Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[GothChick]

Hey everyone,

Bad news tonight. I heard the dog going nuts and went outside to find on of our ducklings dead.

It looked like something got into the cage and grabbed him by the neck and tried to drag him out but he wouldn't fit. I found him with puncture marks all over and his head was through the bars. I don't know what it was or what could have gotten in the cage. I took our surviving duckling in the house and have her set up in cage inside. I'm so upset. He was getting gorgeous beautiful black and white barred feathers and our female is a chocolate barred. They were so pretty together. Can I keep one duck alone? I hate to start all over with a hatchling but I can't get an older duck because I need the pinioned and tame. I don't know what to do.

 

[GothChick]

Sorry about all the typos in the first post. I am just really emotional and crying right now. The ducklings were really special to us.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
Sorry to hear that

, hopefully someone who has ducks can give you some answers.

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:
There is a huge round bale up the road from us. The neighbor was baling and when they opened the shute or whatever they do and round bale came rolling out, rolled down the hill, over the barbed wire fence and landed on its side in the culvert !!! They know it's there so guess I can't claim it

Speaking of BASH found a place where we could have a bash. Their would be no need for your EGG SIZED BALLOONS BIGZIO to mark the turn off !!

Here it is. If you pass this up you have no bussiness being on the road !!

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:
I am so sorry to hear about your poor duckling.

There sure seems to be alot of predators getting so many birds lately. Very very sad. Seems like they are getting pretty brave to come so close with barking dogs etc. The fox that was in my yard a few months ago wasn't to far from my Great Pyrenees. He was tied at the time. They really aren't that dumb are they?
Kind of sounds like a coon maybe?

If you found another young duckling could you just keep clipping its wings? I don't know anything about the pinioning (sp) thing.

Again, so sorry.

 

[Susie"J"]

GC I'm so sorry for the loss of your little duck. Sure hope you find what got in the fence.

NEED YOUR ADVICE
I haven't read much yet but need some help. Good friends of ours moved in with there kids and Grandkids. The kids have 2 wonderful girls who call me Grandma Sue

They had chickens and they were free range. They are loosing them to hawks and other predators. They only had two hens left and now they are down to one and the kids think she is sad and were wondering if we would take her cause our chickens look happy and they would like her to be happy and not lonely. She is friendly and I would like to give her a home but we don't have a separate place to keep her, is there things I should look for before bringing her home like bugs etc? What and how do I look for these ?

PLEASE HELP with my problem, Thanks in advance.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Susie, this is very informative:

http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2011/06/03/how-to-introduce-new-chickens-into-your-flock-part-2/

 

[Susie"J"]

Thanks CC, I don't think we will take the chicken and risk the others. Would love to help but no place to keep them apart.

 

[Amyable]

Susie, I've quarantined birds in a large dog crate. Kinda messy after a while but it did the job.

 

[FrenchToast]

Susie"J" :

GC I'm so sorry for the loss of your little duck. Sure hope you find what got in the fence.

NEED YOUR ADVICE
I haven't read much yet but need some help. Good friends of ours moved in with there kids and Grandkids. The kids have 2 wonderful girls who call me Grandma Sue

They had chickens and they were free range. They are loosing them to hawks and other predators. They only had two hens left and now they are down to one and the kids think she is sad and were wondering if we would take her cause our chickens look happy and they would like her to be happy and not lonely. She is friendly and I would like to give her a home but we don't have a separate place to keep her, is there things I should look for before bringing her home like bugs etc? What and how do I look for these ?

PLEASE HELP with my problem, Thanks in advance.

Susie J

How old is the chicken you are thinking of adopting? Do you know where they got the chickens? From a hatchery? If they are fairly young birds and were purchased from a hatchery and were never with older birds from unknown sources you may not be taking to big of a risk. Amy is right, you can keep her in a big tote, say in your garage or basement for the quarantine period.
As far as bugs go they are very easy to spot. Lice are straw colored and you can check around the vent area and as you spread their feathers you will see them scatter. They will be all over the bird if they are bad enough. Nothern Fowl mites are smaller brownish red mites. They too will be around the vent. I have silkies and the mites like the Puff on top of the silkies head and under their chin on the beard.

If you do get the hen you can always dust her with poultry dust to be on the safe side and again in two weeks.

What kind of hen is it?​