| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 11:13:40 AM
Went outside to "do the rounds" and I discovered one of my young white layer ducks stiff in the pond. Apparently she just never got out of the water. I looked her over really carefully and no trauma or wounds, and she definitely wasn't sick yesterday, and no drake around to do her in with too much love. Seems like she just swam until she was exhausted and then drowned O_O
Actually, this doesn't come as a total surprise. Last month I rescued her from her big water dish when she was just starting to get waterlogged and dried her out (She was too stupid to stand up.) Guess she just loved water more than living. Here's to you Blanca; my first duckie darwin awardee.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Nov 14 2011 : 4:10:26 PM
The geese will probably have to see the duckies playing in the water to want to swim... scovies are excellent ducks. I've got my eye on silver appleyards though, I passed on the scovies because I estimated that my flock would be less sustainable if I had any inbreeding. Appleyards are lovely, smart and make fine table ducks.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
| hoosiercountry |
Posted - Nov 14 2011 : 3:58:43 PM
I want ducks for pretty pets on the pond. I even fixed a float with a house on it then secured it in the middle of the pond. The two geese I have just stand by the pond and won't go in. As far as I know there are no turtles, I feed the fish almost everyday and have never seen and turtles around. I am still looking for ducks, want older ones, prefer Muscovy's. I just thought is odd on the small flock I looked into the guy said he trained them to stay out of the pond, did not buy, didn't know what touble I was getting. Like I said the two geese won't go in and swim around unless I chase them in, any suggestions, I even put out two duck decoy's. |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Nov 13 2011 : 3:08:15 PM
The first question is, do you have snapping turtles in that pond? They will take a leg right off of a duck (whole!) or drag a bird underwater to kill it.
There's no way to "train" a duck to stay out of the water- they love the stuff and will get into it. If there is a body of water you want to keep them out of I've found the trick is to have a more attractive water source to keep them distracted. To keep them out of my in ground swimming pool I'm in the habit of running the hose into the grass to keep them occupied dabbling instead. The only sure way is to fence them out.
Don't let my experience concern you. I ordered this duckling as a high performance captivity layer. If you choose a smarter, calmer, and less overbred breed you won't have this problem. If your pond is safe for the duckies to play in you need only make sure it is easy for them to get out of, and don't release them too early.
Do you want ducks for eggs, ducks for meat, or just ducks for pretty?
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
| hoosiercountry |
Posted - Nov 11 2011 : 7:35:54 PM
Sorry about your duck Jen, now I have a question on a duck issue going the other direction. I have been lookin for some ducks for my pond, I was interested in a small flock until I read "trained to stay out of the pond" is that possible? I have two goofy geese that won't go in the pond but I did not think you could train ducks to stay out of the water? |
| smiley |
Posted - Nov 11 2011 : 06:40:48 AM
Since Kim was honest I will be too. Its sad to lose one especially when they arent cheap but I too laughed. Never have heard of a duck drowning itself. |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Nov 01 2011 : 5:53:50 PM
It's alright Kim, laughing about it is the thing that keeps me from being upset about the loss of an almost grown egg producer! I'll have this great story that will outlive all the ducks I have now! Haha!
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
| Lieberkim |
Posted - Oct 31 2011 : 2:47:53 PM
Horrible loss, I'm sorry. Forgive me for chuckling at the idea that a duck drowned itself for not getting out of the pond, it just sounds so impossible.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
| Megan |
Posted - Oct 31 2011 : 2:28:02 PM
i have lots of ducks and we have never had any trouble with them drowning but my giant pekins will eat themselves to death. Hope the rest of your ducks start laying soon, i got my first egg 3 weeks ago from a late may hatch of ducks, but they are bred to grow really fast (8 weeks 8 lbs).
www.rockriverexoticsandkennel.net |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 3:56:14 PM
I have seen more people who are having major problems with their egg production ducks/chickens...I was talking to a friend who is a Vet Tech (farm/ranch) about it, and he said that the "New" breeds are being overly used, without a lot of out breeding, they are in-bred for 3-4 generations from some hatcherys and YES, they are stupid, as in , no instinct, weak hearts, as in heart attacks, and are prone to strokes, they are also laying great for 6 months, and then just stopping...and some of these ducks don't even have the instinct to preen properly and oil themselves, so yes, they will water log their feathers and drown...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| MEWolf |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 1:40:48 PM
Awww...Jen, sorry for the loss of Bianca :-(
Margaret
Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits. Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds, fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808-1882)
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
| YakLady |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 1:21:54 PM
Aw :( Losing a young duck isn't fun. I'm sure she appreciates the honor being the first duckie to win the darwin award on your place, though!
I'm hoping my pair of Muscovy ducks don't go that way. They are still in/out of the pond out front all the time, and it's getting really chilly out.
~Natalie~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana. http://mtnme.blogspot.com
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, and a few dogs. |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 12:56:26 PM
It's such a bummer since I paid through the nose for her and her sisters because she's a very well bred maximum output layer (almost 8 bucks apiece as day olds!), raised her through all the traumas and danger of baby hood, only to have her kill herself like this at near maturity, she would have likely started laying in one more month.
I'd be less amused if it wasn't so silly a way to go out, and the second time she's tried to do this. The real tragedy is that we don't even get to eat her :( Not enough there to even be worth plucking!
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
| sherrye |
Posted - Oct 30 2011 : 11:33:16 AM
gosh jen, so sorry about your duck. what a funny duck sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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