Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: heatherhsp on June 12, 2009, 09:00
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We have recently moved and along with the house came a few magpie ducks, who are all but wild. They only come for food, and never go into a shelter of any sort, we have a river next to the house, and fields around us. Anyway... about 4 or 5 weeks ago, along came the gorgeous ducklings, there are 8 left now (out of 12). Problem is, they are completely on their own now, the adults are chasing them away constantly, poor things. I know a problem is that the adults are 4 drakes and only 1 female. but what can I do with the drakes? Esp the one who is doing most of the chasing! Then, I suppose I need homes for some ducklings too? It's really upsetting to see them chased off. They're only small. Should I try to keep them in my garden bit, try to fence it off? I've really no idea! Sorry.
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High heatherhsp and welcome. I dare say when Rob (poultrygeist) signs on he will give you loads of advice. Last year he cared for several mallards and is looking after another this year. If you have a spare hour have a look on the chicken chat pages under the item mallard brood (hundreds of pages and photos) this may give you some hints on the best thing to do :D
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oh cheers for that. will have a look now!
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Hi Heather & Welcome to the Hen House :D
As Joyfull has said Rob has first experience of raising "wild" ducklings and will be able to give you loads of advice :D
Personally As they are still relatively young I would try and catch them and get them in to some sort of safe run. As they wont be getting flight feathers for another 3/4 weeks they are at the mercy of any predators :( You could loose more :(
Best of luck with them :D
Sarah :)
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Cheers Sarah
Just back from town, armed with netting to keep them in the gate, something for water play etc! Think they'll miss the river though, but guess it's only temporary. Have to wait for them to show up today now. Adults are all on our field sleeping very peacefully - they don't look like bullies at all at the moment!
Thanks again
Heather
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It should all calm down once the boys start to moult :D
Feel very sorry for the girl though :( I have one here who gets more than her fair share of male attention :(
Naughty boy ducks, do they stay all year round? Did the people you got the house from say?
If they do then it may be an idea to try to sort out the extra boys by some means re- homing or ......
Sadly the same will happen again next year and the chances are there will be more boys if you keep the little ones you have now.
Sarah :)
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Yes, I think they need rehoming. I can't bear the thought of the other alternative...
anybody want to give them a happy home?
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Girls yes boys no sorry, got my fair share of those already :lol:
Where abouts are you? You never know someone may be able to help :D
Sarah :D
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In the Yorkshire Dales. Swaledale. There must be some lonely females somewhere surely! ::)
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Bother, we had a member in Yorkshire just last week looking for a duckling! She's got one now though.
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oh no!! surely two would be better!! ;)
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She already had one, it needed company. Of course two or more is always best. :D
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Hi heather. Just catching up briefly. :)
Sound advice already given. I would think they'll want something to coral them in but beware, they can wriggle through a keyhole ! :D
Biggest problem is keeping them safe from predators. If you can get them to go into some sort of box that you can weatherproof or at least a "bus shelter" type of setup to keep the elements off them. I'm assumign they have some feathers starting to grow ?
The biggest amongst them should assume the lead, proective role and the others will follow, so if you need to herd them, go for that one !
Good luck. WOn't be around much, but lookign forward to photos and updates. :)
Swaledale is a very, very nice area. I'll come up and act as duckherd if you want :D
Rob 8)
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Thanks Rob! Waiting for them to come back. Haven't seen them all day, which is a worry. Poor things didn't come back until nearly dark last night either though. :(
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Are they actually 'attached' to the house or are they wild but know where to come for food ?
We have a regular string of visitors who are well catered for but they are completely wild. Our little charge will return to the lake in a week or two (once his wings get bigger than two inches long ::)).
The legalities of the wildlife act come into play if they're wild except for situations where they are in immediate danger eg. orphaned ducklings. We feed rabbit food and mixed corn which gives a good balance plus vit B in the cereals.
