My Pet Ducks

A Sad Day

2010-05-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

Today is a sad day for me. Yesterday I took the girls to a new home. I hated to give them away, but since spring hit this year Ariel had gotten EXTREMELY hormonal and quacked EXTREMELY LOUDLY anytime I, my husband or any of our neighbors walked outside. I could not get her to shut up. She would quack continuously until we or the other people went back inside. My neighbors are really nice people and did not complain directly, but comments they made let me know it was really bothering them. Nobody wants to go out to enjoy the nice weather if they will be berated by a crazy mallard! I wouldn't want them to be such a nuisance to me. I didn't want to be the annoying, "never gets a clue when you're being nice but trying to tell them something" sort of neighbor. I'm just not that selfish.

Luckily, I was able to find them a good home with a very nice lady who lives near me. She said I can come visit them anytime, and I think I will take her up on the offer. I already miss them terribly and it was very sad for me to not be greeted by them this morning. It will take me a while to be able to sleep in on the weekend. I'm programed to get up the same time each morning to let them out of their night pen, otherwise they would start quacking loudly and disturb everyone. They did that since the beginning, even before the hormones kicked in, so I learned to get up before they got started. I never thought I'd miss that, but this morning I got up at their usual wake-up time, walked out into my yard, and felt so empty.

I think they will be happy in their new home. They will be with many other ducks, geese and chickens. I think the variety will keep them from getting as board as they were with me. They will probably miss their yard though. They will be kept in a large pen with other ducks most of the time, and let out into the yard occasionally. They won't like that but they will get used to it I'm sure. Ducks are social creatures, so they will probably enjoy the chats more than they will miss the grass. They do have two kiddie pools in their pen, which Ariel immediately discovered. That will make them happy!

This will probably be the last post on this blog except for an occasional update. A final word of caution to anyone considering ducks as pets who live close to other people: don't get Mallards. They are really noisy. If any quacking will pose a problem with your neighbors, then get Muscovy Ducks (they don't quack) or a different pet all together. Your neighbors may not be able to make you get rid of your noisy fowl, but they won't appreciate it and you wouldn't want them to do that to you. Be reasonable and be nice. Its our human relationships that are most important. Never get so carried away that you forget that.

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Nadine the Rescued Goat

2010-01-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

I decided to call the goat Nadine. It suits her. After my original post, My husband and I were able to catch Nadine and put her in the Duck's night pen to keep her warm through the night, as it was predicted to get bitterly cold. The ducks are staying in the garage until the weather goes above 30 degrees again. They are board and upset with me, but there isn't anything I can do to make them happy.

I am now in the process of trying to find someone to take Nadine off my hands. I do not have the facilities or the money to keep her. Hopefully, I can get in touch with the farmer who first stopped by. One of my neighbors must have his number. Right now she is in our sub-basement out of the cold, but she is not happy. Wish me luck!

The Curious Incident of the Stray Goat

2010-01-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I spotted some curious droppings around the garage of a sort I'd not seen since I was a kid. I told my husband they looked like goat droppings, but they must be from the deer that come out to the field across the street. They had come to eat some discarded oats and corn left over from the dumping of my ducks water buckets (sometimes I think more goes into the bucket than into them!). It really didn't make much sense either way, but we decided to stop dumping the water buckets outside the garage to avoid more droppings.

Then this morning I got up to feed the ducks and discovered a nanny goat on my patio. She was shy, but looked very hungry so I gave her the left over duck feed I was about to dump and then gave her about 3 cups of rolled oats and a bucket of water. Thinking to bring her inside the fence until I could locate her owner, I went inside to get a rope, only to discover I had none. I went back outside and she was gone. I thought perhaps she had headed back to the farm up the street where I thought she probably had come from to begin with.

Later this afternoon, there was a knock at the door. A man was standing on my porch and he asked if I was the one who called about the goat. I said I had not called about a goat, but that I had seen one this morning. He then pointed around the corner of the house and asked, "Is that goat yours?". I turned in the direction he was pointing and saw the nanny goat pretty as you please staring at me from within my fence. I started laughing and told him it wasn't my goat, but that was the one I had fed that morning. She must have climbed my fence when I was looking for a rope and went to the backyard where I didn't see her. He said someone had called him thinking he had lost one of his goats, but he said it wasn't his. He said the other goat owners he knew of weren't missing one either, and they didn't know where this one had come from but it had been roaming around the valley for some time. He offered to come back with his truck and a pen and to take her in until he could find the owner.

After he left, we gave her some more oats and I snapped some photos. She seemed content in our yard, but the ducks were not happy. They saw her eating out of their bowls and drinking their water and it upset them greatly. The goat seemed indifferent to them and to us. She finished the oats and then proceeded to jump our fence and run up the road. That is how we discovered the place she was getting inside. There is a low spot in the fence by the patio that she was climbing up on the brick then jumping over into a small flower bed then down to the patio. I tried to catch up with her but she went into a neighbor's back yard and headed for the woods. We stopped our pursuit in hopes she would come out if left alone. The farmer returned with two friends in his truck. We told him of her escape and where we last saw her. He was confident they could catch her and we believed him. We went about our day thinking all was well.

After checking the weather report, we realized we needed to get the duck's pen in the garage ready for them to spend the night inside. When we went out to start our work, we discovered the nanny was back in our yard searching for her food. I filled the bottom of a three gallon tub with oats and placed it on our front porch for her. She ate some and then jumped the fence again, this time laying down to chew her cud on the patio. We planned to herd her into the fence this evening and then to block up the part she was jumping over, but when we went outside, she was gone. It is getting bitterly cold, so she probably went to find shelter. If she returns tomorrow, as I am sure she will, perhaps we can block her in until we can find a place to take her. I'll post an update when I get more news!

First Snow!

2009-12-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon we got the worst snowstorm we have had in over 10 years! I almost didn't make it home from work. My husband was at home and he said the girls were bewildered by the snow and begged to be let inside. He herded them into their carrier and put them in the pen we had made for them in the garage in case really bad weather came in. They seemed quite comfortable there, and grateful for deliverance from the evil snow. Today the sun finally came out and I put them outside to explore since there were areas along the fence and around the house where the snow had melted. At first they didn't want to touch the snow, but soon discovered that their webbed feet were just like snow shoes. As long as they didn't stand in one place too long, they could walk on top of the snow with ease. They started exploring and I got out my camera. Check out these cuties!

What is this stuff?

Small ducks in a big white world :)

Mystery of the Missing Eggs: The Saga Continues

2009-10-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Friday I took another look at Juno's x-rays and saw something I had missed before; an egg. This alarmed me greatly because Juno had not lain an egg for a couple of days before the x-ray was taken and not since, at least not that I had found. Her eggs are distinctively different from Ariel's and I can easily tell them apart. I had been finding Ariel's egg every morning in the nest box, but Juno usually tries to hide her eggs from me by laying them in the yard later in the morning.

