Dibble Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I am hoping to gain some valuable advice from people who own ducks! Yesterday I was given 4 black east indian ducks, 1 drake and 3 ducks. So thought I would list what I have been doing and gain pointers on how to improve and learn what I may be doing wrong! I have a large shed at the bottom of my garden, have built an 8ft ish sturdy fence around as their "day pen" and will be putting on a net roof tomorrow. They can go in and out of shed as they like and I have a water bath in there for them to paddle as have read they only need enough to dunk heads to keep eyes clean. They have straw bedding and I have used the spare bales to create "pods" in the shed as floor space is rather large so they can hide should they want to. They also have a 6ft high pen around my garden pond which they will have access to when I am around to keep watch on them, likely an hour or so a day. I have put a feeder in their shed attached to the wall - it is a long trough type one (home made from old open gutter pipe). I have been feeding them corn and duck pellets twice daily. They are super healthy looking ducks and have come from a small holding so trying to create as much space for them as possible - have brought a large movable puppy type outdoor pen with a cover so they can be dotted around the garden whilst we garden proof and train the dog to leave them alone then I hope to be able to let them out to roam supervised! Some general questions I have - do they need food and water in their bed area overnight? Have read online they don't but not liking the idea of animals with no free water access? Feed - do they need pellets and grain/just one and is twice a day acceptable? They don't seem to have eaten much since they arrived - guess they are needing time to settle in new surroundings but what is a good amount for 4 duckies to eat? Eggs - As I have a male, can I still eat the eggs the ducks lay if he has got to them? Age - no idea how old but one girl is very old and gone white all over - anything in particular I should be doing to help older ducks or do they carry on fine? Been reading lots online but hard with so much conflicting advice so thought I would come to those in the know! Lots of text there sorry but want to make sure I am doing right by them!! Any duck related tips and advice on my set up/routine will be gratefully recieved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I have 3 ducks, 1 drake and 2 girls. They have 2 scoops of layers pellets in an Omlet grub in the morning which lasts them all day, with a little left for the next morning untill I fill it up again. They have a large area to free range so they must eat all sorts. I give them lettace leaves and pinich but not everyday, it depends if I have any. I also give them a few meals worms mainly so I can get them in when I want and if the swan or wild ducks are near and I give them some corn and wild fowl food I give my ducks a hand full as a treat. Ensure you change their water regularly as it will smell fowl. We all eat the duck eggs so do my neighbours and Charlie Drake is always jumping on the girls. The eggs are very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks for your reply! We had an egg this morning was so exciting, like a child in a sweet shop! hehe They appear quite happy so hopefully they are not too put off by my lack of knowledge! Meal worms sound like a good idea might get some of those. Have been looking at the omlet grubs, wasn't sure if they were suitable for ducks but will get one to try! They are not eating that much at the moment but keep seeing them with snails so must be fillng up on them! Do you worm your ducks? They were wormed before they came to me but not sure how often or neccassary worming is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks for your reply! We had an egg this morning was so exciting, like a child in a sweet shop! hehe They appear quite happy so hopefully they are not too put off by my lack of knowledge! Meal worms sound like a good idea might get some of those. Have been looking at the omlet grubs, wasn't sure if they were suitable for ducks but will get one to try! They are not eating that much at the moment but keep seeing them with snails so must be fillng up on them! Do you worm your ducks? They were wormed before they came to me but not sure how often or neccassary worming is? Yes you should worm them like you would do for chickens. I do it about 3 times a year. You can buy marriages layers pellets with flubavet already made up so it is much easier to do and less fuss. How did you eat your egg Dibble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Some info re our set up, apologies for length of post. We currently keep chickens and ducks (not together though) and have done so in the past. At the moment we have two Chiltern White ducks who live in a purple eglu classic with an extension. I don't think I would have any more than that in there as they do not squish up like hens do when they are in the actual eglu bit,they need a fair bit of space. If you get my drift? The roosting bars have been removed and they have a bed of deep straw. They are fed Garvo and wormed with the Marriages pellets containing Flubenvet the same as the hens. I use a glug, (not grub), for the food which they manage fine with and use the grub for the grit. Food is available all the time and they eat loads. I leave it hung in the run and they go back in to eat whenever they want when they free are ranging. For treats they can only manage soft things like lettuce, spinach etc. In the run they also have a purple (natch) tub trug so that they can keep their heads clean which is essential. This needs changing daily and needs two watering cans of water. I spent a lot of time in my dressing gown carrying water to and fro!!! They free range in the garden and do little damage. They have a cheap child's pink paddling pool from Argos (in the shape of two halves of apple bizarrely) which they splash about in. This is not essential but they enjoy it so much that I provide it. This gets filthy after a day or two so I upend it, rinse it out and refill it. They need a stone to climb on to get in and out, I use flattish rockery stones that I had knocking around. If I open the eglu and leave them in the run until late morning they lay in the nest box or occasionally in the run. the eggs are huge and gorgeous, especially poached ona bed of spinach on a toasted muffin . If I let them out early, 7ish, they will lay anywhere so we need to hunt the garden for the eggs. To be honest, due to the liquid nature of thier poo, poo picking is not an option and any droppings on the lawn or in the run need washing away. The rain has done an admirable job of doing this of late. I treat the run with Stalosan F now and then to ensure no nasties are lurking. The eglu itself needs fresh straw and a thorough scrub regularly as the interior gets quite plastered with poo. As you can see, a lot of their care is similar to that of the hens but they are definitely harder work as they are very messy. That being said, we love them to bits and love having them. