Part 0800.0005

[wuckyduckspenno]

I have been a long time lurker on this site gleaning lots of really helpful tidbits to help me start my journey to own ducks. I just wanted to post to say thank you to everyone and also share what I ended up doing from all of the advice

 

Having read all of the warnings on how messy ducks are and having seen the alternative pond my Dad's ducks had dug(!) I have a WIR on a concrete slab base - I checked with my vet/breeder who confirmed it is totally fine as they will be in the garden free ranging as much as possible. I have an Eglu and pond in it - I am dead chuffed as I have piece of mind the girls are safe when I am not there to let them free range. Here it is:

 

I trained the girls to go to bed and now I only have to walk in the WIR and say bedtime when it is dusk/dark and they plod up the ramp to bed.

 

I started with a plastic under bed storage box for a pond but I have turned into a duckzilla who wants to spoil them rotten so they now have a 3ft sq pond which they adore splashing and diving around in. I enjoy refilling it just so I can watch them get excited. Found it on sale for £30 at the local garden centre. Here it is:

 

Having read loads about bucketing water out of the pond and the lovely poo-ey bits at the bottom I have ended up buying a pond vacuum (OASE Pondovac Start £99). It's excellent - sucks it all up and chucks it on the garden in less than 5 mins. As you can see my adoration for the ducks and desire to make this as easy as possible is becoming just a tad costly!!! It's soooo worth it

 

I sit with the girls regularly and they feed from my hand while I get a crafty stroke of their bellies - I know it will take time but they will love cuddles soon!

 

Here are the girls - Daisy and Maggie (Daisy is on the left) They are about 10 weeks now - mini silver appleyards

 

 

My husband thinks I am barking as I sit and chat to them and they quack back at me. Maggie is very vocal when she sees me (aka the giver of food!) but I love it and can lose hours with them.

 

Thanks again to all have posted guidance I will continue to lurk and perhaps post if I can help in return

 

Proud mummy to 2 wuckyducks

[Chucky1]

Hi Wucky and welcome to the forum. You have two lovely gals and a nice set up too.

 

Good Luck

[jayjay]

Hi Wucky

 

Lovely girlies and WIR setup - well done . Another couple of very spoiled ducks Wait until you get the magic moments over the next year! The first egg, the cold winter (get a snugglesafe!), the joy of spring, the broodiness, the moulting - a great journey to go through with your girls so ENJOY!

[Guest]

Lovely little girls.

Lovely set up.

[maryann]

beautiful girls i know how you feel i have 2 min silver appleyards Daisy and Donald who produced 11 babies this year a never ending joy

maryann

[wuckyduckspenno]

Thanks every one - couldn't have done it without all of you.

 

I quite like being this crazy for ducks!!! They have been quite naughty today - lots of rain so they think it would be really nice to dig their own personal pond on the edge of the patio! They are like a couple of toddlers with muddy faces.

 

When I put them back in the WIR they strop and pace by the door quacking which I find hysterical! I am really looking forward to the first eggs and the garden looks like they had a fight with a pillow already. They run across the garden flapping so I think I am close to getting their wings clipped. Maggie caught a wasp yesterday which was a classic - if it isn't nailed down she'll have a go at eating it! Hours of entertainment. Hubby tells people they are my pets but I catch him talking to them and feeding them and his work colleagues are always asking for updates - I knew he'd fall for them too!

 

I want to get them dried meal worms as treats - any thoughts on how often they should have them as treats would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks again.

 

Wucky

[Lesley]

Great set up and lovely girls

 

You can give a small quantity of treats in the afternoon - they should have eaten enough pellets by then.