The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

My hubby thinks we need a duck or two .....because their so cute. I always thought they were annoying. But trying to be open minded and all can anyone suggest a breed that is quiet, egg laying, and flightless.

Zoweemama is moving to Silver Appleyards. They sound like great ducks!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I realize they are messy but plan to use it as leverage on the hubby.."Come help clean the chicken coup their your ducks out there." lol

Honestly I would not keep them with chickens. They make a ton of mud, get the area really wet and can hurt chickens if/when they try to mate them. Not to mention they dig in mud and then put their face in the water - they'll really foul up the chickens water.

Some people do keep them together and do it successfully, but I can't imagine that here.

 

[Arielle]

My hubby thinks we need a duck or two .....because their so cute. I always thought they were annoying. But trying to be open minded and all can anyone suggest a breed that is quiet, egg laying, and flightless.

Muscovy doesn't quack which I greatly appreciate and lay everyday. Makes a great icecream or custard. HOwever they fly --just cut the flight feathers on one wing and voila , flightless, until molt. Funny to watch them wattle for a year, so they would learn home. Now its' coming in for a landing" and boy can the control landing like a helicopter! lol I think they are regarded as a large meat bird.

 

[insanity]

Its so dry here mud is never a problem. I plan on only girl duckies so they shouldn't try dating and with my open door free range policy they only have to get along at night.

 

[gryeyes]

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Its so dry here mud is never a problem. I plan on only girl duckies so they shouldn't try dating and with my open door free range policy they only have to get along at night.

You don't have ducks yet! Any puddle, any drip... They will drill their bills into it to MAKE mud. They will pick up dirt in their bills and PUT it into the waterer and make mud. They will make mud around their swimming pools, kiddie pools, dishpans full of water, a bucket with water in it....

 

[wolftracks]

Bill and I were going to get Cayugas and I'd still like to have them if I ever get space, but I remember my cousins who were all in 4H having them. They mainly raised sheep, but also had ducks and after a while they gave them up. I wanted ducks so bad back then and them telling be there were to messy. That coming from 14 and 18 yr old who lived on a huge farm. They did end up getting geese, but said they were less messy. Still, one day, I will have those Cayugas and some meat ducks. Yes I'm going to eat those!

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I got tired of explaining they were a drover dog. And I sure didn't know what someone was talking about, a "ROck", a what? a "rock, that wnet on and on, until somehow I figured out she was talking about a dog, the rotties. OMG !

My Heidi was tiny, her mom weighed in at 100# but the dad was smaller. THe litter mates were cookie cut outs. Nice dogs all. My HEidi though was brilliantly smart. As a pup I took here everywhere on the farm. One day she wasn't paying attention to my commands so I left her in the sheep pen. And wallked around to another paddock. Now I had walked a 360 circle and was back next to her with a 5 oot woven fence between us. SHe now wants to be with me, wagging her tail, so I point to the gate about 50 feet behind her, and command go. I totally made up command to fit the momment. after several times repeating, because I had too much to do to go get her, she bounded off way from me and zoomed around to greet me. I thought all dogs where this smart! SHe never missed a command again when I said it was time to go. Her son Barron was brilliant just like her. THough his temerament was difficult because he was very insecure. THat dog taught me so much that would be useful raising kids. I could call my kids ANgel and Barron.

Heidi went to her first show in Worcester the night after the terrible fire in December 1999 , I think, when 6 firefighters died. I can't go by the Centrum without thinking of that day. Great dog she was-- she was a good ambassador for the breed, very friendly to everyone. SHe would race up to a new person and throw herself down for a belly rub. I had to warn people before letting her come introduce herself. A bit much for some people. My father loved her-- his first reaction was' in a gruff voice 'What do ya want a Rottweiler for?" My response was simply, wait until you meet her.. That dog sat on the couch next to him all weekend!!

Sometime I think back to a tgreat dog I had, and thought I woudl never have one as good as he was; then Heidi came along, and now ANgel. SOmetimes it is easy to think there is only one favorite. Naught.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

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You don't have ducks yet!

Any puddle, any drip... They will drill their bills into it to MAKE mud. They will pick up dirt in their bills and PUT it into the waterer and make mud.

They will make mud around their swimming pools, kiddie pools, dishpans full of water, a bucket with water in it....​

x 5000.

They really do drill into the dirt. I have duck drill marks all over the yard. It's like aeration for the yard. They play in their water all day long, splashing and splishing and mud making. While we have mud here frequently (and even have "mud season" [which comes right after winter, and before bug and tourist season]) even when it's dry, the ducks are a disgusting mess.

 

[bamachicks8]

Im partial to big dogs myself. I grew up with rotties and loved them. Now working with dogs every day bigger dogs are way less likely to bite than small dogs.

 

[Cynthia12]

Some seem a bit cooky--like they went off of their meds.

It is a very fun place to visit so Welcome back!

Or they upped them.

Don't look at me..I take meds, but the kind old foggies need to stay alive.