We did yard work the day after the x-ray and failed to find her stash. I took her in again today for a repeat x-ray to determine if she was indeed egg bound, but there was no egg present! This heightens the mystery! Where are the missing eggs (or egg if that one was her last one of the season)? I will search again tomorrow, but there is no conceivable place I can think of that I have not already checked.

My only thought is perhaps she is burying them cleverly deep in the nest box. I will clean it out tomorrow and that should determine if this is indeed where she has been hiding them under my nose the whole time! I am relieved to know she isn't bound up though. She had me worried sick.

Vacation/ Mysterious Limp/ Missing Eggs!!

2009-10-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

I just returned from vacation a little over a week ago. While I was gone, the girls stayed in a dog kennel. They did very well, and continued to lay eggs while I was away. When I got them back, I noticed Juno had a noticeable limp and I became concerned.

The kennel manager didn't notice it while she was boarding, and I didn't notice it while she was there either. It was much colder and the grass was tall when I brought her home, so I thought perhaps she had pulled something. I took her to her vet Monday and she did some x-rays which showed nothing broken or out of place, but there was an area that was fuzzy that might have indicated inflammation in that leg. Nothing conclusive though. She prescribed her a liquid NSAID and told me to watch her closely.

She is still limping, but we mowed the grass Tuesday and that seemed to make it easier for her to walk around. I tried giving her the medicine, but she spits it out as soon as she tastes it, no matter what I hide it in. I tried some feline pill pockets today and that worked better than anything so far. She managed to consume about half her dose. That's better than nothing I guess. I'll see if she shows any improvement tomorrow.

Ariel has continued to lay an egg every day since coming home, but Juno's eggs have disappeared! She lay one every day for a few days, then I couldn't find them anymore. I checked all the usual hiding places, but they are nowhere to be found. I'm beginning to wonder if she has stopped laying. I don't know what to do if that is the case. I can't very well separate them at meal times. I'll search again this weekend to make sure they aren't well buried in their nest.

Some Kind of Wonderful

2009-08-18T04:50:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love my stall mat! I was nervous because of the expense, but it was well worth the money ($37.99 at tractor supply). It is so easy to clean its almost fun! I've heard of some people using the play mats that fit together like puzzle pieces that you get at wal-mart and Toys R Us, but The material isn't as tough so they won't last as long. They also are not rubber and look porous to me which would make them virtual sponges for bacteria and germs, not to mention liquid waste and odor. I'm all for saving money, but not cutting corners. I'd rather spend the extra and get something that will be more sanitary and probably last the duration of their lifetime and beyond.

I think the ducks are a lot happier. I never realized before how much poop I was missing when they were on straw. The larger more solid parts at the surface were so few, I now know I was missing the bulk of the waste. I feel really bad! I should have been changing all their straw every day. I had no idea. Well, on the bright side, they are in a much cleaner and healthier environment now. Interesting thing though, they have not pooped at all in their doghouse since the change. They still lay their eggs in it, but no poop. I guess the run was so nasty before that they ran out of room, but now that it is clean all the time, they use it instead of their house, and they concentrate the poop by the door too. They are really smart.

Today I plan on doing garden cleanup and filling in the pond. I'll probably advertise it in the paper along with the pump and filter box. It would make a great goldfish and/or ornamental pond for someone. Its just not big enough for the ducks. It gets nasty within days, even with the rainwater inflow and filter. Ducks are truly dirty creatures. The mortar mixer is great. I wish I had gotten one of them instead from the beginning. My advice to anyone who doesn't have a natural pond already would be to forget the pond idea. Unless you can afford to empty and refill it at least every weekend (no, I am not exaggerating) and don't mind the cleanup, man-made ponds are just not practical.

The ducks do perfectly well with dunking buckets and bathing pans. They are much easier to keep sanitary, and much cheaper to keep filled. I use Fortex rubber & Fortiflex rubber blend 2 gallon buckets for their dunking/drinking needs and a 3 gallon, 4 inch deep Fortex rubber pan for their bathing water. I rinse and refill these every morning, and brush scrub them out with dish soap every few days. I offer the mortar mixer only on very hot days so they can cool off. I try to keep water easily accessible to them all the time. I put one dunking bucket in the front yard next to their feed pans, and one in the backyard next to the garden. I put their bathing pan in the backyard also, on the other end of the garden. This setup works great for me, and they have clean water when they need it.

Being free of the pond is very liberating! If you learn from my experience, then all my mistakes will have been worth it. Here's to happier, healthier ducks and happier keepers everywhere!

Cleaning day!

2009-08-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the foragers in action! You can see the unearthed pond in the background and the hole left behind covered by a mesh screen so they can't fall in.

Here is a front view showing the amount of space between the tarp and the pen. It is not attached to the run at all, rather it is hooked to the privacy fence on the left and the garage wall on the right. It offers much more light and air than before. The difference is amazing.

Here is the re-positioned tarp, silver side up.

Here is a view of the inside of the run and doghouse. The mud you see is just from my feet as I walked in to gather the eggs this morning. They concentrated their poop at the doorway, and I hosed it off this morning easily. Wow! I wish I had bought a stall mat back at the very beginning!

Here is the fruit of all my efforts! I think it looks good, and it smells a whole lot better!

Today, I completely mucked out their night pen and cleaned their doghouse. I usually spot clean and change their bedding completely once a week, but I had noticed their night pen was getting foul smelling faster since they had started laying. Their poop seems to have a stronger smell than it used to have. In the process of cleaning, I discovered the source of the foul smell; mold under the doghouse. Luckily they didn't have access to it, but my husband had put a bed of straw under the house to facilitate drainage, and it had molded badly.

I decided to completely eliminate all straw in the pen, and not to use it anymore. I also realized that the tarp I had draped over the pen's yard in an effort to create a daytime shade area and keep the straw dry was in effect holding in odor and moisture. I took it off, dragged the house and pen up the hill, raked all the straw out of the pen and onto the tarp and dragged it down to the compost heap. I also pulled up some flowers that had grown up too close to the pen that were making it hard to get in and out the door. I took the house apart and hosed it out, then scrubbed it down inside and out. I set it out in the sun to dry for half the day.

I then went to the Tractor Supply and bought a rubber stall mat to use as the floor of the night run. I waited for the ground to dry, then placed a layer of sand on the entire area, with a deeper area under the doghouse where the mat would not reach. I angled the slope very slightly so when I hosed off the mat or when it rained, the water would all run downhill and away from the house. I chose not to use any substrate on top of the mat. It should be easy on their feet as is, and it will make it easier to clean and more sanitary if I don't use substrate. After trimming the mat to size, I put it in place. I then put the pen enclosure on top and slid the doghouse into the back.

As for the tarp, the underside was silver so I decided to put eye hooks in the garage wall to hang it on to get maximum rain drainage away from the house, plus get maximum airflow in the pen. The silver side out should reflect heat and light, making it cooler underneath so they will have a shade option during the day. I refilled their doghouse with wood shavings deep enough for them to make a new nest.

