caz & Graham Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hi all - I'm afraid I'm back with more questions! Thanks again for the advice about the breeds and eglus. We have today picked our new additions. They are aylesbury/pekin crosses and absolutely gorgeous! We are picking them up on Thursday and they are around 10 weeks old The breeder was lovely and gave us lots of advice. We are sorted for securing the garden, housing and paddling pool but really confused about feeding. I've been reading loads but could do with some help about the following: Should they be on growers pellets and grain as opposed to layers pellets (the breeder said they have layers mash and micronised maize at the moment??) I've also read that oats instead of corn is healthier for the ducks and gives them less problems with getting too fat and problems with their legs etc. Has anyone any experience of this? Next question - whats the best way of giving the grit - I've heard someone say they just put it at the bottom of the drinking water - is this the best thing to do? Finally is it better if the pellets are specifically duck. Again I read that if giving chicken pellets yuou need to supplemet with niacin? Sorry for all the questions but there is so much info out there it's all getting confusing!!! many thanks Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 hi think im in the same boat as you 2 .have read everything there is to know about ducks and still know nothing .guess you just have 2 get a couple of ducks and get on with it .Hopefully any mistakes are not 2 dramatic . Am also gonna get ducks on thursday ,its an auction so god knows what ill end up with.aylesbury/pekin crosses sounds like nice ducks .anyway good luck and hope you enjoy your ducks .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 As you say looks like we're in the same boat! Hopefully we can give each other some tips!! Good luck at the auction and let us know what you get!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Hi i will do.Just cant wait till thurs feels like xmas again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hello Caz and Mark.... If you've done plenty of research and are sure you've got all that you need, then it isn't as scary as you think. Caz, I was worried that your supplier said that your ducks had been on Layers Mash - I hope they meant Pellets! You can't give mash to ducks they feed differently to hens and mash could clog their nostrils. At 10 weeks, I would still give them Growers Pellets - until about 14 weeks, then change to Layers. I can't get specialist Duck feed so use ordinary Layers. We don't give grit as ours are in a large run but adding a bit to their water sounds a good idea. We have a pond from the Domestic Fowl Trust which becomes really mucky very quickly so we also have a small galvanised drinker with a guard over so that ducks can't swim in it. This is fed from a water butt and means they have clean water for drinking and dunking their heads in. Hope this helps - I'm sure some of the other duck keepers will be along to offer advice as well........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mallard Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 hi all hope you don't mind me jumping onto this thread i have recently ordered an eglu for my wife who has wanted ducks for ages and was told by omlet that an eglu would be fine for an aylesbury and two indian runners but having read the eglu for ducks thread am now a little concerned it may not be large enough any advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thanks Lesley - you are a gem! I feel better now about the pelletts - I was getting so confused haha! i found some specific allen and page duck growers pellets online so have ordered a bag of that to see us through to the layer stage. Have you heard that thing about oats instead of corn before? I'll have a look at the wildfowl trust website too as we want to put a permanent pond in at some stage but for now a paddling pool will have to do! I'm sure in a few weeks we will wonder what we were so worried about! Were picking up the eglu today (we decided to try it and sell it on if not big enough) - having seen what they are in at the breeders I think they will think it is a palace haha! Mr Mallard I'll let you know how our two fit in on Thursday as they are certainly not small ducks - i hope that isn't too late for you? Will post some piccies at the weekend Thanks again Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hi You could be right about the oats thing All I know is my Runner has always turned her bill up at mixed corn I did read somewhere that too much corn can cause prolapse in geese, not sure if it's the same for ducks. I have found that putting some grit in a deep drinking container helps to encourage them to dunk their heads right in and wash their eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Ah ha! Maybe I will try and mix oats and corn and see what happens? Lady at wildfowl trust today said ducks wont take grit out of water but yours they obviously do so I think i'll give that a try too. Thanks a million - I think I'm finally getting to grips with all this. All I need now is the ducks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 My duck has always been interested in the grit in the bottom of the container, I can't say for sure she is eating it, but even if she isn't it does no harm to put it there. And if it encourages them to stick their heads right in it can only be good You can always leave a container of dry grit out as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 That sounds like a good idea! