Unsecure chicken perches

[chicken bark]

Here is a couple of photos of my ducks and one showing them out with the hens.

 

I'm so pleased I have got them.

 

[sari]

They are beautiful! I am tempted by ducks, as I have a brook at the bottom of my garden...but would they go walkabout??

[chicken bark]

One of the reasons I was tempted by Cayuga ducks was because they are not supposed to wander far from home. I initially intended fully free ranging them. Then I realised they were as much at risk from foxes as chickens are so I keep them in the same fenced area now.

 

I know you have a fox near you but I assume ducks are safe enough if they can get onto water. I don't know how big the brook is but they would certainly be fun to watch. You could have eggs all year round then too as ducks tend to lay in the Winter unlike some chickens.

[Lesley]

They are gorgeous!

[Biker Chick]

They certainly are lovely ducks (and chickens), but what I cant get over is, how green and lush your grass looks My grass, or what is left of it after the chooks have trashed it, is just a muddy swamp.

 

I keep lurking on here to get as much info as poss on ducks as we are hoping to get some in the very near future

[chicken bark]

Thank you all.

 

As for the grass what the pictures don't show are the large dust baths that you have to navigate - not so much fun in the twilight.

 

Biker Chick I have been really pleased with my ducks. So far they have not been as much work as I had anticipated (although with Winter coming that may change) so stop lurking and go and get some.

[Biker Chick]

Dont worry Chicken Bark, WE WILL get some duckies We are just making some changes to the garden and fencing off the end of the garden, so hopefully, the chooks and ducks can be contained a bit more.

 

I am also thinking of ordering a Green Frog duck house and notice that you have one......how are you and the ducks getting on with it??? Are they good???

 

The plan was to wait until spring to get the ducks BUT the excitement is getting too much to bear now so I might have to give in

[chicken bark]

I'm a big fan of Green Frog houses. I have got the large one in case I ever want to get more.

 

It comes in lots of pieces but is straight forward to put together.

 

There are about 9 lynch pins holding the back panel on and about 6 on the roof, so you can get access into the house for cleaning although a minor faff to have so many lynch pins.

 

I'd recommend GFD houses to anyone.

 

I'm thinking of putting a washing up bowl (or similar) in mine for them to lay eggs in (not had any eggs yet though).

[zoejames]

These house look fab! Very hygienic! I'm learning a lot on this forum!

RE washing bowl for eggs, I tried this when I first got my girls, all that happens is they lay their eggs then step on it and it flips upside down, makes a mess, and one of my girls got stuck under it, she got quite stressed. Bit of straw in a quiet corner is best for them Or a quite place in the garden with a bit of straw depending on how early you let them out!

Zo

x

[Chucky Mama]

Really beautiful ducks Chicken Bark

[Lewis]

Looking good!

[chicken bark]

I'm pleased you like them.

 

Thanks for the tip re the washing bowl Zoe.

I'll put extra bedding in their house instead.

[daxigirl]

They're beautiful. Are they the ones that will lay the very dark eggs? I googled some pictures yesterday, amazing colour.

 

I wish my garden was big enough for ducks as well as chooks.

[chicken bark]

They're beautiful. Are they the ones that will lay the very dark eggs? I googled some pictures yesterday, amazing colour.

 

I wish my garden was big enough for ducks as well as chooks.

They are supposed to lay black eggs. Mine have just started laying and they tend to be a pale grey colour. Some have a black sooty finish but it comes off easily which is why I get left with grey ones as the black comes off on the straw.

I'm very grateful for the eggs none the less.

[oneyolktoanother]

they are lovely you have a super family

[Lewis]

Any photos of the eggs?

[chicken bark]

No photos taken yet - sorry.

 

They are not as black as they were and now look a mucky grey. The ducks have been proficient layers and lay every day. I wish they would ease up a bit.

[Meganymoo]

My neat door neighbour had eight of them and she often had ducklings! But then one night they were all eaten by the fox along with a few of her chickens. She got some more a year later but they were eaten too luckily she still had some of their eggs so she put them under her broody chicken and they hatched out! (the chicken was very confused when they started swimming!) It turned out that they were three boys so she started looking for homes for two of them and looked for a female. on of them was eaten so she only had two left (both males still). Then we had just given her a scots dumpy bantam cockeral and the ducks were stolen we found one a few streets away then every so often someone would steal some chickens or ducks when she wasn't in. Our cockeral we had given her was nearly stolen they had tried to catch him but he ran away and we recently found him hanging out with some ducks by the river (he wasnt swiming withthem!) but sha cant get him back yet because she hasnt got any company hens for him! She only has two muscovy ducks left now!

[chicken bark]

My neat door neighbour had eight of them and she often had ducklings! But then one night they were all eaten by the fox along with a few of her chickens. She got some more a year later but they were eaten too luckily she still had some of their eggs so she put them under her broody chicken and they hatched out! (the chicken was very confused when they started swimming!) It turned out that they were three boys so she started looking for homes for two of them and looked for a female. on of them was eaten so she only had two left (both males still). Then we had just given her a scots dumpy bantam cockeral and the ducks were stolen we found one a few streets away then every so often someone would steal some chickens or ducks when she wasn't in. Our cockeral we had given her was nearly stolen they had tried to catch him but he ran away and we recently found him hanging out with some ducks by the river (he wasnt swiming withthem!) but sha cant get him back yet because she hasnt got any company hens for him! She only has two muscovy ducks left now!

I think it is worse that people steal them than foxes getting them and both ways are awful. I guess she really needs to improve her security before getting any more. A big WIR with a lock should help. Glad you have not had the same problems.

[Meganymoo]

I think it is worse that people steal them than foxes getting them and both ways are awful. I guess she really needs to improve her security before getting any more. A big WIR with a lock should help. Glad you have not had the same problems.

She has them in a chicken wire enclosure which isnt that safe but she has three big dogs that are always in the garden and that hasnt worked1