4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[debbie26pet]

my hubby has said i can have 2 ducks girls,

what would i need for them, i do have chickens but i presume they will need there own house?

what food,

do they lay eggs every day?

need 2 quiet ones, (during day not to bad but night time need quiet due to neighbours)

what about water i have no pond so what can i use?

anything else ive missed?

 

 

as i was planning to look more in them read some books and make my final decision etc, hubby been out came home with a surprise with 2 ducks

he was given grower food for them and told they can go straight in with my chickens.

well my chickens are in disgust, and the 2 ducks are a bit mouthy wow we will have neighbours moaning, will they stop?

Edited June 8, 2008 by Guest

[foreveryoung]

hi!

 

the type of food depends on what age they are! if ducklings then you will need unmedicated chick crumb after about 3/4 weeks of age they need to be on unmedicated growers pellets and at about 20 weeks (i think) you go onto unmedicated layers pellets.

 

this is all i have for my ducks......... look at this lnk http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/edines33/?action=view&current=newrunandducks.flv

hope this helps

 

 

emma

xx

Edited June 8, 2008 by Guest

[debbie26pet]

grt thanks they dont seem that noisey, do they get on ok with the chickens when all out ?

you look like a normal town house with back garden? so its ok to have 2? as we are a house with a large garden to, hubby argument was you can they are for a farm?

do you get eggs reg? what they taste like?

 

sorry for lot of question hubby has said yes to 2 so i said id look into it more

Edited June 8, 2008 by Guest

[foreveryoung]

grt thanks they dont seem that noisey, do they get on ok with the chickens when all out ?

u look like a normal town house wiht back garden? so its ok to have 2? as we are a house with a large garden to, hubby argument was u can they are for a farm?

do u get eggs reg? what they taste like?

 

sorry for lot of question hubby has said yes to 2 so i said id look into it more

 

my garden is quiet long but not overly long! and we're in the middle of maidstone, which is quiet a big town.........

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/edines33/Picture001-2.jpg

The runs at the bottom of the garden.

theres no more snow but thats our neighbours

 

most people on this site live in normal houses in towns so i wouldnt worry aboout it too much, just bribe them with eggs lol

 

the can get on with hen but you will need to intergrate them slowly. duck eggs are yummy!!

[Duck-Noob]

Hi debbie26pet I am new to keeping ducks too check out my post as i am in the process of building there home at the minute it might be of some help who knows.

The enclosure is finished and i will be making a Duck House next weekend all being well, of course if you can afford one a eglu is the best thing to get.

[The Dogmother]

Ducks can be very noisy depending on the breed (think along the lines of a cockerel). they are also very messy.

 

You shouldn't house them with chooks Debbie, it will end in tears.

[debbie26pet]

i think my task tomorrow is to make them there own little place with a house and a run up top of garden, they can have there water in it, as it will be over 10ft deep and about 5ft wide, you think that enough? then i can alternate free range for them all.

what about what they can and cant eat any ideas please?

the sort hubby got is both girls aylesbuy and a saxany about 16-18 weeks old

[foreveryoung]

Ducks can be very noisy depending on the breed (think along the lines of a cockerel). they are also very messy.

 

You shouldn't house them with chooks Debbie, it will end in tears.

 

mind me asking why it will end in tears?

[The Dogmother]

Quite a few breeds of ducks are territorial and can be pretty agressive towards hens. Note that I didn't say ALL breeds of ducks.

 

Drakes (thankfully Debbie doesn't seem to have any of these) can be rather errrm... 'vigorous' and when they're getting the cold shoulder from the females will start on the hens. This happened to our friends in Norfolk; their son left the door between the hens and ducks open and the drakes ganged up on the hens and two of the girls even got killed in the ensuing 'debacle'.

 

Don't get me wrong here Emma, I love ducks but anyone taking them on needs to be aware of their traits and behaviour.

[foreveryoung]

Quite a few breeds of ducks are territorial and can be pretty agressive towards hens. Note that I didn't say ALL breeds of ducks.

 

Drakes (thankfully Debbie doesn't seem to have any of these) can be rather errrm... 'vigorous' and when they're getting the cold shoulder from the females will start on the hens. This happened to our friends in Norfolk; their son left the door between the hens and ducks open and the drakes ganged up on the hens and two of the girls even got killed in the ensuing 'debacle'.

 

Don't get me wrong here Emma, I love ducks but anyone taking them on needs to be aware of their traits and behaviour.

 

thats ok hun! its just I have 2 call drakes and 6 hens, I dont intend on them sleeping in the same place mind you! would you surggest keeping them 100% seperate??

I also have 2 indian runner girls! I cant keep them sepperate! I heard that the girls would be 2 big for the two boys??

[Lesley]

Although we have quite a few duck keeprs on the forum now I would still say the best place for advice would be the Practical Poultry forum.

 

A lot more people on there have ducks and it is well worth a read of all the advice on offer there.

[The Dogmother]

Great idea Lesley