Wood duck care?...
- Thread starter arherp
- Start date
No links but I can tell you anything you want to know about them.
What you have in mind??
in general, they eat about any type of feed ration, love bugs and fish too, pretty much any thing aquatic.
They reproduce thier first year, but do best their 2 year on.
28 days to hatch
Ducklings can climb like no bodys business, the have hooks for toe nails, so either snip the toe tips, or keep them in a secure brooder.
They can be wet or dry brooded, wet is best, but takes dedication.
Best to use good protein non medicated feed if possible, though I have used medicated with no troubles.
Well planted aviaries are best for them as they are a wild species and cover makes them feel much happier and prevents passing the fence.
They can be flightly, so no sudden movements in the aviary with them.
They are cavity nesters, so you will need duck boxes for them to nest in.
A plywood box, 12 X12 wide, 18 tall is pretty much standard. An oval hole 3/4 the way up the face 3 tall 4 wide is best.
1/4 " hardware cloth inside the face of the box aids in the hen and or ducklings in getting out.
They can very effecently raise thier own, but brooders are safest.
They are very vocal, very beautiful and a pleasure to keep.
They are a federally protected breed. Your seller must provide you a copy pf the USDI sales and disposal permit for you to keep them. That is all that is required to keep them. If you want to sell them, you too must get liscensed by The USDI Fish and Wildlife Captive Bred Migratory Waterfowl Section.
No biggie, just paper work, it's required for all sales or dispossal of any specis of migratory waterfowl in the US.
Let me know if there are any questions you have that I didnt cover for you,
Aubrey
What you have in mind??
in general, they eat about any type of feed ration, love bugs and fish too, pretty much any thing aquatic.
They reproduce thier first year, but do best their 2 year on.
28 days to hatch
Ducklings can climb like no bodys business, the have hooks for toe nails, so either snip the toe tips, or keep them in a secure brooder.
They can be wet or dry brooded, wet is best, but takes dedication.
Best to use good protein non medicated feed if possible, though I have used medicated with no troubles.
Well planted aviaries are best for them as they are a wild species and cover makes them feel much happier and prevents passing the fence.
They can be flightly, so no sudden movements in the aviary with them.
They are cavity nesters, so you will need duck boxes for them to nest in.
A plywood box, 12 X12 wide, 18 tall is pretty much standard. An oval hole 3/4 the way up the face 3 tall 4 wide is best.
1/4 " hardware cloth inside the face of the box aids in the hen and or ducklings in getting out.
They can very effecently raise thier own, but brooders are safest.
They are very vocal, very beautiful and a pleasure to keep.
They are a federally protected breed. Your seller must provide you a copy pf the USDI sales and disposal permit for you to keep them. That is all that is required to keep them. If you want to sell them, you too must get liscensed by The USDI Fish and Wildlife Captive Bred Migratory Waterfowl Section.
No biggie, just paper work, it's required for all sales or dispossal of any specis of migratory waterfowl in the US.
Let me know if there are any questions you have that I didnt cover for you,
Aubrey
- Thread starter
- #3
Cages arent recommended, they will beat themselves to death in one in most cases. A 10x 10 aviary is best per pair, bigger is always better though for migratoty duck, especially if the are full winged.
These type duck eggs are tricky to a new comer to hatch, Lord forgive me for posting my humidity levels, as everyone has their own opinion. But I have done this for many years with over 100 species so this works for me.
Temp 99.5
humidity 60% bumped to 70% at hatch time. I keep a spray bottle in the incubator so the water will be the same temp as the air, once a day lightly mist the eggs, to bump humidity. This simulates the wet hens returning to the enst after being on the water feeding and breifly raises the humidity. Trust me, it helps.
When building your pens, 2 ' or small er wire is best, and aviary netting is a must for their protection. It isnt stif like wire and will flex when they fly up and hit it, and trust me sooner or later they will.
These type duck eggs are tricky to a new comer to hatch, Lord forgive me for posting my humidity levels, as everyone has their own opinion. But I have done this for many years with over 100 species so this works for me.
Temp 99.5
humidity 60% bumped to 70% at hatch time. I keep a spray bottle in the incubator so the water will be the same temp as the air, once a day lightly mist the eggs, to bump humidity. This simulates the wet hens returning to the enst after being on the water feeding and breifly raises the humidity. Trust me, it helps.
When building your pens, 2 ' or small er wire is best, and aviary netting is a must for their protection. It isnt stif like wire and will flex when they fly up and hit it, and trust me sooner or later they will.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #5
I missed a key, meant 2 inch wire or smaller.
Yep mandarins are identical in every way on care, but no permit requirements as they are non native.
Are these young birds or older ones, babies can be kept in cages (brooder) but after they feather up, they need a pen on the ground
Yep mandarins are identical in every way on care, but no permit requirements as they are non native.
Are these young birds or older ones, babies can be kept in cages (brooder) but after they feather up, they need a pen on the ground
- Thread starter
- #7
Juviniles, so defiantely feathered out by now.
While on the topic - do you know about cage requirements on tree ducks, shell ducks, and teals? Sounds like a long list, but I am trying to learn all that I can right now to be able to pick out a breed that is best for me right now, lol.
While on the topic - do you know about cage requirements on tree ducks, shell ducks, and teals? Sounds like a long list, but I am trying to learn all that I can right now to be able to pick out a breed that is best for me right now, lol.
Quote:
Lol Lord yeah.
I had 20 species of teal, 8 specis of treeduck, 6 shelduck. etc.
