To this day i find duckling poop in the box with the mixed nails…Ooh! The little stinkers! I bet THAT was a mess... And then having to round them all up again!
After one year with all these animals you will feel 10 years younger!
Oh my gosh. You're cracking me up! What silly duckies!
Gonna be cleaning them out 3-4 times a day, I suspect. It's ok. I'm working from home right now, so it won't be too annoying....After one year with all these animals you will feel 10 years younger!
Duck(ling)s are like dogs: They know very well when they are doing something they are not allowed to do and do have a guilty conscience:
I had to do a lot of conference calls last year and before starting with the presentation i shared a video of the fall-ducklings instead of having everybody staring at a blank screen. Everybody liked it and the mood during the call was always more positive.
I raised extremely entitled ducks. No conscience in their little ducky brains. My ducks are more like cats than dogs, they might know what I expect and be willing to do it - for a price. That price is mealworms. But because it is the right thing? Hahaha!Duck(ling)s are like dogs: They know very well when they are doing something they are not allowed to do and do have a guilty conscience:
In Summer 2019 young Erpelchen Drake had learned how to push down the fence around the Tomato patch and the girls loved him for that. But he just jumped off the fence and walked away, trying to look like an innocent young drake when he heard me opening the door.
Meanwhile the girls, now trapped in the tomato patch, were panicking because they couldn't find a way out. It was kind of sweet to see them huddled down in a corner, squeaking »Sorry! We won't do it again! Please don't eat us!«
Disclaimer: Never ate one of the guilty ducks, but had a serious talk with Erpelchen and he promised me not to step on the fence again… for the rest of the day or so…
Yes, yes! I think I have!
Sounds like a good setup!!Yes, yes! I think I have!
I'm going to use a big rabbit cage that I'll attach sides to. It'll be FREE and easy to store. I am borrowing 2. Each is 2' x 4' with a plastic base that is 8 in deep. Not perfect, but FREE. I'll start with one and combine them when they outgrow the first one. I like these because I can take the top off and put it out in the chicken pasture on nice days.
I'm going to use a MHP that I have for chicks. It's 1' x 2' so it will be plenty big for 4 ducks at first. I adjust its height using bricks or 2 x 4s. I'm also using the pan with rack set up for food and water. I'll start with puppy pads for the floor and switch to wood shavings later. I'll also start with a chick waterer and switch to a recycled cottage cheese container later. I'll try out a few things for feeders. I have unmedicated chick starter and nutritional yeast. Oh! And Scratch & Peck has added niacin to their feed formulae so I can use that for my flock later. I'll be using layer pellets mixed with the grower. And I'll double check the niacin levels and add yeast as needed.
I'm planning to clean AT LEAST twice daily. I used to clean my chicks daily, which was actually more than needed. I'm sure the duckies will need that and more!
Does that sound doable?
See? I can make decisions!