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Oops, forgot to say, no food or water is in the eglu overnight and they do not put themselves to bed like the hens, I have to herd them into the run before dusk or throw spinach in there so that they go in of their own accord. They are very hardy (linking to a different post here) as they don't suffer from red mite or similar and I have never experienced crop problems. They, ahem, found a frog the other day and played tug of war with it! It was too big to down in one, they did try!!!! Poor frog ... xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted May 19, 2012 Author Share Posted May 19, 2012 Thank for your replies! I had my egg poached on toast and it was amazing! Can't wait for the next ones would like them in baking! Will add worming to the list, thanks. Have noticed they are very runny, was suprised how much so! They seem to like a bowl I have out at the moment to wash in over the big tub type bath I'v put out for them, but thinking about what you said coppers, with stones to get in I think the sides maybe a tad too high, will source some stepping up stones tomorrow and try that! Getting surface to put around pond tomorrow to help reduce the wet slush edges as currently mud where I dug out the borders to give them access, so looking forward to getting them on pond properly! They are fascinating to watch, even whe they are not doing anything they are entertaining, they have a little line system and where ever they go it's always in a line uncertain order...helpfull for me as I'm getting to work out who is who! Changing their washing water daily, but any signs to look out for that their eyes might have problems starting? Assuming runny/gunky looking type? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I think it is more to keep their nostrils clear tbh, their eyes have always been ok. Our two, Daisy and Lily, very often have bills piled high with mud to no ill effect as their raison d'etre is to combine water with nearby mud to produce mud soup which they deposit in their clean tub trug or paddling pool... They are hilarious aren't they? They may take a few days to realise that there is water available to splash/swim in. In the days before hosepipe bans I would let the water from the hose 'rain' on the paddling pool which soon brought over to investigate. I love them! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 If the ducks are free ranging do they need much grit and is it the same as that provided to chickens, with oyster shell mixed in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I use the same grit as I use for the hens. It is in a grub and they take it ad lib. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Oops, forgot to say, no food or water is in the eglu overnight and they do not put themselves to bed like the hens, I have to herd them into the run before dusk or throw spinach in there so that they go in of their own accord. They are very hardy (linking to a different post here) as they don't suffer from red mite or similar and I have never experienced crop problems. They, ahem, found a frog the other day and played tug of war with it! It was too big to down in one, they did try!!!! Poor frog ... xx Coopers why do you remove their water at night I like them to be able to have a drink if they are thirsty. Am I being silly. I let them out to FR just after 7am and tonight they went in the run just after 9pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Our ducks sleep in an eglu classic and I close the door so, as with the hens, no food or water is available until I let them out the next morning. They seem fine so far. I doubt if there would be room in there for any water or food as they take up most of the floor space snuggled down in straw. They seem to spread out when lying down. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 You say your ducks snuggle down in straw. Is it better to have straw for ducks rather than aubiose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blues08 Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Chopped straw or any kind of small sized bedding, makes life easier to muck out the lumps every day, mine have a modified 4 pint milk carton (plastic) in their house every night (with apple cider vinegar added to the water) its clipped to the wall via the handle, they seem to enjoy the chance of a drink and have never tipped it up, I don't leave food in, that will get spilled!! They very rarely put themselves away, but they do know when its time, well, my three do, (1 x runner, 2 x abacot girls) If you can give them the chance to get under the water they'll entertain you with their darting and general splashing around. Anymore help please ask Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I have one more question as I perpare for the arrival of my new ducks on Sunday . . . I don't have a pond for my little call ducks but I do have a 3ft tin bath. I have put a ramp up to it so they can get in, but how will they get out of the bath onto the ramp when they have had enough of swimming. Should I put a large stump or rock in it, or a ramp going back the other way as one might for a frog? If this is not needed I don't want to take up valuable swimming room, on the other hand I obviously don't want them to be swimming round and round and not able to get out again Sorry if this is a dim question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I needed to put a rock in my ducks' paddling pool as they were unable to get out easily without it. They did manage, but it was a struggle, and I was concerned that they might damage their legs as a lot of 'scrabbling up the sides' took place. Their pool now has a rockery stone in it, and outside of it ,to help them get in and out. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 Thanks everyone for all your adivce Today is now Duck Day as I pick up my first ducks this afternoon. I am just so excited and hardly go a wink of sleep last night. Thanks to all of you some of my initial nerves have gone and I feel my little ducks should get a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
