Studabird
Songster
I got my first chickens in March so I am far from an expert. That being said. I have over 20 chickens and 17 turkeys. I love them all. Chickens are their own personality and they have warmed my heart over and over again. Turkeys while they are dumb as dog hair when you first get them or when they are first born are pretty freaking cool. My turkeys will out smart my best attempts to keep them in but they always know where to be when it is time to get roosted and they trust me without doubt; whenever they see me they assume I am bringing them something they want and walk up to me. However, ducks... well they are different (this maybe true of all waterfowl as well). Due to unforeseen events I was asked to "foster" a duck. A single duckling that was probably a week old. I came to this community and asked for advice. It was immediately brought to my attention that I should not keep "a" duck. I was told they are social creatures and needed to be around other ducks. I had read this before but was slightly dismissive of the assertion; but I followed all the recommendations. Give the duck mirrors and a stuffed animal but I did it with a slight eye roll and thought it is a bird how much can it really know.
Then a few days passed and the duck lost all interest in the mirror and stuffed animal. My wife said we need to get more ducks to keep it company. I called all the local feed stores where we can buy birds and they either could not answer or did not answer. Then I called all the TSC's in the area. One had four ducks. I jumped in my car and drove like a mad man to get the "Last" ducks in the county/parish. I got there and bought the birds. I made sure for whatever reason to keep the birds in the box until I could introduce them to Sir Quacks A Lot four little ducklings they all ran to the duck that I was fostering at first; then adopted. It was a few minutes of confusion as this was a baby ducking as well but then I saw a change. It went from a duck that had not cleaned itself in a few days to the proud parent of four baby ducklings. It showed them the water and how to clean themselves. It showed them the food and how to grab a mouthful of food and dip it in water then eat it (Something I did not know they did) and afterwards it gathered them all around to cuddle. I was in awe. Chickens and turkeys are both social creatures but this was something I had never seen before.
So the point of everything I just said is this. Ducks (and maybe all waterfowl) are different from their land based cousins. Ducks love each other. Ducks do not establish dominance as chickens do while the older duck did make sure all the younger ones knew it was in charge there was not the pecking and frustation I have seen from chickens when there are new members to the flock. The turkeys I have are all the same age and while I am sure there is a pecking order they really do not seem to care if Carl the turkey gets out and no one has seen him for a few hours. It is my suspicion that if one of my ducks would get out the others would be most worried about it. This was reinforced today when one of the ducklings got stuck in the water source I have for the older one so it can dunk it's head into the water. The babe was squeaking a lot and the older duck was pacing in front of the water until I got the baby out and dried it off. Then it was fine once the baby was put back in the enclosure safe and sound.
Now I know all the bad things about ducks. They are dirty and muddy and messier than their dry land counterparts. But they also brings something to the flock their dryland counterparts don't and that is compassion and a sincere concern for their counterparts that I have not seen in chickens and turkeys. So, that being said. I will always have ducks and I think that most of us would like what we see from ducks if given the opportunity. I had no desire to raise ducks. I did not want them. I did not find them interesting. I was wrong. Ducks and maybe all waterfowl showed me something that none of their dry land counter parts (Chickens and Turkeys) did not and I am better for having them.
Then a few days passed and the duck lost all interest in the mirror and stuffed animal. My wife said we need to get more ducks to keep it company. I called all the local feed stores where we can buy birds and they either could not answer or did not answer. Then I called all the TSC's in the area. One had four ducks. I jumped in my car and drove like a mad man to get the "Last" ducks in the county/parish. I got there and bought the birds. I made sure for whatever reason to keep the birds in the box until I could introduce them to Sir Quacks A Lot four little ducklings they all ran to the duck that I was fostering at first; then adopted. It was a few minutes of confusion as this was a baby ducking as well but then I saw a change. It went from a duck that had not cleaned itself in a few days to the proud parent of four baby ducklings. It showed them the water and how to clean themselves. It showed them the food and how to grab a mouthful of food and dip it in water then eat it (Something I did not know they did) and afterwards it gathered them all around to cuddle. I was in awe. Chickens and turkeys are both social creatures but this was something I had never seen before.
So the point of everything I just said is this. Ducks (and maybe all waterfowl) are different from their land based cousins. Ducks love each other. Ducks do not establish dominance as chickens do while the older duck did make sure all the younger ones knew it was in charge there was not the pecking and frustation I have seen from chickens when there are new members to the flock. The turkeys I have are all the same age and while I am sure there is a pecking order they really do not seem to care if Carl the turkey gets out and no one has seen him for a few hours. It is my suspicion that if one of my ducks would get out the others would be most worried about it. This was reinforced today when one of the ducklings got stuck in the water source I have for the older one so it can dunk it's head into the water. The babe was squeaking a lot and the older duck was pacing in front of the water until I got the baby out and dried it off. Then it was fine once the baby was put back in the enclosure safe and sound.
Now I know all the bad things about ducks. They are dirty and muddy and messier than their dry land counterparts. But they also brings something to the flock their dryland counterparts don't and that is compassion and a sincere concern for their counterparts that I have not seen in chickens and turkeys. So, that being said. I will always have ducks and I think that most of us would like what we see from ducks if given the opportunity. I had no desire to raise ducks. I did not want them. I did not find them interesting. I was wrong. Ducks and maybe all waterfowl showed me something that none of their dry land counter parts (Chickens and Turkeys) did not and I am better for having them.
