The Old Folks Home

[drumstick diva]

I kept holding back so Wisher could post the 50,000 th. I should have pmed her to get her moving. CONGRATULATIONS - wish you had a dollar for everyone of those.

 

[Amberjem]

 

[drumstick diva]

Hi Jem

 

[Amberjem]

Hi Jem

 

[Bunnylady]

Bunnylady was that your unicorn pony on the news tonight that took off thru the woods and down the highway in and out of cars. After running away from a birthday party? It was white with a gold unicorn and a pretty little girl holding onto the pony after they got it back. The pony had a time out.

No, my unicorn ponies are too mannerly for that. They would never leave a party as long as a piece of carrot, apple, or cake was still uneaten.

Now, if you ever hear of an alicorn in the flight line at Wilmington International Airport . . . . I might know something about that.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think the news said it was a hot pink unicorn pony. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part,

 

[perchie.girl]

I think the news said it was a hot pink unicorn pony. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part,

http://www.12news.com/news/runaway-unicorn-darts-in-and-out-of-california-traffic/56683932

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Anyone want to give me a basic rundown on the difference in hatching chicken eggs vs duck eggs, besides a weeks time?

I've hatched ducks a few times - never spritzed. 28 days versus 21... ish. Same humidity. The biggest difference for me with hatching ducks was after they zip and a giant foot comes out. Looks like godzilla is hatching. They're adorable.

The biggest difference to me is brooding, not hatching. We do a "duck diaper" - a chux pad or a puppy training pad with the plastic on the back. Put these over the shavings or bottom of the brooder. Put the food and water on top. Change daily to twice daily depending on duck activity. Some people don't give ducks water to swim in if they don't have a mom because of a lack of oils. I've never lost a duckling and I supply water they can splash around in and after they're a few days old they get to go into the bathtub or sink while I clean their brooder. I do "dry" them off with a towel before putting them back in the brooder. They require less heat than chicks and their food bowl needs to be wide because they "scoop" food up with their bills versus pecking. Mine get a high protein crumble for about a week then I switch them to (yes, I do) 16% layer pellets alternating with 18% turkey grower pellets. Too much protein and they can get funky wings (angel wings I think). They like cut up grapes and meal worms and greens. And peas. Omg, the peas. I bought bags and bags of frozen peas. Put some in their water dish when I'd change it. They went nuts. They will learn to pull treats out of your fingers like chicks do.

When they get bigger (I have mostly had pekins for ducks, so they grow FAST) I do a double litter box method for trying to contain the mess. The inner smaller litter box gets the water, it then sits down within an empty litter box. This contains the splashing so the entire brooder doesn't get completely disgusting.

Hope this helps.



Waiting for treats to come through the bars



Godzilla hatching



If you're still concerned, you can have a broody hen hatch and raise ducklings.





They love the hose and spigots in the bath







You can kinda see the "double" method in this last picture. I used a tupperware top upside down for the outer barrier and a part of a chicken feeder for the waterer.

 

[chickadoodles]

Bunnylady I was teasing. I was not sure what state that pony was in though.

Thanks Deb.

Wisher I hatched some ducks with my turkey eggs and did them all the same way. I did spritz them all with water after the first week and did the cool down cycle Ron suggested.

Scg you duckies are so cute!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Scg you duckies are so cute!

Not anymore. Out of those 5 ducks only 1 was a girl. We ate one boy (he was delicious) and the rest all got eaten by foxes over the past couple years. I have the next generation now, but it's only 2 pekin girls. The foxes have decimated my duck population.