2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[chicken bark]

Well after a slight delay I now have my 3 cayuga ducks.

 

They have kept me very entertained all afternoon.

 

Here are a couple of photos. One is of their temporary set-up while they are 'quarantined', and the other is of them getting used to their new surroundings.

 

 

I have already a couple of questions I'd like help with if possible.

1) How do I get them to go to bed at night - a trail of soggy breadcrumbs perhaps?

2) How should I feed them? I have put a bowl of pellets out and they have not even looked at it. So I wondered if ducks (unlike my hens) like feeding at set times each day?

 

I am delighted with them.

[karlotta]

Ooh they are gorgeous!!

[chicken bark]

Thank you.

 

They'd have looked much better if they hadn't pooed on themselves on the way home.

[Snowy]

Aaaah, I love Cayugas - wait til they are cleaned up and the sun shines on those feathers! Stunners

[tom123]

Lovely!

 

Bedtime wise, make sure the house is in a corner and herd them in, there isn't really any other way. They will learn eventually and do go in by themselves but it takes time. Ducks will pick at the pellets if and when they need them and plus, they'll eat lots more when they start laying.

 

[chicken bark]

Foolishly I forgot to ask how old they are. I have also been told that if one turns out to be a drake I can take him back. I am assuming (until I get in contact with the breeder on Monday) that they are old enough for layers pellets. Most of the feathered friends he sells are POL.

 

I guess they would have to be a reasonable age to have a stab at sexing them. They all definitely quack rather than hiss!

[wuckyduckspenno]

Hi there,

 

I have read a lot about getting ducks to bed - some positive and some not so. I think it depends on how old you have them from but I guess anything is worth a try - they do tend to do what they want!!

 

I got mine at 8 weeks and soaked toast and marmite in water for them in very small bits. I tempted them to my hand first with it and then I put small bits on every step to their house. Please note it is not great to feed your ducks bread but it is ok for short periods to train them - a bit like giving me chocolate to do something

 

The first 2 weeks I followed a pattern of putting food on their ramp and saying, 'bedtime', when it was dark to let them know this means time for going in their house. During this period they would not use the ramp and I would pick them up and put them in the house. In the morning when they came out they would find the food on the ramp as they came down and this clearly made them associate bedtime/ramp/food!!! It has now got to the stage where I go to their run saying, 'bedtime' and I put a few bits of cucumber/tomato (they go mad for it!) in their house and they happily get out of the pond and toddle up the ramp. Last Thursday I even came out to call them to bed and they were already waiting in the house for their food - only once so far but I have had them 2 months so as you can see it takes perseverence

 

The one bit of advice I took from this forum is that if you want them to tame down you really need to spend time with them and it really works. The joy I have when they follow me round the garden and then peck at my shoes/clothes/ears(!) is never ending as they trust me more

 

Good luck and I hope they continue to bring you much pleasure - they are really very beautiful girls (you hope!)

 

Wuckyduck

[chicken bark]

Thanks for the tips Wuckyduck. I will persevere at bedtime. I have found out mine were born in May so they are somewhere between 14-18 weeks. So I think I will have my work cut out. Fortunately I have lots of tomatoes at the moment so I can try enticing them with those tonight.

[chicken bark]

I'm really pleased tonight. I moved the coop so it was more in the corner, and with the aid of canes and saying 'Bedtime' was able to herd them in no trouble. Hope this is how it is every night now. Fingers crossed.

 

They weren't fussed by the tomatoes though.

 

Thanks for the support.

[wuckyduckspenno]

Tee hee hee

 

Fussy girls! Mine also love corn flakes sprinkled in their water to go soggy/slugs & worms/really soft butternut squash/cucumber/pumpkin/watery porridge to name a few things - try them with everything except raw root veg and the other usual things.

 

I also found the following on a duck site:

 

FEEDING YOUR DOMESTIC DUCK

 

Staple Foods

• Pellets, crumbles or mash

 

Supplements

• Hard-boiled eggs (chopped with shell on)

• Vegetable greens, shredded carrots, tomatoes

• Worms

• Snails and slugs

• Cottage cheese

 

Treats

• Anything on this list you don't feed often

 

No No's

• "Junk food" like bread is very bad

• Seeds or nuts

• Fatty, salty or sweet foods

• Chocolate

• Onions, garlic, spices or spicy foods

 

 

Hope this helps and keep posting the photos - your ladies are stunning

 

Wucky

[chicken bark]

Thanks Wucky.