The Quack Shack

[Luv Ducks]

People... it was raining all day.

So. Many. Slugs.

They are extinct in the area that the ducks regularly patrol - the orchard. But I did not dare yet to let them into the vegetable garden and it is being absolutely overrun.

I picked up so many slugs, the bottom of the plastic basin was thickly covered. I took them to the ducks ... Must have been 30+ slugs per duck. They took an hour and a half to eat them all, with rest and nap breaks inbetween. Lots of water available for sure.

I don't know what to expect tomorrow.

- A super stinky duck coop.
- I open the door and am buried under an avalanche of eggs.
- Ducks opening one eye at me and want to continue resting.
...

My run is muddy when I first go in also. That is where their water containers are and I put a lot of water in changing it. I had put new sand in but the mud has appeared again by that area at least. I have thought about putting a plastic pallet by the watering station and putting indoor outdoor carpeting on it. I have one already. Gotta come up with something.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Understandable my friend. Your hand is 98.6 and is its new Momma Duck, lol.

I am developing hand cramps - for the right reasons of course!

 

[Luv Ducks]

@shawluvsbirds @Magnolia Ducks @Miss Lydia
I have only experience with ducklings that are at least two days old and not from the first day on - as you have.
Is it normal that ducklings loose weight after they have hatched? On Sunday afternoon its weight was 50grams, today its down to 42 grams, so the 'ling has lost eight grams in weight...
Yesterday it wasn't eating or drinking well, that is why i tried to mix it with water, but even then it was more playing around with that stuff, distributing it evenly over my desk...
It seems today hunger and thirst have been discovered and the never ending cycle of eat, drink, sleep, poop, repeat has started...
i will continue to monitor the weight.
But a new issue came up: Since this morning the duckling refuses to put weight on the left leg. - video is uploading...

With them needing so much niacin I would have started it out on a Duck starter food, crumbles. I have never had leg issues and that is what I have used on all of my day old or newborn ducklings. I hope it gets okay.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Kiddie pools. But they are panting. The geese are hot too.

What about a sprinkler like that:

Helps my flock here a lot. And the nasty ducks even play "catch the water drop" with it.

 

[Luv Ducks]

What about a sprinkler like that:
View attachment 3557722
Helps my flock here a lot. And the nasty ducks even play "catch the water drop" with it.

We have city water here and I would be in the Poor House with that one, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Either get the duckling on duck starter or give it liquid b complex since it's already showing a leg problem. Cat food isn't a complete food for poultry okay as a treat but for sole feed.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

People... it was raining all day.

So. Many. Slugs.

They are extinct in the area that the ducks regularly patrol - the orchard. But I did not dare yet to let them into the vegetable garden and it is being absolutely overrun.

I picked up so many slugs, the bottom of the plastic basin was thickly covered. I took them to the ducks ... Must have been 30+ slugs per duck. They took an hour and a half to eat them all, with rest and nap breaks inbetween. Lots of water available for sure.

I don't know what to expect tomorrow.

- A super stinky duck coop.
- I open the door and am buried under an avalanche of eggs.
- Ducks opening one eye at me and want to continue resting.
...

You forgot #4: All of the above...

You open the door and will first be buried under a truck-load of eggs, followed by the stinkiest manure you can imagine. When you look up, you see the ducks in their house giving you that "leave us alone!" look...

You can let them into the vegetables garden, supervised, if you vegetables are tall enough not to be trampled by triangular forest-fire extinguisher feet...
And if there are no tomato plants present.
Slugs and bugs are always preferred over vegetables...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My run is muddy when I first go in also. That is where their water containers are and I put a lot of water in changing it. I had put new sand in but the mud has appeared again by that area at least. I have thought about putting a plastic pallet by the watering station and putting indoor outdoor carpeting on it. I have one already. Gotta come up with something.

Trust me, woodchips work best! They suck in the water and the poop like sponges and then turn into soil within three months.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Trust me, woodchips work best! They suck in the water and the poop like sponges and then turn into soil within three months.

Any particular brand? Where do you get yours?? I was concerned about splinters in their feet or bumblefoot is why I have always stayed away from them. I use the shavings with no problems at all but never anything else but sand.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

With them needing so much niacin I would have started it out on a Duck starter food, crumbles. I have never had leg issues and that is what I have used on all of my day old or newborn ducklings. I hope it gets okay.

I'm feeding duck starter crumbles together with ground cat-food to increase the protein content as this is a really slim duckling. Its belly is not as round as with all of the other ducklings i have seen here, including one day old mallards. It could have been five or even six weeks for this duckling to develop in that egg, thus having used up more yolk than normal. And yes, i am adding pure niacin to the food, more than necessary, but the excess will be peed out without harm.