| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Bringing up ducky  |
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 5:52:31 PM
|
Hi farmgirl friends,
Has anyone ever raised ducks? Is a pond or other body of water essential to their good health and happiness? Would a half buried kiddy pool do? I have 4 brand new ducklings and I have checked out a couple of websites but would also like to hear from experienced duck owners. Any information would be much appreciated.
cheers,
mag |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 7:17:15 PM
|
My parents used to have ducks (when I was just a little baby) and they had a small pond that was fed by a irrigation ditch that bordered our yard. But, we did have some friends that kept 2 ducks in town. They just kept the ducks happy with 2 kiddy sized swimming pools. Good luck with your ducklings!
Alee |
 |
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 9:49:13 PM
|
Hi Mag,
I'm raising ducks as pets right now.
You can read a bit about them on my blog
www.gardengoose.blogspot.com
you do not need a pond to raise healthy ducks..nor do you necessarily need a kiddy pool. I have neither. What I use is a large black potting soil trough that you can buy from Ace Hardware. This is large enough for the ducks to climb into if they wish and splash around a bit. And it gets changed daily. Easy enough for one person to empty and fill up and easy enough to move around the yard from place to place so as not to ruin the lawn.
I also have about a 4 ft.square by about 3 ft tall portable bottomless cage made from pressure treated lumber and closeknit chicken wire with a door with a lock on it..this is what they are ushered into every evening at night in.
At night they have a poultry waterer that is filled up to drink out of(a large one)
They are turned out into the yard to free range every morning no later than 8 a.m.
They are then given at least 2 cups of feed(a turkey/quail mash that the feed store assured me was adequate for ducks nutritional needs.
Then in the evening about 6 p.m. they recieve another 2 cups-3 cups of feed.
Every 2 days their portable cage is moved to a new site in the yard and the area that their cage was in is washed down with jet sprays of water to wash back into the ground.
When I first got my ducks at age 1 1/2 weeks old..I did not let them start swimming in water unless they were supervised. A baby duckling can easily drown if not attended to at first..some ducklings aren't ready for water until about 6 weeks of age..so do not just set them in water and walk away..they need to be supervised and only allowed a minimal amount of swim time at first in a shallow bit of water. I used a small radio flyer wagon partly filled with water at first to watch them play in..and only for about 20 minute increments the first week..then slowly increased it.
The first few weeks each duckling recieved 1/2 a cup of feed twice a day. Then I started increasing it as they grew.
Finally when they started feathering out more..I increased their outdoor time/always supervised/and their swim time/always supervised.
Then when I felt that they were feathered out enough I put them outdoors at night in their cage. Then would let them out for longer stretches of time to where I was confident that they could find their way to shelter and could hide if needed. They always go into their locked pen at night without fail now..and they know when it is feed time, when it is bed time, etc.
Hope this has helped.
Thry are rather easy to keep. and by the way congratulations. What type did you wind up getting?
I have the peking ducks(solid white)
Male and female.
The males are quieter and the females will do the regular quack.
They'll grow on you that is for sure.
best of wishes.
~Tina
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
|
|
Runbikegrrl
True Blue Farmgirl
250 Posts
MaryAnn
Waterbury Ctr
VT
USA
250 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2007 : 03:56:43 AM
|
Funny duck story...I have a friend who had 4 ducks she lived near a brook ... 3 of her ducks disapeared...couldn't figure it out..about a month later she happened to be talking to a neighbor about 4 miles down the road and a coupla of familiar ducks came waddling by...she asked the guy about them and he said they just showed up by his chicken coop on afternoon. The brook pools round the bend in back of his house before it heads south...so basically the ducks were "riding the rapids" and then getting off to eat and just stayed. They continue to do this semi regularly. Now she gets a phone call to pick them up or he just will drop them off.
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 4:04:12 PM
|
Thanks to all for responding.
MaryAnn~what a funny story. Luckily we don't have a creek running through!
