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Barnyard Buddies:  Ducks  |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 07 2011 : 06:41:57 AM
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My 8 yr old daughter purchased 4 ducks in early March, we are keeping them in our "empty" chicken pen. We are wondering if they are old enough to release them. we have a stream in our front yard that leads to a large wet land. Do you think they will survive, and be safe? i have no duck experience. They will however be where we can see them and hear any commotion.
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2011 : 06:52:06 AM
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Kelly, I had a small kids pool in the chicken yard for my ducks. I would have to change it every few days because, well, ducks are nasty and messy and would all get in and throw the water out with their wings. But they loved the pool. I don't know about just letting them out loose. They might not survive neighborhood dogs or wildlife very long. Maybe others have had experience with wide open spaces and ducks. I do know when we had lots of rain the bottom part of our pasture would be a pond and they loved it there. But it is fenced in too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2011 : 06:56:45 AM
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Thanks Kris, I have a pool for them and they love it! My choc. Lab is used to the ducks and wont bother them, yes they are nasty and messy and are attracting flies! My front yard isn't fenced in, however the stream is tree lined and fenced on the outside.
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 10:38:44 AM
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My mother told me recently that she had ducks when I was a baby... till they swam away down the creek never to be seen again! lol
If the ducks came from a feed store, they're to domesticated to survive if they answer the call of the wild, so you'd be well advised to fence them in somehow and provide safe water (that doesn't flow off property)
"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 |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 10:49:32 AM
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Kelly:
We had big ducks, little ducks. Just beautiful. However, the lake alligators have eaten most of them. There are a few big ducks left, but I haven't seen the baby ducks in a while.
Enjoy your ducks!
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 11:42:25 AM
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Also, they should be EATING the flies.
"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 |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 11:45:28 AM
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Also, they should be EATING the flies.
"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 |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 6:16:35 PM
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Well, we tried to introduce the ducks to the water and natural habitat, when I came home from being gone for 2 hours, they were on their way back up towards the barn... I guess they will stay "pets" honestly not what I intended, I told My daughter when they were old enough we were going to have to release them.
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 7:58:00 PM
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Kelly, I took my last 2 ducks to a friend's pond up the road from here. It's a pretty big pond and they loved it. He had made a little duck house and it floats on the pond. He also has a little fence so they won't go out on the road. It's a great place for ducks. So if you need to find a nice safe place for them, Im sure he would love to have some more.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 07:12:45 AM
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Kris, I will keep that in mind.
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 09:08:00 AM
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Be careful about setting domestic ducks free, #1 they do not do well regarding , knowing how to take care of themselves, and finding food, #2, here in my area, it is against the law...so many people turn loose their waterfowl in a local park with a pond, they had to start catching them and euthanizing them...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 09:24:22 AM
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I'd call around to your neighbors and see if any of them want some "pond" ducks for their property. Back when my mom was a teacher and we hatched ducks, I wanted to keep a few, which was fine, until they got too big (We lived in the city). So, my mom found a farmer not too far away to take them for his pond. :)
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2011 : 06:17:36 AM
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Update: The ducks are doing great! they love the water, and have been nibbling everything in site! I check on them several times a day and they are in the water swimming or laying in the shade. Abby and I throw out bread and corn everynight. They seem happy to not be penned up. So... so for so good!
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2011 : 06:27:04 AM
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Kelly, sounds like ou have a good plan there. And they seem like some happy little ducks.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2011 : 07:04:31 AM
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We will have to keep our fingers crossed! But so far so good : )
Kelly
Farmgirl #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
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Barnyard Buddies: Ducks |
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Ducks
