I have to make a decision regarding getting ducks this morning. They are 2 almost 3 week old chicks, Indian Runner/Rouen cross, so flightless. Hopefully female, at least that's what the lady who currently has them was told; I don't know how early you can tell. I'm wanting them for eggs.
We're on a residential section of 700 square metres, apparently this breed shouldn't need a pond which is good as we don't have one and shelter needed is only minimal. I know there'll be duck poo over the lawn so I'll have to teach the boys to watch where they walk and I'll have to chicken wire around all escape routes. Is there anything else I need to know?
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As of 30 minutes ago they have a moveable run made from various bits of timber around the place. It'll keep them safe from the local cats until they're old enough to make the cats turn tail. Open bottom so I can move them around and when I get some more time I'll make the end able to be opened so they can sleep in it a night and get out to a bigger area in the day.
The children are getting excited!
From what I've read Indian Runners are a bit skittish, but not agressive. If they do become agressive though they will become duck dinner pretty quickly.
Christy Ralphs said:
I have some ducks, they do poo a lot so you may want to confine them to a smaller area that doesn't include the lawn where the children walk. I wouldn't do a pond, unles you have a massive big one they will just make a mess of it. I have small 10 litre plastic basins which I fill up for them and move to the tree which I want watered. With four ducks I find that one of these will need to be changed every day. Ducks don't need shelter - but I have a kennel type duck house with a lifting roof, and the ducks all lay their eggs in it (I think they like it because it is dark) which makes egg collecting easy. Otherwise I found I was finding random, often broken, eggs all round the place. For my flightless ducks my fence is knee height and that keeps them contained.
Haven't sexed ducklings but read that you can do if you are experienced when they are 3 weeks old. About to have some hatch so will see how easy it is soon! I have also read that Indian Runners can be aggressive birds but that might just be one persons experience.
I have some ducks, they do poo a lot so you may want to confine them to a smaller area that doesn't include the lawn where the children walk. I wouldn't do a pond, unles you have a massive big one they will just make a mess of it. I have small 10 litre plastic basins which I fill up for them and move to the tree which I want watered. With four ducks I find that one of these will need to be changed every day. Ducks don't need shelter - but I have a kennel type duck house with a lifting roof, and the ducks all lay their eggs in it (I think they like it because it is dark) which makes egg collecting easy. Otherwise I found I was finding random, often broken, eggs all round the place. For my flightless ducks my fence is knee height and that keeps them contained.
Haven't sexed ducklings but read that you can do if you are experienced when they are 3 weeks old. About to have some hatch so will see how easy it is soon! I have also read that Indian Runners can be aggressive birds but that might just be one persons experience.
Not too worried about dogs as we have a fully fenced section with a good gate that dogs shouldn't be able to get through. I'll think about the various pond options, but we have a child who's a water magnet as well so that makes it a wee bit more difficult. I got the chicken wire today along with a couple of steel stakes to attach it to and some wooden ones for between. Their main run is going to be from the compost heap over a barked area so there should be plenty of insects under that. I'm planning on letting them out to forage during the day once they're big enough and this also gives me time to get the rest of the section duck proof.
We run a vege garden in another part of the section that they can't get to so it should be safe.
thegardener007 said:
Quack!
Which translates too: Oh come on, just because we don't need a pond doesn't mean we don't want one. And just think what great fertiliser the water will be. You could build us one out of an old tractor tire with plastic liner or a bathtub or an old fridge or or...what about a toilet? Not real big, I know, but apt.
Oh yeah, and make sure all that chicken wire is strong enough to keep the local dogs out as much as keep us in.
Which translates too: Oh come on, just because we don't need a pond doesn't mean we don't want one. And just think what great fertiliser the water will be. You could build us one out of an old tractor tire with plastic liner or a bathtub or an old fridge or or...what about a toilet? Not real big, I know, but apt.
Oh yeah, and make sure all that chicken wire is strong enough to keep the local dogs out as much as keep us in.
Replies
The children are getting excited!
From what I've read Indian Runners are a bit skittish, but not agressive. If they do become agressive though they will become duck dinner pretty quickly.
Christy Ralphs said:
Haven't sexed ducklings but read that you can do if you are experienced when they are 3 weeks old. About to have some hatch so will see how easy it is soon! I have also read that Indian Runners can be aggressive birds but that might just be one persons experience.
We run a vege garden in another part of the section that they can't get to so it should be safe.
thegardener007 said:
Which translates too: Oh come on, just because we don't need a pond doesn't mean we don't want one. And just think what great fertiliser the water will be. You could build us one out of an old tractor tire with plastic liner or a bathtub or an old fridge or or...what about a toilet? Not real big, I know, but apt.
Oh yeah, and make sure all that chicken wire is strong enough to keep the local dogs out as much as keep us in.