Alee~Thanks for the good wishes. We will enjoy these additions to the farm.
Tina~Thanks so much for all of the good advise. We have 2 muscovy, 1 runner and 1 pekin. I tried them in water once and they did not like it at all. I think I will try again in a few weeks. So far so good on letting them outside. We have set up a "nursery" area for all the babies and they all enjoy stretching their wings and laying in the sun.
Thanks again and I will let you know how they progress.
cheers,
mag |
|
|
|
shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 6:33:13 PM
|
Hi Margaret! One thing I learned about baby ducks is this-- The mother duck has a particular type of "oil" on her feathers that she passes on to her ducklings when they rest under her wings. That's what makes them "water proof." A duck that is raised by humans does not get that kind of protection, and, like Tina said, they will drowned if left in the water unattended. My ducks are never allowed into the water until they have all their "grown up" feathers, that way I'm not fishing a "dead duck" out of the water! Not funny-- I know-- but it's true.
I have Indian runners too! Aren't they a hoot? Like big quacking pencils! One of my ducks is pretty old. She's the surviving half of a breeding pair, and unfortunately all of her offspring perished (I think the cats may have had something to do with it), and eventually her mate disappeared too. (a skunk or a fox is my guess) But I got some new ducklings this year for her to hang out with, and now that they are grown, they are a happy trio. Not sure yet what sex the young ones are, but I'm watching those tail feathers closely! The Drakes (males) will have one feather at the base of his tail that curls up like a comma. Too cute! You can't necessarily tell by the color of some ducks, like malards (the males have distinctive color patterns, as do the females), but that tail feather sure gives it away! Have fun with them! -- Tracy |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2007 : 9:07:01 PM
|
I never knew about the tail feather! How intersting! When does the gender telling feather grow in?
Alee |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 5:05:55 PM
|
Thanks Tracy~I will keep an eye out for the tail feather. My runner I have named Wilma (for the runner Wilma Rudolf) so I really hope this is a girl as the other ducks my tease a boy named Wilma!~hehe~
cheers,
mag |
|
|
|
shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 10:03:15 AM
|
Alee-- I really don't remember when that feather starts to curl, it's been quite awhile since I've raised ducks, but my guess is about full maturity. I never really paid that much attention, I just know that once it's there, you can't miss it!
Mag-- remember the song "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash? Let's just say that if "Wilma" turns out to be a boy, he'll be the toughest duck on the block!! Ha! Ha! Ha! |
|
|
|
UrbanFarmGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Megan
Surprise
AZ
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 10:38:17 AM
|
I have raised a white crested female since she was a duckling. I currently live in Surprise, Arizona so I have to keep a close eye on her care.
I only have a single, white and fabulous female  and I use a preformed black plastic pond. It is about 3 feet in diameter and about 2 feet deep. It has 3 preformed ledges (originally ment for plants) but it's perfect for her to climb in and out. I use a pond pump and filter combination to keep her water sparkling clean. It can be difficult to keep her water sanitary. Because of the extreme conditions here in the summer, we get the blazing heat and she spends most of her day in the water- hence lots of feathers and poo too. Plus we get dust storms prior to rain. The pond is not half-sunk and it makes it easy for cleaning. Because it is hard sided (even more stable than a kiddie pool) I can simply tip and dump it. I use just a car tire brush for cleaning the algea off.
Because I tend to have mice problems, I have to keep Duck Duck's area clear of excess food. I built a wood tray that has a mesh top and her feeded sits in the center. Although, after building it, I realized now that it should be 2 seperate pieces for easy cleaning. I suggest having the solid bottom tray with a top tray( a frame piece with the mess wiring)that is hinged or removeable.
To handle fly issues, I use large, multisided yellow fly traps. They are just sticky traps and very inexpensive. I hang them from plant stakes throughout her yard and there is one in her hutch.
