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

[ajayb]

We've had ducks for almost a year now. They seem very healthy & fit but they do produce much softer poohs than the hens. They share feeding arrangements with our chickens as they're all free range and, initially, they got the Flubenvet-laced feed that I gave the chooks. However - and I wonder if others have the same experience - I find it difficult to feed the 'Flubenvet-ed' food exclusively when the birds free-range and also don't know how much of it is being eaten by the local wild bird population (I find that crows etc will go into an open run for food).

 

To cut a long story short(!), I have been using Xeno 450 on the hens who picked up some lice last month and I know that this kills internal as well as external parasites. So my question is: do ducks need treatment for external parasites too (I thought they had oilier plumage and the constant 'in and out' of water habit also helped deter beasties) and, if so, can I use the same treatment as on the chooks? If not, I'll continue with regular Flubenvet-laced layers' pellets (their food of choice) for the ducks, knowing that they eat far more of this than the chooks.

 

Advice from more experienced duck-keepers would be very welcome!

[miller30]

Hi i never treat my ducks for lice they dont seem to suffer with them and mine get wormed every month with verm-x the same as with my chickens i know some people that dont even bother with worming their ducks and my ducks never do normal poo there just splats hope this helps leanne.

[ajayb]

Hi Leanne, Thanks very much for that info - feel reassured! Anne

[jayjay]

Hi

 

I don't have chickens just ducks but did some research into lice etc when we first got them just to be a good ducky keeper. I was told that they don't need to be treated for anything - just let them be. I check regularly to see if there are any signs of anything and so far - nothing. As I said I don't hav chickens and don't know if this advice changes if you mix them but the ducks are happy as larry and no treatment required.

 

JJ

[Guest]

Hi

 

I never wormed or de liced the ducks I use to keep they were about 5 years old when the fox killed them. Mine free ranged most of the time and it was a wooden duck house(wood worm etc ) but despite their muddy pond, sticky tarry poos(yes they are sloppier than the chickens) they were as gleaming white and never got ill.

 

The chickens I do worm as they have had visible worms before and although I havent had chicken mites/lice I do keep the bedding etc sprinkled with mite powder and check them over.

 

The wild mallards we have always look the picture of health too so I really wouldnt bother unless they just happened to be eating the chicken wormer.

 

good luck indie

[Lewis]

I've never wormed the ducks, but was thinking about it the other day.

 

They're not meant to get lice, but I'm sure Gerald had a couple on the back of his neck, a while back - I red mite powdered the Go and they seem to have gone.

[ajayb]

Thanks to all of you who took the trouble to post replies - it really does help to know what other people do. My ducks certainly look the picture of health, so I'll just 'keep calm and carry on'!