I am pleased with the results of all my labor and the ducks seemed curious about the whole process. I feel bad that I didn't figure all this out earlier, but it sometimes takes a while to figure out what works best in your particular situation. When I locked them in tonight, they seemed fascinated with the rubber mat, and commented curiously about it while tapping it with their beaks. They are already used to rubber because I feed them in Fortex rubber pans. I think they are easier on their beaks and the rubber isn't porous, so it doesn't harbor bacteria like plastic does. This is another reason it should work well as a floor for their run.

Eggs, & Bugs!

2009-08-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the nest they built in their doghouse. I have found all their eggs in this for the past week.

Here is Ariel enjoying a float in the the mortar mixing pan I got for them today at Lowe's. We have emptied the pond and plan on filling in the hole, and selling the liner & filter if we can. It is just too much water and too hard to keep clean. The Mortar mixer is great! Its easy to empty & clean, and takes a lot less water.

My girls have started laying eggs! I am so excited! I am glad now I started switching them to a laying feed at 18 weeks, because Ariel started laying at 20 1/2 weeks and Juno at 21 1/2 weeks old. Juno's eggs are bigger than Ariel's, and I can easily tell them apart. Juno worried me though, because she laid her first two eggs in their water tub and they were soft. I was afraid she was having problems, but they have been normal ever since, with nice hard shells.

It was funny how I found the first egg. I had been checking their night pen every morning and evening for eggs because they had built a nest in the corner of the yard in front of their doghouse. I started them on a laying feed at 18 weeks because I was afraid they would start laying soon after building the nest. I called Orkin to come out and do an inspection and the inspector noticed my duck pen and asked about it. I explained how they stayed in it at night, and had built a nest in it but had not yet laid any eggs. He laughed and said, "Well, I see an egg right there!" I looked and sure enough, there was an egg right in the middle of their night run. It was smaller than I expected, but I had read that the first year they usually are on the small side.

I was getting one egg each morning since that day, and then a week later like clockwork Juno also started laying eggs. Now I have two eggs each morning. I cleaned out their night pen last weekend and they built a new nest inside their house, which is where I have found all the eggs since then. It is nice for all my hard work raising them to finally bring me something tangible in return! LOL! I had never eaten a duck egg before, so I fried one up to get my first taste and it was amazing! I love duck eggs! They have such a rich, delicious taste. I am very glad I chose ducks instead of chickens.

Last Monday evening, I fed my girls as usual, but when I went back inside to put up their scoops, I discovered small bugs in their feed. I only saw a couple, but that was all I needed to see. I took the feed outside and the next morning got up super early to go get some fresh. I was really surprised to find such a problem since I keep the feed indoors and it is Purina's Sunfresh Recipe Layena, which is supposed to be a good quality feed. The store I got it from was out of stock, and they tried to sell me a cheaper brand I was unfamiliar with. I declined because I wasn't sure of the quality, and I was afraid if I suddenly switched their food they might start molting and then wouldn't lay anymore till next year. (They can be very sensitive to food changes while laying.)

He told me of another store (about 20 miles away) that should have it in stock, and not knowing what else to do, I headed that way. I got there and the gait was locked. I couldn't even get up to the door to see when they opened. I went to the Wallgreens up the road from them and asked if they knew when it opened, but they didn't. I wound up fiddling around until 9am when I thought surely they would open. Lucky for me, they did, and they had the Layena in stock. They even had it in 25lb bags which was great because I only have two ducks. They also had it in pellet form, which I knew they would prefer and make less mess with. They were really nice and even loaded it into my car for me.

I was happy and felt my long drive was worth it, until I got home. I opened my back door to discover the same bugs I had seen in my other bag crawling all around the bottom of the bag. I ripped open the top to find the whole bag completely infested! It was disgusting, and even the pellets looked all chewed on! I was infuriated. I searched the phone book for another Purina dealer in the area and found one across the state line. I called them up and they had it in stock so I headed that way. I asked them when I got there if they had had any bug issues with it and they said they had not with the Layena, but had with another Purina feed. I bought a bag of crumble, which was all they had, and took it out to the car. My husband suggested I open it up to see if there were any bugs, which I did and saw no signs.

I got it home and poured it into my food grade plastic buckets I use as feed bins. I fed them their morning meal and felt relief to finally find a bug free batch. Then when I went to close up the buckets, I saw the same bugs climbing up out of the feed! This was too much. My parents were coming by later that day to pick me up to go visit my grandmother, and the feed store I had bought it from was on the way, so they took me by and I returned it. They had just sent someone to the store I had got the first batch from to replace the feed they had got that was infested. I told them to check it closely because the bag I got from them was full of the bugs. They appreciated the tip and gave me my money back with profuse apologies.

I didn't know what to do. I was out of Purina dealers. I fed the girls the original feed that had only a couple of bugs in it the next morning because I didn't know what else to feed them, and hoped it wouldn't make them ill. I had to work that day, but on my lunch break I called the Co-op in the nearby town of Jonesborough and asked about their feed and if they had any bug issues. They said their feed was made local and they sold so much so fast that it was always fresh. I drove straight there and bought a bag of their pellets, which had the same percent of protein and the same calcium to phosphorous ratio as the Layena. The ingredients sounded better though, and the feed smelled really good. It was also higher in amino acids and lysine. I knew I was taking a chance on switching their feed, but I was through fooling with Purina at that point.

I brought the feed home, and put it in my feed buckets (which my husband had already cleaned out and dried for me). I put a big scoop in their feed bowl and they ate it like candy! I was so relieved!

I did call Purina and told them the trouble I was having. They are sending me vouchers to use to replace the feed that I had not returned. I don't think I will use them though. They were very nice, but my girls like the co-op feed better and fresh feed is always a better choice. I have had no interruptions on egg laying, and no signs of them molting! The price is better too; about $3 cheaper than Layena. It is a little bit of a drive to get it, but its better than risking having a repeat bug episode!

I also have started supplementing their feed with Calf Manna by Manna Pro. I give them 1/8 cup a day in the morning. It is high in protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Since they are so young, I thought it would be a good booster for them. They like it, and eat it like a treat. I have already noticed their feathers are getting glossier and they seem more energetic.

Day 68

2009-05-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

This is how we keep them off the porch. I used a cheap wire garden boarder I got at K-Mart. It comes in 10 foot lengths, and three of them was enough to block them from the low parts of the porch. For the step, I just broke off the spikes that stick into the ground, and added a bar between the arcs using wire from a white coat hanger. It looks nice and neat, was cheap and works!

Here is the finished pond. Note the barley hay cleanser float.

We got the pond finished yesterday afternoon, and that has been where they are ever since (except when I herded them into their pen for the night)! They certainly do love their pond. Even though it has meant a lot more work for me, I'm glad now that I got them one. It is peaceful seeing them so happy and content. It makes me forget my own stress!

