The Quack Shack

[Supercow]

Speaking of various foods... I'm hopeful for spring and this got me started on the idea that one of the first plants to awaken will be the daffodils. Their leaves will be the first green succulent thing coming out of the mud, apart from the surviving grass. Now, daffs are not really a sensible thing to eat... Will the ducks know to avoid them or is it likely that they will be too inviting? Is there a general answer or is it "depends on the individual duck"? Thanks!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Speaking of various foods... I'm hopeful for spring and this got me started on the idea that one of the first plants to awaken will be the daffodils. Their leaves will be the first green succulent thing coming out of the mud, apart from the surviving grass. Now, daffs are not really a sensible thing to eat... Will the ducks know to avoid them or is it likely that they will be too inviting? Is there a general answer or is it "depends on the individual duck"? Thanks!

I have read where people have had them and their ducks never bothered them. I would not trust them however not to myself. It would be my luck I would have a duck not so smart and eat one. I had a puppy once that did and it almost died. After that I tore all of them out of my yard never to grow them again. This is just my opinion, others may say they will be just fine.

 

[Supercow]

The thing is that we have literally thousands of them... Planted to protect young trees from voles and then they decided they like the environment.

 

[Luv Ducks]

The thing is that we have literally thousands of them... Planted to protect young trees from voles and then they decided they like the environment.

Have the ducks ever been around them before then? The only other option would be to keep them in a pen where they are not around them and don't let them free range. Mine are all penned up in a large covered pen and only allowed out in a small dog fenced area when I am doing duck duties.

 

[Supercow]

They were around the daffs for a month or so in May ... The ducks moved in during the later part of the flowering period so this was not the situation of "hey look, the first green thing coming out of the ground is here, let's grab it".

I worried somewhat about the same question at the time but we also had more pressing problems (underdeveloped little duck) so it blew out of my mind. And there were no issues.

I think I may have a solution - the plants are mostly around the fruit trees so if I just put a circle of wire fence around each tree... that should help a lot.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

What will you do with that many drakes Frank? Your luck sounds about like mine only I think you got more quacks out of the deal. Out of about 30 I either hatched or let hatch out over the past 3 years I got 3 Hens. That's one Hen in every batch of 10.

I will curse about them in Spring! - And maybe buy some Pekin Hens to to show them some boundaries.
Or some Muscovies...
Or i build a drake-jail…
I really don't know, those drakes are the sweetest ducks i have ever had, they come running to me and still cuddle with my feet.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Speaking of various foods... I'm hopeful for spring and this got me started on the idea that one of the first plants to awaken will be the daffodils. Their leaves will be the first green succulent thing coming out of the mud, apart from the surviving grass. Now, daffs are not really a sensible thing to eat... Will the ducks know to avoid them or is it likely that they will be too inviting? Is there a general answer or is it "depends on the individual duck"? Thanks!

Daffodils are native her in WV and we have plenty of them. They grow in large clumps and usually there's a duck in the center… Yes, they are actually mildly poisonous but the dux won't eat them, i assume everybody has tried, got a stomach ache and learned.
And dux have a very high tolerance against poisonous stuff, due to everythin passes rapidly through their digestive system. My dux cannot be trusted with Tomato and Potato plants at all, they have devoured my entire first potato patch within one hour and never showed any sign of poisoning. Two things that are of real concern: Avocados and mushrooms.
Avocado will kill ducks and most mushrooms will give them a high, just look at some YT videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ducks+high+on+mushrooms

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

The thing is that we have literally thousands of them... Planted to protect young trees from voles and then they decided they like the environment.

Same here, it would require a lawnmower to get rid of them which is impractical due to the steepness of the ground… At least they produce good quantities of honey for the bees.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

They were around the daffs for a month or so in May ... The ducks moved in during the later part of the flowering period so this was not the situation of "hey look, the first green thing coming out of the ground is here, let's grab it".

I worried somewhat about the same question at the time but we also had more pressing problems (underdeveloped little duck) so it blew out of my mind. And there were no issues.

I think I may have a solution - the plants are mostly around the fruit trees so if I just put a circle of wire fence around each tree... that should help a lot.

I don't think that will be necessary, as said dux are very quick learners and have a very hardy digestion tract. - And they love to sit in those daffodil clumps for cover.
And you want the dux to pick off everything that tries to crawl up your fruit trees, don't you?
And for fresh greens you can grow fodder.

 

[Luv Ducks]

They were around the daffs for a month or so in May ... The ducks moved in during the later part of the flowering period so this was not the situation of "hey look, the first green thing coming out of the ground is here, let's grab it".

I worried somewhat about the same question at the time but we also had more pressing problems (underdeveloped little duck) so it blew out of my mind. And there were no issues.

I think I may have a solution - the plants are mostly around the fruit trees so if I just put a circle of wire fence around each tree... that should help a lot.

Great idea!!