeders from more than one place?

sorry for so many questions, just trying to do it right from the start.. (read the first 30 pages of this thread.. and found some good info!!)

 

[waterdog]

Quote:
As you will find out ducks are extemely deadly on any vegatation especially water plants unless you have a well established natural pond it will be hard to keep water plants alive you will need a large area with very few ducks and let it get well established before putting birds in the pen.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

very true, ithey can chew it, they'll rip it apart in no time in a pen.
Mine were all 10,000 sq ft and they still raped them of green on a regular basis. Trees and scrubs are your best bet. I tried all the pretty cattail , reeds, and various other aquatic plants many many times, they ate them all within weeks.

yes unless it is a well known breed who you can trust, consider all your birds as related, as most will be. Best to buy from several breeders and mix match the pairs for best results.
Dont worry about all the questions, that's the sole reason I started this thread, ASK AWAY!