Thought I had Indian Runner ducklings but I am not sure. (Question Answered March 13, 2013)

[Megan Amber]

That's a good idea. You could hide all kinds of medicinal herbs in there. Ever give them mealworms? Mine go CRAZY for dried mealworms.

 

[poultry4-Hrules]

They look like Khaki Campbell's to me.

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

OH YES!!! They LOVE Happy Hen Treats. You'd think they are going to peck your hand off to get them. And always they team up on me so one can slip around the back of me to stick their head in the container. Those are fun treats.

 

[Megan Amber]

Does your large flock have a pool? I took my ducks old broken one down and was going to give them there new one later when they moved. That didnt last long though, I couldn't even walk out the door without them yelling at me,''I WANT MY POND BACK NOWWW! They have there new one. Peace and quiet, for now!LOL

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

Oh my flock isn't large of ducks but chickens. Once the chicks are grown I will have 6 chickens to go with the two ducklings. I am giving one of my three baby chickens to a friend.
I do have a kiddie pool for the ducks. When we had the Perkins he loved it when I would empty the pool. He would play in it while the water rushed out. If I moved the location of the pool though he would announce his displeasure. In the summer time I would make sure the pool got shade most of the day and in the winter I would make sure it was in the sun for the majority of the day. The ducklings I have now I want to give them something deeper than a kiddie pool eventually. I know more about raising poultry now than I did a year ago. I have the same regular monthly feed bill for them now. So I have the money to spoil everybody rotten...er.

 

[Megan Amber]

Oh I gotcha! My duck flock is actually a little to big. I have to many drakes but can't bring myself to pick a couple out to butcher!

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

That can be hard to do. It was easier for me when I had 75 chickens out of which 25 we knew were roosters. But now I only have the grand total of 9 birds including the duckies and chicks. I noticed it is harder to have dinner the more I get attached. I don't think any of these will be on the menu ever unless they get incredibly aggressive. I don't see that happening. My last rooster that ended up in the kitchen only made it there because he got aggressive. I have a couple scars on my hands now from him. However that last time he got me on my face and managed to claw me under my eye. Even after that happening it was still hard for me to that, I liked him.

 

[Megan Amber]

OUCH. And you still liked him?! I have noticed that our meat consumption has dropped considerably since we began butchering our own meat.

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

Yes I did. I know it is odd. He was a great rooster to the hens. Whenever they managed to escape the fenced in chicken yard, he would keep them close by and if one did wonder to far he would not let them go alone. At the time we lived on 16 acres so it was good to have him and the other roosters watching out for the ladies. They got to roam the open area around the coops and the girls stayed in the chicken yard during the day. I left the coop doors open that way everyone could come and go as they please. Around sunset they would meander their way back into their coops and I would come and close the doors for the evening. I have an odd schedule so sometimes I pay them a night time visit. If I am awake at 2 or 3 am and the dogs need to go out I go and check on everyone in the coops too. I don't know why that particular rooster got so aggressive. I raised him from a chick. It might have been his instincts kicking in from being allowed to roam his 5 acres with the other roosters unchecked.

We started eating less meat as well after I started butchering our own meat, chickens, wild rabbits, and such.

 

[TattooedKeeper3]

Okie dokie it seems now that my ducklings are almost 2 months old one of them is developing a cool 2 inch long greenish tint at the tips of it's wing feathers. I think the other one might have that too. Sometimes they walk like runners but other times they walk like other breeds. So I think I am still trying to figure out what breed they are. I thought I was sure until the green started showing up in their feathers. One of them is loud and talkative and slightly larger. While the other is more quiet and is slightly smaller than the other one. I will be taking better photos tomorrow, more up to date ones.
These were taken about a week and a half ago with my phone so the quality may not be as good.



The one with it's head turned giving the side eye look to me is the slightly larger one. As well as very gabby. I like that though.