I was at the feed store yesterday afternoon and they had Purina Layena (the laying feed I planned to start them on in a few weeks) in stock so I went ahead and got some. This particular feed store is supposedly a Purina dealer, but they are always promoting a cheaper brand called Bartlett, which is medicated and about 1/2 the price of Purina Layena (that should be a red flag!). Every time I ask them if the Purina foods are in stock, they tell me they have Bartlett and I have to insist they check to see if the Purina is in. Most of the time I have inquired, they were out of stock. Its a little early, but I thought I'd go ahead and get some while the getting was good. They will be starting on it in about four weeks.

I could have used Mazuri Waterfowl Breeder but is is just as expensive as the Maintenance formula, and would have to be special ordered. I would have gotten the Purina Duck Chow instead, but it isn't available for the feed store to order in my area and if I ordered it online, I'd pay the same as the Mazuri once shipping was added! I do like the Mazuri because it floats, but with the nutritional quality being equal,I could do without that feature for a cheaper price.

9 1/2 Weeks (67 days) Old!

2009-05-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Look at this terrible twosome! They are trying to get into mischief!

Here is a front view of their night pen. We got most of the privacy fence/barricade up but are two pieces shy. We'll get around to finishing it one of these days! The doghouse is still inside, but you can't see it for the tarp. I put the tarp up for extra shade since they are no longer allowed on the front porch due to some messy poop issues. It also helps keep their litter dry so I don't have to change is as often.

Here is another view of the night pen. You can see the missing boards from this angle.

Here is the view of the pen from below.

We are making some changes to the pond. We ran a drain pipe from the garage rain gutters, through a filter box and then underground into the pond. On the lower side is a drainage slope for overflow. We got a filter & pump too. We put plastic with sand on top all around so they can't dig into the mud anymore, and added some large river rocks too. We plan to use the rainwater drainage and the filter to keep the water from getting stagnant, and hopefully stay cleaner longer. I also got a natural cleanser made from barley straw. The overflow drains into the garden.

Here they are heading to their garden dunking bucket! They can run amazingly fast when motivated.

Here is pretty Juno at the dunking bucket! Her feathers are gorgeous!

Here is pretty little Ariel at the dunking bucket! I think female Mallards are among the most beautiful of all duck breeds.

Here is a better shot of Ariel showing her blue speculum feathers. They are so shiny and appear to be all shades of blue from turquoise to purple depending on how the light strikes them.

Here is a good shot of Juno. I can't believe how big they both are! It seems like only yesterday they were tiny little balls of fluff & bill!

I haven't updated my blog in a while because I've been so busy, but really not a whole lot has changed. The girls have slowed on their growth since moving outside, which is probably healthier for them. They are still on the Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance diet supplemented with whole oats and corn or scratch when it gets below 40 degrees. I get a three grain scratch made of corn, milo, and wheat that is milled locally so its nice and fresh. It is also available in smaller amounts, which is nice with only two birds! I store it and the corn in feed sacks placed inside plastic buckets with airtight lids. I keep the excess feed in a larger rubbermaid bin that we added door sealer to so it is more airtight. I measure out about 5lbs at a time that I keep in a smaller bucket in the house to minimize the amount of times I have to open the larger bin, which I keep in the cool darkness of the basement along with the buckets of corn and scratch. It won't be too much longer before they are old enough for a layer feed. Hard to imagine!

The night pen has gotten an upgrade that I'm sure the neighbors appreciate; a privacy fence! It looks much nicer now and the girls seem to feel safer in it too. They usually lay under the tarp for shade during the day and get more active in the early morning and evening. They go into it on their own each night and wait for me to lock their door. They are very smart!

Day 46

2009-04-27T17:28:00.001-07:00

We added some rocks around the pond today to prevent them from putting so much mud and mulch into the water. Works like a charm!

Here is a view of the rear of the night pen. We got the old privacy fencing from our neighbor for free because they were throwing it away. We plan to shorten it and build a palisade around the pen which will not only make it more attractive, but also add extra protection from predators.

Here is their night pen from the side view.

Here is their night pen viewed from the front.

Today was a busy day. We repositioned the duck pen behind the garage by leveling off the slope in back. We also acquired some used privacy fencing from our neighbors who were throwing it out that we plan to place around the pen as extra protection from predators and to make it more aesthetically pleasing. We will eventually paint it white to match the house.

The ducks spent more time in the pond today, especially this evening. They are beginning to become more independent and no longer need to follow me everywhere, nor do they quack as much when I go in the house. For one thing, I blocked them from the front porch yesterday because they were pooping all over it and wouldn't leave it when I was in the house. The front porch was their main source of shade, so now they have to go out into the yard and follow the shade around the house as the day progresses. It seemed to work out well, and even when I wasn't working in the yard, they seemed more content to be in the yard.

Day 44

2009-04-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the girls enjoying their new backyard pond!

Its amazing how quickly they can turn 125 gallons into a muddy mess! Next paycheck I'm getting a filter for sure!

We got the girls a plastic pond and installed it today. I planted some flowers beside it, and plan to add some more plants later on. They seem to like it, especially since their feet do not touch the bottom and they can dive quite deeply in it. They are already managing to turn it into a mud hole, so I will definitely need to get a filter next paycheck!

Now that they are outside all the time, they have not been eating as much feed. They did eat more today than yesterday, probably because they ate a lot of worms yesterday that I dug up while digging their pool. I think I will offer them a small meal in the mornings and then wait until evening to feed them again. I stopped giving them grains because it is so warm. I have heard it is too much energy for them in the summer and should only be fed to them when the temperatures go into the 30's. Oatmeal is fine though, so I'll give them that as a treat.

Day 42

2009-04-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

Here is the terrible twosome! Are they ready to face their first night outside?
They spent the whole day outside, but wouldn't leave the porch except for brief foraging expeditions.

Today we finished their night pen and set it up. Tonight is their first night in it instead of the house. So far they don't seem to want to lay in the doghouse, but its there if they need it. Should be a low of 53 tonight with some wind from the south, so I put a tarp over their enclosure to block the wind and the light from the street lamp above them. They seem content and quiet.

It is nice having my room back! The smell will take some work to get rid of. I plan to vacuum and scrub with resolve followed by an enzymatic pet odor remover tomorrow, then rent a steam cleaner and go over the whole house. At least they weren't in the house for very long, and weren't really really stinky until the last few weeks, so not likely that the smell permeated the whole house. I'll have some honest friends over when I'm through cleaning to do a smell check just to be sure. I'm very paranoid about such things.

They still didn't seem to want to explore the yard on their own today until the sun went down around 6pm, then they started foraging like mad. I think they like the shade on the porch. Not sure exactly why they cling to it during the day, but I plan to fence them away from it tomorrow until they get used to being in the yard. For one thing, they are pooping up a storm right in front of my door! We will be working in our garden tomorrow, so they should be content with us in the backyard. We will also be putting in a pond for them. We found a great deal on a 125 gallon plastic pond mold at Home Depot. It was a full $10 cheaper than a smaller 91 gallon we had seen at Lowe's. We were thrilled! My husband plans to use it as a rainwater reservoir for our garden, so it will have a dual purpose. I will get a filter for it next paycheck. I can't wait to install it tomorrow! I'm sure they will love it as much as we do.