Rob 8)
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If they are magpie ducks they will not be "wild" ducks as they are a domestic duck breed. They may well be the duck version of feral though.
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That's ok then. Once I go beyond mallard, I run out of knowledge. :unsure:
Thought I'd better throw in the legal bit just in case though :D
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Well they were bought by the previous owners, but they just let them live around the place, so they aren't used to huts or anything like that. They come for food and are around much of the day.
The ducklings aren't here yet. It's a worry. I worry that they won't come back. Could they survive? They've been eating mixed corn like the hens. They seem to be growing every day, and are very lively!
Heather
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Mixed corn is fine. :)
Don't want to put a downer on it but they do tend to reduce in number over the weeks. It depends where they're going and what's around.
We went from 8 to 1 but the circumstances were a bit different.
Rob 8)
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oh blimey...
hope they survive!!! I'm in and out of the house every 5 mins looking for them. Then if (when I hope) they come, will have to get them through the gate into our garden!! Mmm...it'll be difficult, but I have my faithful and gentle border collie to help :D
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We made a bit of a 'funnel' into our chicken run. They fell for it and I went in with the fishhing net :D
Straight into a cardboard box and then the duck house.
Good luck and try not to worry.
Rob 8)
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11.35pm, ducklings came back! We managed to get them into the garden, fed them etc. Hope thay are still there in the morning!!
thanks for the advice tonight,
Heather
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Hope all's well this morning. :)
Rob 8)
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Good so far ta Rob. They seem to be settling under a bench, and are sound asleep. They've eaten, but haven't seen them drink yet. They may have of course!
At least they haven't escaped....
Their feathers are just starting to come. I had to catch one as s/he ran into the house and up the stairs!!! S/he felt very greasy! So that's good.
But things are calm this morning, thanks
Heather :)
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I've always likened them to eels at that age. I think they must dislocate every joint so they can wriggle out of your hands. :D
Sounds like they know where they'll be best off. We took in our current guest because he/she was being pushed away by all the adults, including mum, and was runnign round following any duck within sight. This was taking him/her into gardens with cats, dogs and into the road.
I think food-wise they're fine because they're able to recognise food from hatching so can survive as long as they stick together and don't panic.
Rob 8)
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Duckling update. They're fine. But I'm worried that I haven't seen them drink, or go into the water that I've put for them. They're used to the river, so I expect that's why. But they need to drink.... hope they will soon. :(
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Pop some grass chopped up abit in the water or some corn, it will intrigue them and hopefully make them aware it's there :)
Glad they're ok :D
sarah :)
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Thanks Sarah will do it now. Though there are a few stones in it and a few drowned midges!!
Cheers
Heather
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A few worms in or close to the water may help too. They can be very fussy about what they go near. Superstitious bunch ::)
Rob 8)
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Ducklings are fine! They've been drinking ad have had a dip!! Hurray :D
Last night though their mum was quacking and they were going mad at the gate to get to her. I nearly let them out, I felt so bad... :(
I didn't though as I knew what the outcome would be. What'll happen eventually though, when they're bigger and go out? Some will need homes definately...
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Don't panic about release just yet Heather :)
By the time they are ready to go they will have their flight feathers so will be better equipped to escape any predators :)
Great news that they've had a drink, your doing a great job :D
Sarah :)
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Cheers Sarah! :)
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Update! Ducklings are all fine. Can't get them into a shelter of any sort though. In the day, they sleep under a bench (I've put wood on top like a little roof), sometimes they hide in the long grass in another walled garden area. But at night, they huddle together on the grass to sleep, completely out in the open. Do you think that's okay?
Heather
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Mine adults would do that if I let them but they go in with a little encouragement. They will be fine from a temp/weather point of view but predators may be a problem.
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I spent 10 minutes+ last night shining a torch, chasing round the outisde of the run and leaping over the paddling pool, in a bid to make going inside seem a more advantageous option.
