What to do with old hens?

[fethr37]

point is that those ducks at the park will die 4 years earlier than ducks without bread, any kind of bread is just as bad, white may be worse but same effects,( liver fails from the fat ( possibly) ) or early death. and those people who dont let their ducks forage is just about as bad.

Well I make my own bread with live sprouted grains and I could basically live off it. And I'm sure any duck which ate 50% of that and the other snails and slugs would be far healthier than a feed store fed duck.

 

[needlessjunk]

So they are going to be better off and happier being used for stew since they are passed prime anyhow. Life isn't going to get any better either way.2 cents

Yes, they are better off if you kill them humanely. You have no idea what can or will happen to them if they are released and honestly it is your duty as their owner to do the right thing. That doesn't mean killing them but it does mean being responsible for them and finding them a good home. It is better that they lived a good life and die swiftly than live an extra year and die slowly.

 

[fethr37]

These ducks were hand me down ducks. I was the good home. It's just going to be hard to kill them myself even tho I am a duck hunter and have killed many ducks without a name.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The last story one of my friends that does the duck rescue told me was of a domestic duck that got frozen into a lake. Sitting duck as it was, it's face was eaten off by a predator while it was still alive. I saw the pictures.

I again plead that these links be perused.

http://www.allspecieskinship.org/DuckandGooseRefuge.html

http://shorebirdie.hubpages.com/hub/dumpedduckies

http://www.liveducks.com/duckbread.html

We might have taken your intention wrong and if so, I apologize for all. But you did ask if dumping ducks into local lakes was a good idea and you got your answer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Another side, I have 13 Muscovy's 3 are over 10 yrs old. they are my pets and to me part of my family so they will stay here till they die. I couldn't eat them, and actually 1 the drake came from the river after being dumped. He's been with us over 10 yrs. Just like my dh said we wouldn't put one of our dogs down once they get old unless they had a disease they weren't going to recover from and we won't do it to our flock either. I understand others can kill and eat their poultry and we have extra roosters, but there is just something about my ducks that keeps me from seeing them as food.

 

[jtn42248]

These ducks were hand me down ducks. I was the good home. It's just going to be hard to kill them myself even tho I am a duck hunter and have killed many ducks without a name.

Please be tolerant with us. You are, after all asking a question of poultry owners who take their commitment to their fowl very seriously. And, "hand me down ducks" or not you did assume the responsibility of their care when you took them in.

Now, there are several things you can do. The last option, simply my opinion, would be the stew pot.

You are located in Western Washington. I don't know exactly where but I am reasonably sure that not too awfully far from you there is a rescue group that might be willing to take the birds off your hands. They would be the first and best option simply because the birds would then have the chance to live out their lives with some oversight from people that care. I know of a group in Austin, TX about 300 miles from me that takes them in, releases them in public parks and lakes and provides for their food and care ongoing, all with a permit and oversight from the city. That could be one reason that you have seen birds in the public areas that look healthy.

Option two, Craigs List, the rehomeing forums here on BYC, you local paper. Put the word out that you have some birds available, be honest, they are older and need to have the chance to live out their lives.

I have a total of 62 birds (chickens, ducks and geese) and we are a no-kill farm as far as those birds go. If a bird on our farm is intended to be a meat bird they are bought as a meat bird, raised as a meat bird and dispatched as a meat bird with respect, gratitude and compassion. They provide offspring which we can sell for income as well as eggs so we think that when the time comes they, like us, have the right to a nice retirement. Hopefully they will not outlive us because most people think we are certifiable.

If you were closer I would come get them myself.

 

[fethr37]

I think the first reply was nice but when that was followed up with


That's probably what set everyone off.

Set everyone off?? I think not!

A little bit of whole grain bread as long as they are getting a enough protien etc.and them ducks are going to be just fine.. I don't care what you hear or what you read.

 

[fethr37]

Another side, I have 13 Muscovy's 3 are over 10 yrs old. they are my pets and to me part of my family so they will stay here till they die. I couldn't eat them, and actually 1 the drake came from the river after being dumped. He's been with us over 10 yrs. Just like my dh said we wouldn't put one of our dogs down once they get old unless they had a disease they weren't going to recover from and we won't do it to our flock either. I understand others can kill and eat their poultry and we have extra roosters, but there is just something about my ducks that keeps me from seeing them as food.

I hear you there! I'll most likely keep them even though I haven't had them very long

 

[Miss Lydia]

Set everyone off?? I think not!

A little bit of whole grain bread as long as they are getting a enough protien etc.and them ducks are going to be just fine.. I don't care what you hear or what you read.

My gander loves bread, so when everyone else is getting dried meal worms which he does not like, he gets some w/w bread not much but it sure makes him happy.I think people are not informed at parks-lakes and such and don't realize feeding white bread and junk food to the wild life there isn't healthy for them.

 

[fethr37]

Please be tolerant with us. You are, after all asking a question of poultry owners who take their commitment to their fowl very seriously. And, "hand me down ducks" or not you did assume the responsibility of their care when you took them in.

Now, there are several things you can do. The last option, simply my opinion, would be the stew pot.

You are located in Western Washington. I don't know exactly where but I am reasonably sure that not too awfully far from you there is a rescue group that might be willing to take the birds off your hands. They would be the first and best option simply because the birds would then have the chance to live out their lives with some oversight from people that care. I know of a group in Austin, TX about 300 miles from me that takes them in, releases them in public parks and lakes and provides for their food and care ongoing, all with a permit and oversight from the city. That could be one reason that you have seen birds in the public areas that look healthy.

Option two, Craigs List, the rehomeing forums here on BYC, you local paper. Put the word out that you have some birds available, be honest, they are older and need to have the chance to live out their lives.

I have a total of 62 birds (chickens, ducks and geese) and we are a no-kill farm as far as those birds go. If a bird on our farm is intended to be a meat bird they are bought as a meat bird, raised as a meat bird and dispatched as a meat bird with respect, gratitude and compassion. They provide offspring which we can sell for income as well as eggs so we think that when the time comes they, like us, have the right to a nice retirement. Hopefully they will not outlive us because most people think we are certifiable.

If you were closer I would come get them myself.

Thankyou jtn, I will definately look into to those options.