Day 41

2009-04-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

This is the night pen we are building for them. It is 32" high X 32" wide X 8' long. We designed it so the doghouse can fit inside, giving them room to sleep outside or inside as they choose.
This is the finished frame for their night pen. We had to make so many trips to the store for supplies that we wound up just getting the top screened before calling it a day.
This will be the door to the pen; basically one end opens up. Later on we may add a hinged roof to make cleaning easier.
This is their doghouse/night house. They will of course have access to it during the day if they want to lay in it but will be locked in their pen at night. I wanted to use a plastic doghouse because they are easy to clean, insulated and more attractive than anything I would be likely to make. It is a large size and plenty big enough for two ducks.

We got started on the night pen today, as it was not raining so we were able to go get the wood. I don't have a truck, so to haul the wood we had to make two trips and lay the wood through the sunroof in my Buick with the ends resting on the rear dash. I was afraid we were breaking some sort of hauling regulation, so we took the back way home. Then we discovered that the hex netting I had planned to use was not wide enough, so we had to go get some more. Then we needed more nails and a skil saw. All in all we went to Lowe's four times! My husband was so embarrassed he tried to check out at a different location each time. Men can be so funny!

Despite all our setbacks, we had fun making it and laughing at ourselves. I sure hope the girls appreciate it. It is quite sturdy and attractive considering its makers are on the low skill side when it comes to such tasks. I think it will keep them safe at night and that's really what matters.

They were outside today from around 2pm until 8:30pm, and they finally got up the nerve to explore the yard on their own! Up until today, they hovered on the front porch when I was not around. They did that for most of the day today, but when I went to bring them in for the night I didn't see them on the porch as usual. At first I panicked, then I walked out into the yard and there they were, happy as could be! I was overjoyed that they were OK and becoming less dependent on me. We should finish their night pen tomorrow just in time for some warm nights. Hopefully tonight is one of their last in the house!

Day 40

2009-04-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

I used an Easter bucket to give them their greens today. I have a larger 8 qt. Fortex rubber bucket I plan to use for their dunking water when they get older, but this one works great for now!

Today was a bit chilly in the morning so I didn't let them outside right away. This seemed to greatly disappoint them, and they threw a fit with their water and barely touched their morning meal. I put their favorite Bob Dylan record on for them and gave them a water bucket with chopped greens in it and they seemed more content. I went to visit my grandmother today and didn't get back until 7:30pm, but my husband let them outside when it warmed up around 2pm and let them stay out until around 6:30pm, so they seem more content this evening. Hopefully they can be out all day tomorrow!

On the way home from my visit, my parents wanted to stop by a park they knew had lovely wildflowers. It has a beautiful trail going all around a small lake, and the surrounding hillsides are covered with wildflowers! While we were enjoying the natural beauty, I heard some urgent quacking coming from the lake, which we were above on a wooded side trail. I looked over the hill and saw a Domestic Mallard female waddling up the hill as fast as she could towards me, quacking all the while. She got to the top of the trail and came towards us in a very familiar way, and I saw that she was missing feathers on both wings and her back. Otherwise she looked healthy and unharmed.

It was evident that she had been abandoned, and was in great distress. I felt so sorry for her, but I couldn't even touch her for fear I would bring some pestilence home to my girls! I posted about her on the Pet Ducks R Us group, so hopefully someone will be able to rescue her. She finally stopped following us after we headed further up the steep hillside, but she continued to quack urgently. It nearly broke my heart to leave her there! How terrible!

Day 38

2009-04-19T19:27:00.001-07:00

The girls got to go outside today. It was drizzling, but they seemed happy as could be.
They got some good hours of foraging in today. I delayed their afternoon meal in hopes they would more eagerly eat what they could find.
Here they are in their 3 gallon Fortex water tub. I haven't built them a water shelf yet. Probably will tomorrow!

Today was overcast and rainy, but they seemed to love being outdoors. They stayed close to the front porch, but seemed more adventurous than they have been the past couple of days. I am trying to get them acclimated so they can move outdoors permanently when I get their night pen finished this week. I am on vacation this week, so should be a good time.

Day 35

2009-04-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ariel is now the more shy of the two.
Juno is such a show off!
They look just like miniature versions of their adult selves now! I can't believe how fast they are still growing.

I was able to pick up their Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance today from the feed store, so they have had only that and chopped greens today. They seem to love the new food and I love it too. It is actually small baked kibbles that reminds me of cat food, but it smells very nice, like sweet grains. I add some water to it and they gobble it down like candy. For smaller ducks, it would probably need to be blended or crushed a bit for them to be able to eat it.

Day 33

2009-04-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

A new water arrangement had to be made. Juno has been hogging the water by dipping her whole head into it and shaking all the water out. She was picking on Ariel when she would try to get a drink, and as a result, Ariel was not eating as much feed.
They were very excited about the new water arrangement. Ariel ran in circles of joy!
Ariel got her revenge on Juno for hogging the water by stepping into the new dish!
Clever little girl!

I started using a new water bowl this morning because Juno's head is so large now that both couldn't drink from the old container at the same time and Juno was being a pig and not letting Ariel drink. I am now using a Fortex rubber container that will be their feed dish when they are outside. I read in Storey's guide to raising ducks that these type containers last forever because they do not fracture or crack when frozen as do plastic and other type containers. They are also very flexible and therefore less likely to cause injury, and the rubber has a good gripping surface in case they want to step into it. I will use a 3 gallon version with deeper sides for their water dish when they are grown, so this is a good transition step for them. They were so excited when I put it in that Ariel ran in circles while making delighted squealing sounds. She soon showed Juno that two could play the water hog game by stepping into the dish, thus preventing Juno from hogging the water. Juno is a little too big to get in the dish, so Ariel wins this time. Tiny ducks rule the day!

I went by the feed store that ordered Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance for me today and they said it should arrive with their delivery tomorrow. I am very excited, but I have to work tomorrow so I won't be able to go get it myself. I gave my husband the money and will write down their number and the name of the product on a note for him so he can go get it. He thinks I'm overly obsessed with my ducks. I just want them to have the proper nutrition. If we were eating them, it wouldn't matter, but they are my pets. He likes them too, he just leaves the mess cleaning to me!

Day 32

2009-04-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

Here is pretty little Juno. I am confused by her/him. She/he has been making wonk sounds all week, but yesterday I took them outside in the evening and she/he stood up straight and started making a very loud quack-like sound! I am befuddled, so I'm going to still refer to her as a she until I know for sure otherwise.
Here is pretty Ariel after a drink. She is getting real feathers on her head now, but her neck is still fuzzy.
Here they are this morning after their breakfast and room cleaning. They are trying to make their room dirty again as quickly as possible.

