The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

Hi BBB, I am a caring duck owner that is new to ornamental water fowls. Here are some questions I have

I have been making them fresh alads full with bok-chois, cherry tomatoes, lightly fried eggs ( with pam) , meal worms and fresh worms, these mallards gained weight. I have some questions. I spent $130 buying proper dishes to feed ducks ( you know the one with holes), a huge water bucket ( you know the one that you flip upside down), and big huge stainless steel flat bottom dishes so ducks can't tip those over. However, I feel that however hard I try, their food is getting wet in the special duck feeder that I bought from tractor supply and the flat bottom bowls. In addition, the huge water bucket water in four days smelled terrible for fresh water. I cannot feed this water to these ducks so I changed it. How often do you supposed to change water. is that daily? I thought the big container ( 3 gallons) holds lots of water so you can change in couple of days? Also, I am changing their pond water two days a week which is 160 gallons but noticing that they drink out of their pond water where they also poop. Is this what they do?

So couple of questions
1) How do I keep their food dry totally since I tried very hard keeping them specially made dishes and flat bowl bottoms and they still get wet?
2) When the food get wet, they are turning to mush and in this heat smelling not fresh? Shold I throw them out and fill new food since this is going on regularly?
3) Or Should I give them enough food that just for a day? I thought giving enough food assure them that they have plenty to eat when they want?
4) How often do you change 3 gallon water bucket that are purchased from tractor supply?
5) How come mallards are eating salads but mandarins and pin tales wood ducks do not eat salads?
7) I had to buy special Mazuri food that is quiet expensive for game birds beside getting these regular game bird food that you purchase from tractor supply... I realize game birds need special diet but why wont' they touch my fresh made salads>?
 
Hi BBB, you are a famous person I see in the ornamental water fowl...
you mentioned in one of your post " inspection" that there are many foreign species that do not require permits.
I just do not like permits since I am giving full authority for this inspector to show up any time in my property.
Is there any foreign water fowl that stay colorful year around and do not require permits? I like this wood duck since it is colorful among alll I have.
I have 2 paris of mandarins and two female pin - tales. Does pin-tales require permit as well?
I know you are busy but I appreciate your response. All my life I was in Koi pond and Blue birds in back yard and land scraping but I really do not know much about Ornamental waterfowl but I like them. Also, my local ODNR tells me that I need permits for mallards that stays outside and roam around.. According to many among all migratory water fowl, mallards do not need permits. That is also verified by the Median Tractor Supply
 
wow, there is a lot to learn. I do not know how to handle these issues if they just lay all over and I become sick etc.
This is my first year and it is great to be with pros.
 
wow I would love to have these Hooded Mergansers which also require permits. Congratulations and I am happy for you that all these are hatching.

How much do these Hooded Mergasers go for?
 
Kanga, all of our Mandies and the woodies went into full milt and eclips now. Started about 3-4 weeks ago. The white Mandies are molted and back in nuptial, I don't get it one bit.
 
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Hi BBB, you are a famous person I see in the ornamental water fowl...
you mentioned in one of your post " inspection" that there are many foreign species that do not require permits.
I just do not like permits since I am giving full authority for this inspector to show up any time in my property.
Is there any foreign water fowl that stay colorful year around and do not require permits? I like this wood duck since it is colorful among alll I have.
I have 2 paris of mandarins and two female pin - tales. Does pin-tales require permit as well?
I know you are busy but I appreciate your response. All my life I was in Koi pond and Blue birds in back yard and land scraping but I really do not know much about Ornamental waterfowl but I like them. Also, my local ODNR tells me that I need permits for mallards that stays outside and roam around.. According to many among all migratory water fowl, mallards do not need permits. That is also verified by the Median Tractor Supply
Pintails do require the permit. Who ever you got them from shoudl ahve given you transfer papers and if they breed you will have to have the permit to sell. Mallards do not require the federal permit but your state may. You need to checdk with your state agricutural or Fish and wildlife department.

You need to read over this.

Do not keep domestic (mallards, pekins ect) and ornamental waterfowl together. The domesctic are too aggressive to keep with the ornamentals.
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/mbpermits.html
 
Hi BBB, I am a caring duck owner that is new to ornamental water fowls. Here are some questions I have

I have been making them fresh alads full with bok-chois, cherry tomatoes, lightly fried eggs ( with pam) , meal worms and fresh worms, these mallards gained weight. I have some questions. I spent $130 buying proper dishes to feed ducks ( you know the one with holes), a huge water bucket ( you know the one that you flip upside down), and big huge stainless steel flat bottom dishes so ducks can't tip those over. However, I feel that however hard I try, their food is getting wet in the special duck feeder that I bought from tractor supply and the flat bottom bowls. In addition, the huge water bucket water in four days smelled terrible for fresh water. I cannot feed this water to these ducks so I changed it. How often do you supposed to change water. is that daily? I thought the big container ( 3 gallons) holds lots of water so you can change in couple of days? Also, I am changing their pond water two days a week which is 160 gallons but noticing that they drink out of their pond water where they also poop. Is this what they do?

So couple of questions
1) How do I keep their food dry totally since I tried very hard keeping them specially made dishes and flat bowl bottoms and they still get wet?
2) When the food get wet, they are turning to mush and in this heat smelling not fresh? Shold I throw them out and fill new food since this is going on regularly?
3) Or Should I give them enough food that just for a day? I thought giving enough food assure them that they have plenty to eat when they want?
4) How often do you change 3 gallon water bucket that are purchased from tractor supply?
5) How come mallards are eating salads but mandarins and pin tales wood ducks do not eat salads?
7) I had to buy special Mazuri food that is quiet expensive for game birds beside getting these regular game bird food that you purchase from tractor supply... I realize game birds need special diet but why wont' they touch my fresh made salads>?

We only have large ponds in our pens for their water. They are messy.
They also need fresh food everyday. We give our just enough to get through one day even though we hav a feeder that holds 200+ pounds of feed.

1) you can't.
2) if it gets wet it will mold and then you will have sick birds.
3) only enought for one day. are your pens on the ground? do they have grass in the pen
4) 3 gallon bucket.. change water once if not twice a day because it will get hot
5) mallards are more of a domesctic duck and hte other species require higher protien. They will also graze on grass
7) our babies get feed Mazuri waterfowl starter. The grown birds get laying pellets and southern states waterfowl floater.
 

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