Thinking of getting ducks in the future

[Bills vs Beaks]

are ducks more messy then turkeys? (just curious lol)
aww cute pic! yes, i am planning on getting them as young chicks (or.. ducklings?) 

I wouldn't know but I've heard turkeys are not the hardiest of creatures and ducks are very wet and messy so they might not do well together.
Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Adalida]

i read the whole article...didn't help much with my question, if they are in the brook, would they really want to travel downstream?

The general consensus was that nobody's ducks stuck around their place as chickens do, if they found a water source they liked somewhere else. You said that your stream leads to a pond. Is the pond small enough that you could get the ducks back if they swam out to the middle of it? Is it on your property or your neighbors? Ducks like exploring. They won't be content to just stay in one spot on the stream.

 

[Silkie2]

The general consensus was that nobody's ducks stuck around their place as chickens do, if they found a water source they liked somewhere else. You said that your stream leads to a pond. Is the pond small enough that you could get the ducks back if they swam out to the middle of it? Is it on your property or your neighbors? Ducks like exploring. They won't be content to just stay in one spot on the stream.

yeah.. the pond is giant, its a public pond (owned by the town)
oh well, thanks anyways

I wouldn't know but I've heard turkeys are not the hardiest of creatures and ducks are very wet and messy so they might not do well together.
Just something to keep in mind.

yeah, i wouldn't put them together (meat turkeys) just wondering if they'ed be messier, thanks!

 

[Silkie2]

do you think maybe if i pulled out some treats at the brook would they follow me back home?

 

[Adalida]

do you think maybe if i pulled out some treats at the brook would they follow me back home?

Mine wouldn't even look at a treat if they were playing in water. Ducks are very different from chickens in some ways, in that link I posted several people mentioned how their ducks won't go put themselves to bed like their chickens do. My ducks have a giant kiddie pool but there's no other water source near me, but on rainy days when there's puddles everywhere, they really roam far, off my property. I have to act like a sheep dog and herd them back when it's getting dark. If you could put a fence across your stream or some other barricade, maybe that would work. I don't have links for the other posts I read on here, but one lady's ducks got into the middle of her neighbors pond and they stayed out there and she couldn't figure a way to get them back. They ignored treats she was throwing. And like the article I posted, one person's duck went half a mile for a pond! And another poster mentioned how she put a barricade up but her ducks could get over it when they really wanted to. Once they discover water, you'll see a whole new level of determination with ducks.

 

[Silkie2]

the brook is WAY to long for a fence (the brook plus the pond, go on for about a mile)
if i get a breed that' s flighty, i can always just clip its wings

i am planning on buying a kiddie pool if ("when" lol) i get them

 

[bydhatch]

treats work for mine, even in water.
A kiddie pool was the best purchase I ever made for mine. I got them clearanced for $5 at target. Buy two when you get them, as you will want an extra. Haha!

 

[Silkie2]

why extra?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

why extra?

Just guessing, but since I use kiddie pools for my ducks, too, some possible reasons for wanting extras:
-They're not the sturdiest things and the wear and tear of dumping and refilling them will take its toll over time
-The ducks will love them so much, you'll want to put out more
-They're pretty much impossible to find off-season (or when you want one)
-You may end up needing more if you get more ducks

 

[Silkie2]

Oh ok thanks
When is the best time to get baby ducks? I'm guessing spring right?