Yesterday it got up to 69 degrees, so I let them go outside and forage for about an hour. At first I penned them in like I had before even thought they are now way too big to slip through the fence. I was afraid they might be hard to catch if I gave them the run of the yard. My husband then suggested I barricade them in the front yard so I took their temporary fencing and did just that. It worked out well and allowed me the chance to discover that they follow me everywhere I go. When it came time to take them back inside it was easy because they were right by my feet then whole time they were outside. It made me feel good. :)

Day 29

2009-04-10T18:20:00.001-07:00

They sure are getting big! They are not growing as fast as they were when they were younger, but I can still see the difference from morning to evening. They are putting on a lot of feathers, and now their backs, bellies, and tails are feathered, and their heads are quickly getting feathered too. Their long wing feathers are still in their sheaths, but some are starting to come out. They still have some baby fluff though!
Here is a good photo to compare their size to just a few days ago relative to their pool.

I found out today that Juno's wing is normal. If he had angel wing, the feathers would be growing outwards, but they are laying like they are supposed to be. I found out that when the feathers start growing out they get filled with blood and are heavy, so sometimes the wing will droop. I am so relieved!

I don't know what I would do without puppy pads. I got another brand today at K-Mart that cost $10.99 for 50 pads. They are not as thick as the others I was using, but just as big. I don't use them for long enough for it to matter anyway. I have to change them out 3-4 times per day! But it is saving me a ton of time and keeping them much cleaner. I would recommend them to anyone who has to brood their ducklings in the house. I can't wait for them to move outside!

We have had a cold spell come through lately, and more is headed our way next week. After that it is supposed to warm up for a while. That will be perfect timing for my ducks' first week outside in their pen. I will probably build it this weekend so it will be all ready when they are. Since they will have the run of my yard during the day, I just plan to make them a small run big enough for their doghouse to fit in with enough space for them to sleep outside if they want for night use only. I plan to make it about 6 feet long, four feet high and four feet wide. It will have netting on top and bottom as extra protection against flying and digging predators.

Day 27

2009-04-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

Juno is plump as ever. Juno is starting to make a loud "Wonk!" sound when distressed which is making me think "She" might be a "He". It almost reminds me of a goose sound. The more his personality comes out the more I think I am right. He seemed pleased when I figured this out and stopped calling him my pretty little girl!

Ariel is still the pretty little princess bird. She makes quack-like sounds along with her peeps, so I'm pretty sure she is a girl.

I had to put some towels around their hex netting because they have been slinging water all over my room, especially Juno. They find it fascinating.

The puppy pads are a lifesaver! My cleanup time has been halved, and it makes much less waste to throw away. My room doesn't smell any better though. I can't wait till they can stay outside all the time. They will be 4 weeks old tomorrow! That means just two more weeks and they should be feathered enough to stay outside all the time unless we have a cold front come in. If that happens, I'll move them into the Garage. If I ever raise ducks again, I will start later in the season so they can move outside earlier. They are getting too big and rowdy too fast!

I took some more poop to work with me today so their vet could do a gram stain. She didn't find anything, but is going to recheck it tomorrow under a more powerful microscope just to be certain. She thinks their loose stool in the morning is due to the fact that they have no food overnight, and drink so heavily when I give it to them before their breakfast in the morning. I will try to give it to them at the same time tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. Like yesterday, their poop appears normal by evening time. Odd.

Juno's wing is still drooping. I think I will take him in to the vet Friday when She is back in. I am concerned about it. I don't think it is injured because he flaps it normally, stretches it etc. just like the other one, he just lets it dangle while he keeps the other tucked neatly. The feather shafts on the lower part are bent slightly outward, which makes me think he can't tuck it like the other. I decided to wait until Friday when he gets his exam before wrapping it. I may be overreacting, or there may be some other problem I'm not even seeing. Best to leave it to the experts.

Day 26

2009-04-07T18:45:00.001-07:00

Here is a closeup of Juno's right wing. I have become concerned about it because it droops down while the other wing stays tucked up neatly all the time. I am concerned it may be the beginnings of Angel wing. I plan to tape it up into its proper position tomorrow and leave it taped for 10-14 days. If I do it while she is still growing, it should correct the problem. The other wing seems fine.

Ariel strutting her stuff!

The difference in size between the two is becoming more evident every day. Juno is a Cayuga, a middle weight breed and Ariel is a Mallard, a bantam breed. Juno's adult weight should be 6-7 lbs. while Ariel will be 2-3 lbs.

Juno taking a deep drink. Check out those tail feathers!

Here is Ariel showing off her lovely feathers.

I know it looks like their water is really gross in the photos, but that is because it has their Alfalfa in it, which turns it deep green. I have continued using the puppy pads and the chip & dip server and it is going great. I have started putting the puppy pad on top of the chip server instead of under it. They were still getting things pretty messy the other way.

I was concerned about them yesterday because they had really dark watery stool. I thought it may have been from their foraging Sunday, and it progressively got more and more solid until tonight it looks as awesome as poop can look.

I found out from the people in the Ducks R Us yahoo group that the DuMor feed I've been giving them is deficient and so I have ordered them some Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance food but it will take a couple of weeks for it to come in. In the mean time I've started giving them some vitamins in their water, and extra niacin too. I also put some brewers dried yeast in their feed mix. It makes me feel bad that I've been giving them a bad food all this time. They seem to have done well on it though. They seem to be developing properly for their age and act happy and content. Now that I know though, I will be sure to never use that food again.

Day 24

2009-04-05T19:17:00.001-07:00

I bought them their house Saturday on my lunch break at Lowes. They had the best price of anyone with a similar size house; $62.99 compared to $68.99-$79.99 everywhere else. It came with a door flap, but I doubt I'll be using it. I figured it was about the same as it would cost me to build one from wood, but much easier to clean. We have such mild winters here, they should be fine all year.

Today was warm so I put them in an outdoor pen connected to their house so they could get out of the sun when they wanted. They were scared at first and hid inside, but my husband sat with them in the pen and they soon came out to explore. They had a great deal of fun playing in the dirt and grass. They turned their water dish into a muddy mess!

They got to stay outside from about 1pm to 6pm. I hoped they would sleep well, but they made a terrible mess in their indoor pen when they came back inside and completely saturated their litter. I had to take it outside and hose it out, then give them a bath in the tub.

I went to Wal-mart after getting them settled in to get them some puppy pads. I was hoping that if I put one under their waterer it would catch most of their spillage. We will see! I also got them a chips & dip server to put their dunking bowl in. I put some shavings in the trench where the chips would go and put their dunking container in the salsa area and it works great! They can still get in to drink and dunk but they can't knock it over and the trench catches most of the spill. Victory is mine!

I have been taking their food and waterer away at night since yesterday. I leave them their dunking cup, but that's it. They are hungrier in the morning, but seem to sleep better and make less of a mess. Today they were panting at their usual temperature, so I took their supplemental heat away completely. I really don't think they need it anymore when they are in the house. It stays about 70 degrees in their room all the time, and during the day it can get warmer when the sun comes in through the windows.

