Who's Hatching Ducks? Hatch With Us!! *Page 3*

[purr]

I don't think it counts but one of my ducks is sitting on a nest with her and her sisters eggs in it. So we will see in a couple of weeks. My DH is all excited he's the one that insisted we get the 2 girls a beau.

 

[Feathered Wings]

I have a few questions about adult ducks?
I have 7 Cayuga's and they are about 7 to 8 weeks "I think"
They are just getting their feathers and a couple have begun to "quack" a little.
I don't know the sex's yet.
I'm going to pen them and let them free range on occassion.
They will be in a 10' x 10' foot ground pen and i will provide a sheltered area and a pool area.

#1 How much do i feed and how often?
#2 Will a female use a nest box like a chicken?
#3 when will they start to lay?
#4 if i have 3 females will they all use the same nest or do i need a nest per duck?
#5 what type of bed should i supply for at night do they sleep on the ground?
#6 Do i need to cover the ground with anything i was thinking of putting in some sand?

I'm a newbie to ducks and want to make sure i do things right so they will be happy.
Thanks

 

[raindrop]

Quote:
You might get more answers in the Waterfowl section of the forum, but:

1. as much as they will eat in 5 minutes twice a day
2. maybe, and they only lay on the ground
3. around 16 weeks
4. maybe, mine lay in the nest about 30% of the time, otherwise on the grass/mud/poop
5. mine sleep on the ground, we have a mild climate, I keep them in electric net fencing with a 3-sided covered area for shade/nest that moves weekly
6. not sure on that one, but they will trash that area quite quickly, mine love to free range

Search "duck houses" and you will find a couple good threads in the waterfowl section, sorry I don't have time to look for them.
I love my ducks.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Thank You that very good info.

I thought they had to have food at all times and the way they eat now i would be in debt in no time

So they just lay on the ground how do you keep the nest dry?

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
The nest will be however big she makes it. Mine have had small nest, but the other makes a big nest.

As for tossing eggs out. She will push out any eggs that are bad (from my experience only) and yes, she will be very protective. I have one that is protective and the other will just walk away

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
I built a duck nest. It has a wire mesh bottom (off the ground) and 3 sides, with the front open. It is 4 inches deep on the inside which I fill up with straw.

 

[Feathered Wings]

I saw on the "duck house" threads they used plastic dog house's do these work as nest?
i just happen to have one of those

 

[barnwife]

Quote:
I agree mostly with raindrop, with a few additions.

1. twice daily, free choice of 16% adn scratch. My ducks tend to go through a cycle several times daily/nightly of rund crazy, groom, eat/graze, groom, sleep, repeat. So, my ducks eat frequently ..but it averages to about a quarter pound a day per duck (when adult) and a bit less for babies.

2. mine don't lay yet, and they are between 16 -22 weeks old. MAny females...females are the loud quackers , males are quiet/whispery voices. They have paired themselves off pretty well and tend to hang out with one or two when they go off separately,... but generally do stay all together.

3. Mine are either hiding them VERY well in my short grassy yard, or they are not laying yet. My oldest group is 22 weeks old ish.

4. Many reports of ducks sharing nests...but do not know personally. Yet.

5. My ducks choose grassy AND mud/dirt areas to sleep in. They are fairly free-ranging..they have about an acre and a half fenced to roam in, with medium/short grass, trees, bathing area, picnic tables to sleep under, etc. They go to the pool a few times daily, but are usually found around the grass sleeping and setting around.

6. I HIGHLY recommend something that drains well to put around their pond/wet area. I know pea gravel and sand seem to do well. Duck do not jsut swim, they splash, jump, wave their wings, and generally act CRAZY around their water, and play slip-n-slide through mud, and dig little beak-shaped holes witht heir bills searcing for worms in the mud (forgot the word for this)

Do not illusion yourself with a pretty picture of tall pretty plants around the water area like I did. They eat them dead, including grass. The water area is a very high traffic area, plants will be crushed, drowned, eaten, and over-fertilized.

Make sure you can drain your pond/pool, it WILL get NASTY after even a single day of being thrown-up in, pooped in and set in the heat of summer. My ducks take about 5 minutes to make fresh water look like septic tank drainage...and it STINKS terribly.

I hope this helps you! Duckls are WONDERFUL! My personal faves...but that could change with the goslings I am trying to hatch.

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
I use them for my young ducks, so fill it with straw and try it. Don't see why it would not work. Sounds good to me.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Ducks don't start laying till more like 24 weeks, but the rest of the responses are correct