Teals and most treed ucks are fine in large community pens with your woddies and mandarins. Mix breeding is very minimal on amost all of them. Some of the teal like hottentots and green wings are going to require you drop to 1" wire though, a hottentot can walk right threw 2".
Basically a 8x8 is a good space per pair or two of teal.
My main aviari was 200 x 50 had 250 birds or so in each one, if that helps you out.
Treeducks need more space as they are a bit grumpy at times, especially the cuban and spotted trees, they really need an aviary of their own. or a treeduck avairy community pen. I have had them pick up teal and sling them.
they are ground nesters too, as are about 75% of the teals, so good ground cover and or ground nest boxes are best for them.
white face, black belly, fulvous, java, eytons, wandering are all decent community species.
Shelducks are the most aggressive of all the captive migratory waterfowl, they need a pen per pair really,(12x12 minimum as they are a large species) dont do well in any mix pen unless it's with larger more aggressive breed. Never put them with teal!!
They are burrow nesters too. a bucket burried workes well. I the wild they use abandoned animal burrows to nest in, so a bucket it our best captive replica of this style. But do remember they can be mean. Common Europeans are about the only exception, they can do well in mixed avairies, but still not with teal.
Some of the really cool ones will be your divers too. You may want to look into mergansers, golden eye, buffled head, smew, scaups, canvasback, tuffteds,ringneck,ruddies, etc. They were always my favorites, watching them dive and all, and each have great personalities, do well in community aviaries and all. When rasiung these, a deeper pond is a plus too though, and higher protein feed is too. I use to supplement their feed, and all the others too with small pellet dog food and floating catfish feed (especially the catfish feed for divers they need it to supplement the fish part of their diet) There's no need to spend a fortune on that Mazuri waterfowl diet either, It's a great feed, but $35 or so for 40 lbs is rediculous, when they do just fine on Purina gambird chow, or layena, and the dog and fish food. You can get 50lbs of all 3 for about 1 40lb bag of Mazuri.
Dont over do it with the fish and dog food. A cup full per 20 birds per day is fine, it's more of a treat to most.
Anyway, got to head to work, but keep the questions coming. I love to talk about these birds, LOVE them and always glad to help some one new get into them.
I would definately recommend if they are already feathered, that you have an aviary ready for them when you get them though. They dont like to be "boxed up" in small cages, it can cause to to loose some due to most of thems flighty nature and beating themselves up trying to get out.
Aubrey
Lol Lord yeah.
I had 20 species of teal, 8 specis of treeduck, 6 shelduck. etc.
Teals and most treed ucks are fine in large community pens with your woddies and mandarins. Mix breeding is very minimal on amost all of them. Some of the teal like hottentots and green wings are going to require you drop to 1" wire though, a hottentot can walk right threw 2".
Basically a 8x8 is a good space per pair or two of teal.
My main aviari was 200 x 50 had 250 birds or so in each one, if that helps you out.
Treeducks need more space as they are a bit grumpy at times, especially the cuban and spotted trees, they really need an aviary of their own. or a treeduck avairy community pen. I have had them pick up teal and sling them.
they are ground nesters too, as are about 75% of the teals, so good ground cover and or ground nest boxes are best for them.
white face, black belly, fulvous, java, eytons, wandering are all decent community species.
Shelducks are the most aggressive of all the captive migratory waterfowl, they need a pen per pair really,(12x12 minimum as they are a large species) dont do well in any mix pen unless it's with larger more aggressive breed. Never put them with teal!!
They are burrow nesters too. a bucket burried workes well. I the wild they use abandoned animal burrows to nest in, so a bucket it our best captive replica of this style. But do remember they can be mean. Common Europeans are about the only exception, they can do well in mixed avairies, but still not with teal.
Some of the really cool ones will be your divers too. You may want to look into mergansers, golden eye, buffled head, smew, scaups, canvasback, tuffteds,ringneck,ruddies, etc. They were always my favorites, watching them dive and all, and each have great personalities, do well in community aviaries and all. When rasiung these, a deeper pond is a plus too though, and higher protein feed is too. I use to supplement their feed, and all the others too with small pellet dog food and floating catfish feed (especially the catfish feed for divers they need it to supplement the fish part of their diet) There's no need to spend a fortune on that Mazuri waterfowl diet either, It's a great feed, but $35 or so for 40 lbs is rediculous, when they do just fine on Purina gambird chow, or layena, and the dog and fish food. You can get 50lbs of all 3 for about 1 40lb bag of Mazuri.
Dont over do it with the fish and dog food. A cup full per 20 birds per day is fine, it's more of a treat to most.
Anyway, got to head to work, but keep the questions coming. I love to talk about these birds, LOVE them and always glad to help some one new get into them.
I would definately recommend if they are already feathered, that you have an aviary ready for them when you get them though. They dont like to be "boxed up" in small cages, it can cause to to loose some due to most of thems flighty nature and beating themselves up trying to get out.
Aubrey
You really know your stuff.. And while one this note, my dad and I were looking for a pair of Canvas Backs, but the only place we could find them was E-Fowl, for $350.... Do you know where I could acquire a pair?
- Thread starter
- #10
Wow thanks, I appreciate all of the help!
You say one inch wire, would that be hardware cloth that I would have to use, then? How would you fashion an aviary out of that, it is always so short.
One last thing - is it possible to have WD's in a pen that does not have a top? Will they fly away, or run with my other birds?
You say one inch wire, would that be hardware cloth that I would have to use, then? How would you fashion an aviary out of that, it is always so short.
One last thing - is it possible to have WD's in a pen that does not have a top? Will they fly away, or run with my other birds?
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