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 HI Caz was reading what you said about the lady at wild foul trust,how ducks wont take grit from water and some members say they might well do .i think i have been reading 2 much into this duck keeping mallarky .Reckon have got 2 grips with growers pellets and layer pellets as well due 2 message you got from Lesley 2day about age to change over (she has been great ). Am feeling a lot more confident about gettin ducks now , should be a breeze .couple of months down the line will probably have right good chuckle about the whole thing .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 I quite agree!! Think it's time to just bite the bullet and get on with it! Roll on Thursday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thank you Mark Two years ago we were feeling just the same We bought our two ducks from Sunnyside - she posts on the Practical Poultry forum - we'd only just got to grips with hens We bought all the 'Starting With.....' books when we found the smallholding and ploughed through the Ducks one before we collected them Sunnyside has some lovely Runners at the moment - she lives in Birmingham, Caz ........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mallard Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 right, got an eglu on order (with run converter), got 25m netting for 'free range' area, got an old cast iron circular pig trough for food, got a 3 week old aylesbury called 'quack', got a large tub for a 'pond'. have i forgotten anything ? do i need to provide a drinker as well as the pond? any tips as to where to buy two female indian runners? ps. have all you duck lovers come across the book 'make way for ducklings' - its set in boston (usa) and is fantastic - boston itself is great for duck lovers with a fantastic sculpture of mrs mallard and her 8 ducklings in the public park and lots of the touristy stuff being duck related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 OMG mark there's no stopping you is there!! You have been busy! All sounds great - I would have thought separate drinker would be good idea as the pond will get dirty quickly?? We put our eglu together last night - its cool. Picked up a bale of straw from local farm today for £2.50 - I think it'l last forever! I haven't seen the book but will look out for it. Post some piccies when you get chance caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hi Caz good luck for tomorrow ,looks like we are gonna have the same kind of day day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi caz Was just wondering if you got your ducks ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 OMG they are amazing! We haven't stopped watching them yet! Our little boy has called them Millie and Billie. They are 7 weeks old and huge. We've given them a washing up bowl with water in till we can let then out and they love it. They especially like bits of lettuce in the water! Have you got yours?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 HI Yep i ended up with 3 white campbells 2 girls n a boy ,get what you mean about watchin them ,think ill be up all night they are fantastic .Every1 has been round ,did not know i had so many friends .Kids have called them vivienne,looby and nico after a kid we used to foster until recently ,thought it was a nice touch . how good is this ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Oh bless thats really sweet! Ours have finally gone to bed - no worries anymore about the size of the eglu. They are huddled together and look just fine - plenty of space. However we weill be ordering an extension tomorrow! Can't wait till they can roam the garden although I think they might just follow us in the house - they've been taking food from our hands already, I can't believe it!! Have fun and get some sleep - I think we will all be up early in the morning!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 HICaz n Graham Mine are off for a kip too.They have been well up for all that is going on .("Ooops, word censored!"ody told us about this eh ) seems you get what you give .Extension sounds the biz .But eventually free range in the garden -wow duck heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I'm glad you both have your ducks now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz & Graham Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Hi Lesley and everyone else that has given me advice this week! - I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the advice - these little creatures are wonderful!! They are happily taking grit from the water, eating pellets, a little corn but really like the green stuff! They have been for a wander round the garden and we are now finishing off making sure they can't escape anywhere so they can freely roam. We would have finished it yesterday but we spent all day watching them lol! We got an extension for the eglu too and that seems a lot better now for when we are not here. Thanks again - you have been gems xx Mark how excited were you letting them out the first morning lol!! Have fun all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Hi Caz yea woke up ,gear on then ran out to let my ducks out-how sad is that .Mine are about 5 months old according to the guy i got them off ,so you can guess what i had for breakfast .Its a real bonus gettin eggs as well as from watching them . Am afraid my computer skills are only marginally better than my duck keeping ,so will get 1 of my computer wizz pals down and get some pickys up as soon as . ............. ....Mark.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