Day 22

2009-04-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a closeup of Juno's feathers. You can already see the gorgeous beetle-green!

Here is a close view of Ariel's feathers. You can start to see her beautiful pattern!
They have grown so much in the last two days!

The start of their third week was terrible. Yesterday their feathers seemed to expand overnight and they were cranky. They made such a horrible mess in their pen and on themselves that I had to put them in the bath while I changed the whole thing out and hosed it down outside. My husband said he had to refill their 1-gallon size waterer three times! Most of the water was going into the bedding. They were completely soaked. I woke up this morning expecting the same, but found them sleeping quietly with hardly any mess to clean up.

I took a stool sample to work with me today and their Vet said she didn't see anything when she ran the fecal test. She didn't have enough sample to do a gram stain so I'll bring in a bigger sample next week. They seem fine, I just wanted to make sure everything was o.k.

I went to the Tractor Supply today to get them some more pine bedding while it was still $4.99 per 5 cubic foot bail. I picked up their adult size 5 gallon waterer while I was there. Just two more weeks and they will be moving outside!

Day Twenty

2009-04-01T18:54:00.001-07:00

I know they are up to something!

The black night light works wonderfully! I came in this morning to find they had hardly done anything all night, with the water left unspilled, the food only partially eaten, and a lot less poop to clean up! They seemed in good spirits too so I think the sleep did them good. Since my cleanup took less time, I was able to have some pleasant lap time before going off to work. It made for a nice morning.

Day Nineteen

2009-03-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

They are getting very attentive and have already learned not to chew on my arms anymore and they come to me individually when I call them by name!

I am amazed at how intelligent my little girls are! They are easier to train than puppies! Their bodies are getting thicker and they are getting more feathers starting on their wings and breast. They also each have a cute little tuft behind each eye on both sides of their head. It makes them look very cuddly! They eagerly jump into my lap now when I open their enclosure. They are getting so big I had to replace their coffee cup with a quart size tall Ziploc storage container.

I decided it was time to get them a smaller watt bulb for their heat source. I went to the store looking for a regular 60-75 watt incandescent bulb (I started with a 250 watt red infrared brooder bulb, then switched to a 125 watt clear infrared brooder bulb which I have used until now). Then I saw a 60 watt black light bulb intended to heat reptile habitats at night and it occurred to me that they would probably get a lot more sleep and adjust better to outdoor life if it were dark at night. I'll see how it goes.

Day Seventeen

2009-03-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

I taught them to jump into my lap today. They think it is marvelous fun!
Aren't they sweet!

Today I went to the farm store and bought some chopped alfalfa cubes for them. I soaked them in warm water for about 7 hours until they broke up and were soft. Then I offered it to them in a mixing bowl and they loved it! I left the water in of course and it was a very exciting treat for them. I also boiled them an egg and chopped it up into fine pieces and they loved that.

I had noticed that during my work week they had again become hand shy so I peeled back the hex netting today and enticed them to climb out on a towel in my lap. Ariel did it almost right away, but Juno is a bit bigger and needed some help getting over the side of the pool. They seemed to love the cuddle time and stayed until they got hot each time and then jumped back into their pen. I plan to do this as often as possible when I am off work and every day when I get home when I am working. The bigger they get, the more difficult it will be to handle them unless they are very tame!

Day Sixteen

2009-03-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

My morning greeting!

I awoke this morning expecting a horrendous mess in their new pen, but to my delight they seem more content. I only had to spot clean their litter and change out their food and water. It was amazing!

They seem to be liking their new feed and are eating like the fluffy little pigs-in-bird's-clothing they are. I mixed in less of their old feed today. The new feed smells so sweet and good and is a much darker color than their old feed. It almost reminds me of molasses.

We have been having rain all week and the grass is growing as fast as they are. I plan to find some dandelions to chop up for them tomorrow. Greens are such a good thing to feed them, and dandelion is free and nutritious!

Day Fifteen!

2009-03-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

They sure have grown! I had to start using the jar atop their feeder yesterday because they are eating so much so fast.

Here they are enjoying their new enclosure.

Today I realized they were way too big even for the 50 gallon tub I had for them so I moved them into the kiddie pool and put hex netting around it to keep them from jumping out. I use an old art easel to hold their light (its really stable). They seem much happier already. They don't seem to need the amount of heat all the books say they do at this age. They seem to avoid the light and don't act cold at all when away from it. If they continue to act this way I will remove it entirely next week.

I've been having to give them a bath in the tub every day since last weekend because they get so filthy throughout the day. I've never seen such mess makers! Interesting thing is this morning They started making their first quack attempts ( or that's what it sounded like). Their voices are really changing.

I went to the Tractor Supply on my lunch break today and got them their 15% protein DuMor Grower/Finisher feed. It smells wonderful and is a different color than their old feed. Right now I am just mixing about 1 part of the 15% with 2 parts of the 20% and 1 part Oat Meal. The lower protein should slow their growth down to a healthy level.

Day Thirteen

2009-03-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Day number 13 and growing strong!
Here is Ariel preening after a much needed bath.
Juno's cute little duck butt! Look at those feathers growing!

I let them have a romp in the tub again today when I got home while I cleaned their room. I have started placing their water containers in a broiler pan lined with paper towels and this nearly eliminates the wet litter problems I had been having. The only problem with it is its a little harder to get in and out of their pen without spilling it, but the lack of wasted litter is well worth the extra trouble.

I have their heat set at about 82 and they seem perfectly content. Next week I will lower it to around 77 and then they probably won't need it anymore. I think they were getting too hot and they avoided the light. I can't wait till they don't need it anymore!

Day Eleven

2009-03-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Ariel Loves to lay in my hand as she nibbles at my arm. Juno is more shy, but also likes to nibble my arms and especially my fingers and wedding ring.

Day eleven marked their fist brief excursion outdoors. They are still small enough to squeeze between the slats in our picket fence, so we had to watch them closely. It was 70 degrees, so I didn't let them stay out too long, but boy were they excited! I can't wait till they are bigger and can hang out with us while we work in the yard.

Tomorrow we are completing the predator-proofing of our yard so they will have the run of everything except the driveway. I blocked the last two "holes" today with small mesh hardware cloth that is very sturdy, and tomorrow we will be placing a two foot addition to the top of our four foot brick wall at the top of the yard. This is necessary because the ground on the other side of the wall is taller than the ground on our side and dogs could jump down into our yard pretty easily if motivated. In fact, one small dachshund mix down the road has gotten trapped inside our yard twice by doing just that. The fact that he can't get back out tells me that that is our remaining weakness. I plan to lock them into their sleeping house at night anyway, for extra safety.

Day Nine

2009-03-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

Here they are playing with their marbles. They seem to splash less water out and put less stuff in when the marbles are there.

Here are my girls snuggling after their evening romp and feeding frenzy!

I can't believe my girls are already ten days old! I am amazed at how big they are. I had to go to the feed store yesterday and get them a 1 gallon size waterer because they were splashing/drinking their quart size in about 3 hours. It has a deeper pan too and they like that. I put some marbles in the trough to entertain them. They seem to like shinny things.

