Who knew ducks could be SO addicting??

[bayyjayy]

I am completely in love with my ducks. I LOVE them and am wanting to add more! I think I am addicted to them...I honestly do. I am obsessed with watching them, counting them, going out and just staring at them. My family is worried about me.

I have a nice sized pond, my hubby is going to be doubling it by fall (SO excited about that!). My question is....how many ducks do you guys have and what kind of set up do you have? I have a bunch of willows next to my pond, so they have a really nice little set up. I am wanting to make some kind of coop for them, but am at a loss. Have you guys made your own or bought? Will you post pics so I can see?

How do you get your ducks to use a nesting box? I thought nesting boxes were supposed to be off the ground....but a lot of ducks can't fly. I have had FIVE nests eaten this year....not sure what is getting them (wonder how I am suppose to figure it out....everyone around me has a different opinion!). If you have successful hatched eggs, what do you do with the babies so you don't get overrun with ducks?

Right now I have three Pekin, two Rouens, three Mallards and a neighbor just brought a mama Mallard and her six babies over so they don't get swept away in the canal--once they are grown I will let them back into the canal, though someone told me they will go by themselves....true? I want to add Magpies, Anconas, Cayungas, Buffs, and maybe Welsh Harlequins and Saxonys. If I get all these kinds of ducks, how do you get babies that are pure (meaning a Cayunga baby from two Cayunga adults)? I don't have to seperate my breeds, right? Am I thinking it is easier than it really is to have babies?

One last question. My ducks aren't the friendliest in the world...the Pekin will eat from our hands, but that is about it. The mallards are very skittish. When I get my new babies, I plan on really interacting with them and making them (hopefully) touchable and holdable ducks. Once I let them in with the other ducks that won't let us get very close to them, will they still be as friendly as I make them in the first few weeks of their lives, or will the skittishness of the ducks I have now rub off on my new ones?

I think that is it for my questions. Thanks in advance for any replies, advice or comments!

Mike

*****Edited: I am looking at the Duck Stickies right now, so pictures aren't needed, unless you want to! I am loving this site.

 

[animalpro24]

Here's my duck yard:

(The netting on top keeps birds of prey out if they try to get in, we have lost a mallard to a Bald Eagle)
it kinda hard to see the fence..

and then their ramp up the the door:

Our coop is actually a chickens coop that's part of our barn.(it was here before we moved in so I didn't have to build my own.)
You can get little basket/hamper things for nesting boxes(on the ground). My ducks just lay on the ground in our coop in their ground nests.

I have three buff girls, three Blue Swedish ducks(2 girls, 1 boy) and One blue runner girl:

How do you get babies that are pure: You either find a breeder near you or you order from a good hatcheries like Metzers, Mcmurry, or Holderread Farm. I have gotten my Swedes and Runner at My Coastal Farm and Ranch store near me. And my buffs from a lady on Craigslist.

Not all birds are friendly or want to be near people. All birds have different personalities. You can spend all your time with them and they can love you to death or do not want to have anything to do with you.
Hope this helps!

 

[Amiga]

It's fun to read about another person who has discovered the joys of ducks. I was amazed at how taken I became with my little flock of runners. Enjoy! And take good care of them!

Right now I have nine runners - we have lost two in the past year, from infections. I don't plan to have more than a dozen or so, because I work with them quite a bit to keep them social with people. I feel that the more ducks I have, the less individual attention I can give them, and so the less people social they will be. That's just my theory.

 

[ZoeS95423]

Hahaha , I have 22 ducks, 13 adults, and 12 babies, I have to get rid of some of the drakes, since I cant have too many, but I still want more and more and more and more and more, but I have to wait till I get my new coop

Which isnt going to be too soon...

 

[bayyjayy]

I got my ducks last August, then got my Pekin in May....and I can feel myself snowballing. I was hesitant at first to get ducks, knew I would like them, but thought they would be a pain. I am surprised at how much I love them, and how enjoyable they are. SO fun! Thanks for your replies....appreciate it.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I have 44 ducks out in my yard, 4 in the bator just hatch and I have another 11 to hatch yet. yes they are addictive.

 

[NYRIR]

Yes, ducks are as addicting as chickens

I have Mallards,Cayugas,Pekins,F &W Runners,Anconas,Buffs and Muscovies! If you want to breed pure breds...you will have to seperate or you will get mixes.I am currently trying to figure out how/where I am going to build my breeding pen/s for the breeds i will be doing next year.
I currently have 26 ducks...I have too many (young) drakes though so i will be weeding down some.Here is a pick of my run and hut...the run is 18 x 25 and the hut is 12 x 4 Since this pic I have added another pool as the duck number is high for the space right now.

A diff view..

All my ducks have different personalities.Some will eat out of my hand while others prefer to wait until I drop it.The mallards and Pekins are the easiest for me to feed by hand.I think a lot of the friendliest ducks are just naturally more friendly and less skittish.I know some peoples ducks are quite a bit more laid back than mine but I did brood in the house.I do not pick my ducks up (once they are grown) unless I HAVE to simply because I know they don't like it and I try to respect that.I do try to feed by hand at a young age though,so they don't get as scared when reaching for them.I think it has a lot to do with how often they are handled,individual personalities and how much interaction they get.Mine are able to tell my "intentions" when they see me...and react accordingly.If I have the hose in hand...I am their best friend! Just like if I have the feed bucket in hand...I am not the enemy...but at dusk when i have to put them in a little early for some reason....they quack their defiance and run into the hut in one big pile of feathers!They do go into the hut on their own most nights but they tend to wait longer than the chickens.
It is important to approach slow and steady as they react much better to calm than rushed movements.I have read Holddereads book from cover to cover and he suggests that if they are breeders you don't let things stress them any more than necessary.Ducks prefer a quieter environment and not a lot of commotion.
As for nesting boxes I let mine just build nests in the corners of their hut. Occasionally one of my mallards waits to lay in the corner of the run thinking she will "stump" me on finding the egg

She has been trying to go broody all season!
Sorry I can't help you any on free ranging ducks...I don't have enough property to do so,so only my chickens and geese free range.As for the ducklings we can't keep...we butcher for meat and sell some as well.
Enjoy your ducks...they are some of the best in the poultry world IMO

 

[Totes Quackers]

Naaawwww i only have 1 quacker and I'm addicted.. I LOVE him to bits and pieces! He even has his own facebook profile..

Yes my family are concerned.. I loved all the pics and duckie homes!

 

[tbitt]

Talk about snowballing.

I went from ZERO ducks the beginning of this year.........to 4 adults at the end of April (given to me from a friend) ...... to now having 10 babies!

What the heck am I doing?!?!?!

I love them! My husband is even in on the fun!

 

[gofasterstripe]

Quote:
OK..you can add another 15 to my total