As for duck entertainment, I have various silver and shiney toys in her area. Duck loves her bell. It is meant for parrot-sized birds, so there is no worry about her swallowing any pieces.
Also, find yourself a good avian vet!! Mine is priceless and trust him to no end. My female has had issues with minor bumble foot and my vet is an endless pool of knowledge. He has been a gem through all of this.
Good luck!
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer, birdies and my sweet Duck Duck! |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 12:50:49 PM
|
Megan-
It sounds like your Duck Duck has a wonderful set up with you! You should post a picture of her sometime! I am sure we would all love to "meet" her!
Alee |
|
|
|
UrbanFarmGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Megan
Surprise
AZ
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 1:37:17 PM
|
Thank you, Alee. This is my first time posting...but love it. Any excuse to gush about my duck is a good excuse! How do I post a picture? I have them saved to my computer desktop, but they are not on a website.
P.S. You should try and teach your little ones to fall asleep on your lap! Duck Duck does it every night!
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer, birdies and my sweet Duck Duck! |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 2:27:35 PM
|
Thanks Megan~It does sound like Duck Duck has it good. I thought about the ponds for the ducks and I think that is the way I am going to go. As far as posting a picture I think there is a tutorial somewhere on the site. I would love to see Duck Duck sitting on your lap. My little runner, Wilma, is my favorite and I am really trying to get her used to being handled. I will keep everyone posted on our progress as me and my ducks become used to each other.
And by the way..Welcome to the forum Megan. As you can see we are one big happy here!
cheers,
mag |
|
|
|
UrbanFarmGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Megan
Surprise
AZ
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 3:00:24 PM
|
I have found it to be the best option for her. Because ducks regulate their body temps through their feet, I need to keep her as cool as possible in the summer. The pond is the best option. I also have a mister system that follows the fence around her area. Plus I don't care to have a dirty duck! I think they are overall happier when clean. I can tell when her pond is not up to snuff.... when it's to her liking, she bathes, dives, dives, dances in the water 
Mag, do you have pictures of your runner? Is she the pretty fawn colored one?
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer, birdies and my sweet Duck Duck! |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 7:25:20 PM
|
Hi Megan!
You need to upload the pictures to a site like www.photobucket.com when you do this, the photo gets it's own URL address. Just copy and paste that address to the forum and before it type " img " and after it type "/img" just surround the "img" things with brackets like [] to tell the forum programming that it is special formatting. I hope that makes sense. " [ img ] [ /img ]" but without the spaces.
Alee |
|
|
|
UrbanFarmGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Megan
Surprise
AZ
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2007 : 08:22:02 AM
|
Boy, you ladies are so smart :) I just uploaded a handful of my pictures. I included 3 links. Let me know if it works!
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer, birdies and my sweet Duck Duck! |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2007 : 6:04:56 PM
|
2nd attempt
[img]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x288/63mim/100_0576.jpg/[img]
[img]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x288/63mim/100_0577.jpg/[img] |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2007 : 6:07:36 PM
|
3rd attempt
 |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2007 : 6:09:15 PM
|
so I guess 3rd times a charm..even if it is huge!
There are the 4 ducklings. Here is the runner and the muscovey.
 |
|
|
|
UrbanFarmGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Megan
Surprise
AZ
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2007 : 7:35:29 PM
|
They are absolutely perfect ! They will bring you many years of happiness and entertainment. No homestead is complete with out them...
Good luck with the little ones!
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer, birdies and my sweet Duck Duck! |
|
|
|
Mag
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
Margaret
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2007 : 06:22:59 AM
|
Thanks Megan~
The pekin is really growing fast and I think the other ducklings and peeps see her as a mother. They climb on her and want to cuddle with her. She is a sweet duck and tolerates all of them, so I think she is a female! I hope someday they are all as sweet and friendly as Duck Duck looks to be!
cheers,
mag |
|
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: Bringing up ducky |
|
Bringing up ducky