Today I went to the Tractor Supply to get them some more wood shavings but they didn't have the ones I got before in stock. I wound up getting some cedar bedding at Wal-mart, which was a little more expensive but smells really nice. The chicks seem to like it better and enjoy playing with the larger pieces. It doesn't seem as absorbent though, so I will try to get the wood shavings next time. Hopefully they will be in stock by the time I need more.

While I was at the store, I noticed they had some chicks for sale and a sign was up stating that per Tennessee state regulation they couldn't sell less than 6 chicks at a time. I don't know if this is a new law or not, but lucky for me the guy who sold me my chicks either didn't know about it or didn't care. I think it seems strange. They were out of ducklings, but had some baby chickens, which were in poor health, and one was in the process of slowly dying while a helpless comrade looked on in obvious confusion and dismay (they were the last two in that bin). I can't stand to see animals treated like that. It made me mad and I wanted to say something but my husband said they wouldn't care anyway and encouraged me to leave. I wish I had said something, but he was probably right. They wouldn't have cared.

Day Seven

2009-03-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ariel enjoying a deep drink from the teacup I added so they could dunk their head all the way under the water. I learned that this is how they keep their eyes and nose clean.

Here they are enjoying their new 50 gallon brooder box.

They have grown so much I decided to get them a bigger brooder box when I got home from work this evening. The old one was just too small. They seem to be thoroughly enjoying it!

Day Five

2009-03-17T17:16:00.001-07:00

This picture was actually taken yesterday evening. I think it is remarkable how much they have grown in so little time! Compare the photo below from today:

Wow, my little girls sure are growing! I got them a kiddie pool to play in while I clean their brooder box. I placed a shallow broiler pan in the center with about an inch of water in it that they love to wade in. Ariel (the mallard) especially likes to run through it as quickly as she can before darting in circles round and around the pan. The day I got the pan it had a bug in it, which she chased down and promptly ate. Way to go Ariel!

Juno (the Cayuga) is now starting to outgrow Ariel who at first was slightly bigger. I am curious how quickly their sizes will differ since Juno will grow up to be about twice the weight of Ariel. They seem to get along splendidly and hate to be separated even for a second.

I have been handling them every day since Saturday in my lap where they cuddle and especially like to take turns putting their head under my arm. They like nibbling on my fingers and wedding ring, and they try incessantly to eat the hair off of my forearms. It really tickles. I think they like the attention, and have started to come towards me when I enter their room. They don't spook nearly as bad when I pick them up now as they used to.

The Basics

2009-03-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

FOOD:

I have found it very difficult to find consistent information on the proper diet for a pet duck. Most of the sources I've found agree that a 20% protein, non-medicated chick starter for waterfowl or game birds is appropriate for the first 2-3 weeks and then switching to 14%-16% is better.

I found it nearly impossible to find diets specifically for waterfowl, but I found an unmedicated "Chick Starter/Grower" that was labeled for chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and quail that had 20% protein at a local Tractor Supply store. It is made by the Purina company for Tractor Supply under the brand name "DuMor" and cost $6.59 for a 20lb bag. It says on the label that it can be used for ducklings up to 10 weeks old, but it is my understanding that this is aimed at birds intended for meat. Such a high level of protein can cause medical problems if fed too long, and should be avoided in pet birds.

They have another formula called "Poultry Grower/Finisher" that is 15% protein and is labeled for use in poultry and waterfowl. That is the diet I plan to start switching them to at 3 weeks of age. When they reach 10 weeks of age, I'll start supplementing their feed with scratch grains, and of course by that time they will be old enough to forage in my yard as well. If they do turn out to be girls, I'll give them a laying feed once they start laying eggs.

WATER:

I use a small bottle-style automatic chick waterer, which I find they foul very quickly. I change it two to three times a day, depending on whether I'm working or at home. I find that they put things in the water on purpose so they can chase them. It seems to be their favorite game! It doesn't do any good to change it more often than I do because they literally foul it up within ten minutes. It does help prevent bacteria from catching hold to change it at least morning and night. I use straight tap water for them. I was afraid filtered water would be more prone to bacterial growth.

BEDDING:

I use wood shavings I bought at the Tractor Supply. Its super cheap and absorbent, and the chicks seem to enjoy playing with it in their water dish.

MISCELLANEOUS:

I feed them using one of those aluminum chick feeders with the little holes all around that you can screw a mason jar onto. I don't use the jar since I have only two ducks and I change out their food each morning. I find it works better than the open dish I used the first day because they have a much harder time pooping in it, and two days in a row now they have been completely unsuccessful!

Ducks need grit. I use the granite chick grit from the tractor supply for them. I offer it in a tiny ceramic hamster bowl I got at Petsmart next to their food dish. You can mix it into their feed, but I prefer to offer it separately and they take it as they need it with no problem.

I also got them some Benebac bird paste from work. It is a pro-biotic for birds and reptiles which is helpful for intestinal health. It is recommended during food changes and stressful situations.

The First Four Days

2009-03-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken the morning after I got the ducklings from the feed store (03/13/2009). I believe they were 1 day old when we bought them, which would make this their 2nd morning.

This picture was taken Saturday 3/14/2009 in the evening.

This Picture was taken Sunday 3/15/2009. Day Number 3 since they hatched!

This is day #4 for them (03/16/2009). They are growing so fast! Pretty soon they will need a bigger play pen!

So begins my journey into the joys of Duck ownership. I had long wanted to keep a small flock of chickens, but after doing some research I decided that a couple of ducks would be much easier to care for and do all the things I wanted my chickens to do even better, i.e., eat bugs and slugs in my garden, lay eggs and be friendly pets. I am completely new to duck ownership and found much fewer websites etc. to guide me compared to chickens so I decided to start this blog to help those thinking of owning ducks decide if it is right for them and pass on the information I gather from experience and the few resources I've found.

To begin with, I wanted two Cayuga females. Ordering them proved problematic since most hatcheries wouldn't ship less than 10 chicks at a time and most were not sexed. There was a shipment expected at the farm store down the road on Friday the 13th, but they were straight run also. Lucky for me I work in a veterinary hospital and I was able to find out that the penis in ducklings can usually be palpated without the invasive procedure known as "vent sexing". I had to work that day so I instructed my husband on where to feel for the tiny lump that would indicate a boy and hoped for the best. I think he got it right but we won't be absolutely certain until they get their adult feathers. Either way, I'll be happy with them, though I am really hoping for duck eggs!

And, as you probably noticed from the photos, the farm store had a shipment of mallards come in at the same time as the Cayugas and they had them all together in the same pen. My husband therefore wound up getting one of each. I told him it was a happy accident, and will make it much easier to tell them apart. I think mallards are beautiful, but about half the size of the Cayugas and not as good at laying eggs. He doesn't plan on eating the eggs anyway, so just as well. Mallards are excellent foragers!