Sooo much pooping

[maryann]

how big do ducklings need to be before they are relatively safe from crows etc,

mine are comig up to 4 wks old and growing by the day and so far still have all 11

despite one getting jamed under the gate, it was during a heavy rain storm i was soaked through trying to free her Daisy attacking me as i was kneeling down and i could see blood on her.

when i got her out took her in doors and bathed off the mud and blood in the sink

could not see where the blood had come from so dryed her off then took her back outside as Daisy was now realy destressed thought it best to put them all to bed so she could get warm by morning she was ok,

they realy do you a scare when something happens OH thinks i am daft but then i saw him feeding them mealworms lol

[donald]

Crows will carry off small ducklings and kill them when they are quite big too. They pin them down and peck the back of their necks once they cant carry them off. I have a couple of mallards and they have just started getting their adult feathers. They should be fine by then but try to keep them in for as long as possible 4 weeks is too young.

 

They are attracted by the duck food, I discovered via a friend marine duck(a floating duck food) not so many picked off by the crows this year. It isnt cheap so shop around. Also try to keep the feed in their run to stop attracting crows. They are a pain arent they.

 

good luck Donald

[maryann]

thanks i keep the food in the shed and over the pond area where they spend most of the day my OH has put lines of string from one side of the garden to the other about 7ft in the air, no easy job as it is quite a big garden

and mum duck is very good every time she hears one she calls them straight into the bushes to hide. but yes it is a big worry.

they are just starting to show their feathers every morning when i let them out i swear they lave grown an inch over night lol

 

Maryann