The Quack Shack

[Supercow]

What happened to the rest of your ducks?

Some we sold, some we gave away to a larger family farm. It will be much easier on our orchard to go through the winter with 9 ducks. Once the grass starts seriously growing in the spring we'll hatch ducklings again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was hoping it wasn't predators.

 

[Supercow]

We did lose four in a day earlier in the year to an especially cunning fox. Most ducks stay in a group when exploring the property but some like to go off on their own... Those were taken silently one by one with the others, and the dogs and humans, none the wiser. We only discovered the tunnel dug out under the fence later that day.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

My neighbor has a Caracara I didn't know they came this far north. Beautiful bird but probably would eat the tasty bits from my ducks.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I lost contact with this site for quite a while and have finally been able to find it again. I have missed it so much!!!! My flock is all doing fine. I did lose one Runner Duck strangly a while back and the only thing I can figure is she must have been egg bound. No other signs of being ill and everyone else is just fine. Hoping I will start getting notices again as I don't know what went wrong.

Welcome back! You have been missed dearly.
How old was the runner duck? She might just died of old age...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

How do you keep the syrup from freezing Frank? I had lost site of this site for quite a while and I am hoping that doesn't happen again to me.

I never had an issue with freezing bee-syrup. The high sugar concentration is lowering the freezing point so it won't freeze here. - Canada might be another story though...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My neighbor has a Caracara I didn't know they came this far north. Beautiful bird but probably would eat the tasty bits from my ducks.

They should not come as far north as Texas, but it is getting warmer… - I hope the fire-ants stay away from here!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Welcome back! You have been missed dearly.
How old was the runner duck? She might just died of old age...

She was not quite even two yet. I saw her sitting on a nest like she was going to lay an egg and she passed on eating that morning which I thought was odd. I did not bother her since I thought she was just laying an egg. The next morning when I went out to feed and water them I found her near the water bowls dead. There had been some soft shelled eggs even though I put oyster shells in a bowl for them and I figured it must of been hers. Having 21 hens at the time I was not for sure who was laying them.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Welcome back! You have been missed dearly.
How old was the runner duck? She might just died of old age...

Thanks Frank, I missed all of you too!!!!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I am heart broken

Came home to find my flock scattered all around my place, found five dead ducks, at least six are missing.
Mr. Snotty, Fluffy, Flauschi, Ralphi, Mr. Boots and Buffy are missing.
Three of Erbses ducknagers are dead, two of her sisters dead.
Buffzilla duck and the remaining ducknagers have breathing problems and I don't know if they are going to make it through the night.
Tweedledee has an injured wing which I cannot treat because she would rather die then let me touch her.
Sunny Sunshine and Erbse were hiding under the patio, both are limping.
Flipper Duck is limping too and Mr. Entron is shivering and refuses to eat or drink.
I don't know if I am hallucinating, but is that a paw print here

The dead ducks had minimal injuries but bled from their bills and nostrils and afaik that is the typical sign of being shaken to death by a dog.
And I am sure that's the work of my irresponsible neighbor's dogs at the bottom of the hill.
The dogs that disrupt traffic every day by running on the road. I guess next time the breaks on my five year old car will fade or I confuse the pedals...
Have to bury five of my kids tomorrow...