The Quack Shack

[Luv Ducks]

You would be surprised how creative they are: Mr. Peaduck has used a ladder to get up the roof of my house, he is jumping into the wheelbarrow first, from there to the duckling-box and from there to the roof of my little storage shed where he likes to sleep when it is raining. He definitely can fly, even though when he attempts to do so he looks like a bust pillow right now due to moulting season...
Oh, and he tried the duckling ramp too!

Oh how cute as he is looking even into your window to check things out. That is funny how creative he is. Birds are sooooo smart!!!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Why did you pinion the wings of ducks that are unable to fly anyways?

Because the man that I got my last two Runners off of said they could fly very well. He had a whole flock of them and I am not sure that the other one is a Rouen for sure. It does not hurt them if done before a week old as the nerve is not all the way to the end of the wing. I did not take that much off and my other older ones you cannot even tell they are done. They are already healed and fine.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Had some fun with the younglings over the weekend, together we ironed out the quirks of the duckling ramp... First attempt was a mess, the plywood i used is too smooth:

But after applying some spray-glue and some sawdust the ramp worked like a charm:

And in the end, everybody made it safe down and had a great time:

Your ducks and ducklings are beautiful!!!! The ramp at first was so funny, it reminded me of a treadmill!!! lol

 

[Luv Ducks]

Theoretically yes, i don't have any kind of netting over my garden. In early spring i had dumped the content of the duck-run into one of the corners of my garden area, planning to grow zucchini and cucumbers there. The ducks had other plans and planted tomatoes that have overgrown most of the zucchini and cucumbers since, hence that striped tomato.
Where would wild birds get butternut-squash seeds?

Maybe from someone's compost pile? We have tomatoes growing all over even in our corn as we had put some old tomatoes in the compost pile and now they are everywhere throughout the garden, lol. We also have Mulberry trees that come up all over from the birds eating the seeds and replanting them for us. They can be a real pain when they grow where you do not want them.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Because the man that I got my last two Runners off of said they could fly very well. He had a whole flock of them and I am not sure that the other one is a Rouen for sure. It does not hurt them if done before a week old as the nerve is not all the way to the end of the wing. I did not take that much off and my other older ones you cannot even tell they are done. They are already healed and fine.

Indian Runner Ducks flying?! - Either my ducks didn't got the message or that man has a special training program for his Runners. Yes, of course they can jump fences up to ten feet tall - especially the drakes during mating seasons - but i wouldn't call that flying.
So far the only ducks i have seen flying, with flying defined as reaching an altitude that allows the bird to clear tall obstacles on the ground like for example houses and trees, being able to stay airborne for several minutes and cover a distance for which a pedestrian would have to walk for a while..., have been wild Mallards and call ducks.
I have a couple of light ducks that can "fly" for short distances, but usually only downhill and with a crash landing. Almost none of the domestic ducks can really fly.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Your ducks and ducklings are beautiful!!!! The ramp at first was so funny, it reminded me of a treadmill!!! lol

I had the very same thought - duckling treadmill - when they tried to walk up and their feet were just slipping back enough to let them walk in the same spot.
Now they're running up and down that ramp as if that's what they did right after crawling out of their eggs...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Maybe from someone's compost pile? We have tomatoes growing all over even in our corn as we had put some old tomatoes in the compost pile and now they are everywhere throughout the garden, lol. We also have Mulberry trees that come up all over from the birds eating the seeds and replanting them for us. They can be a real pain when they grow where you do not want them.

Somebody else's compost pile?
It seems to be the only explanation, because i have never bought Butternut Squash...

Can you send some of these birds my way? I'd love to have Mulberry trees! They grow really fast, the wood is really useful and i'm sure the ducks would adore those berries. In Houston they were quite a pest, especially for those driving white cars, but i haven't see a single one here in WV. All we seem to have are Autumn Olives and Sycamore...

 

[Canadian Wind]

Somebody else's compost pile?
It seems to be the only explanation, because i have never bought Butternut Squash...

Can you send some of these birds my way? I'd love to have Mulberry trees! They grow really fast, the wood is really useful and i'm sure the ducks would adore those berries. In Houston they were quite a pest, especially for those driving white cars, but i haven't see a single one here in WV. All we seem to have are Autumn Olives and Sycamore...

I'd like some in Canada, too!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Indian Runner Ducks flying?! - Either my ducks didn't got the message or that man has a special training program for his Runners. Yes, of course they can jump fences up to ten feet tall - especially the drakes during mating seasons - but i wouldn't call that flying.
So far the only ducks i have seen flying, with flying defined as reaching an altitude that allows the bird to clear tall obstacles on the ground like for example houses and trees, being able to stay airborne for several minutes and cover a distance for which a pedestrian would have to walk for a while..., have been wild Mallards and call ducks.
I have a couple of light ducks that can "fly" for short distances, but usually only downhill and with a crash landing. Almost none of the domestic ducks can really fly.

When I went to the state fair and saw Indian Runner Ducks they stood much more upright than mine do. Mine are females, fawn and white. I did not see the parents of the two I got in the spring. Since mine do not look exactly like a bowling pen but do run very fast they might not be quality runners and that may be why his could fly. I have a six foot fence around the small free range area that has grass for them to forage in while I am doing duck duties. I have Pitt Bulls that live on the other side of my fence as I live in a housing development. I did not want to take a chance of them flying over the fence and becoming dinner for the neighbor's dogs. I lost my Bunny to a neighbor's dog years ago and have never forgotten that feeling. I feel they are much safer being pinioned and it really didn't hurt them at all. They never flinched or felt it and I feel better knowing they can't fly. I know a lot of people do not agree on doing it but to each his own and it's just how some people keep their flocks safe. All circumstances are different and no two people think alike.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Here is a slow-motion video of some members of the Incubator-Gang in their pool:

It took forever to upload...