I won in the end. I always do. It just takes a while to negotiate. :D
I have made a 'false front' with some timber and welded mesh so the house is open fronted and seems less like an artificial place to sleep.
However, since the sun comes up about 4/4.30am and I don;t get up until about 6am, it meant that littlun was stuck in there wanting to get out and gettign frustrated. I decided to stick with the solid door.
Being semi-wild, it's tricky to know what to do for best. I always opt for the safe option. As kate says, if any got taken in the night, you'd feel pretty rotten, but you know what's best in your situation. :)
Rob 8)
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Well, if they're warm enough, that's good. As for being got by some other creature, what would it be? The chickens here are never been locked in.
For 10 years, the previous owners had chickens, never locked in (and neighbours also don't shut them in). Very enthusiastic game keepers mean nobody has every seen a fox. Don't want to speak too soon though.
I thought they'd naturally find shelter though. I do have a hut that they could go in - if I could get them there. But want to try to keep they as natural as poss...
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You could try a dish of something nice in there but you can bet at least one would stay out. ::)
As long as you're happy as they are, stick with what you feel is right. :)
We've never seen any foxes round here either but we don't have gamekeepers to keep an eye out :unsure:
Rob 8)
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Just to say thanks for all your info and support. It really helps when you have no idea what's best!
Still have 8 ducklings this morning - thankfully! Worked out that they're 6 weeks now, but are still quite fluffy, when do the proper feathers come fully? I think they are starting to sprout.
I know my one female duck is laying eggs somewhere again.... dread to think there'll be more ducklings! A friend of ours who has a farm, won't take the drakes, but will take her and any other females (she already has too many drakes), though she is gorgeous, and I don't want her to go, I'm sure it'll be for the best.
Question is, how will the drakes be without any females? If they'll be okay, I'll just keep them.
Cheers
Heather
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I would think another couple of weeks and the flight feathers will be there :) Titch's lot are 8wks and they are practicing take off :ohmy:
You might find that drakes will go off in search of females :(
How many drakes are there?
Sarah :D
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There are 4 adults. I can't tell with the ducklings what they are yet. Their tail feathers are pointing alarmingly upwards though.... hope they're not all boys!! Don't really wany to give any away, but have to... :(
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I don't see any reason why you couldn't keep one male and the female plus any females that have hatched (got to be one hopefully) then maybe offer the other males free to good homes on here, there is also preloved where you can advertise them :)
The youngsters wont become a problem until next spring so maybe look into something for the adult boys for now :)
The only other thing as I've said before is to cull some of them :( Not nice but sometimes best :(
If it were me I'd go with the last option, keeping just a one boy and any females :)
Sarah :D
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Ta for advice Sarah. Problem will be though that they'll keep having more ducklings if I keep the female. And culling for me isn't an option I'm afraid. I understand what you're saying though.
So I don't want them to keep producing more ducklings, or the whole of Swaledale will be filled with ducks! :D
It seems that nobdy wants drakes do they? (they seem to be very fertile!!!)
Heather
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Is there no way you could fence off an area for the female? That way finding any eggs would be easier so she wouldn't get the chance to sit them :)
Clutching at a few straws I know but would love you to be able to keep a couple :D
Sarah :)
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Is there any way you could face other people taking the drakes and culling them ?
You may find it hard to find new homes for all of them otherwise. And the drakes tend to outnumber the females.
Don't envy you the dilemma. :(
Rob 8)
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Can't fence off. Think that'd be hard for her,as she's used to a free life, going on the river etc. Can't bear the thought of any being killed.
I'll keep the drakes. Or is that cruel? And she's such a lovely little duck...
Oh dear... :( I know I'm soft. I'm not cut out for the realities of life it seems!
Heather
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It's not easy Heather :(
I could offer the girls a forever home and the boys could come too but as I too have a lot of boys they wouldn't be able to stay forever :(
Sarah x
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Thanks Sarah! Lucky girls :D
Lets see how many of these turn out to be girls. I think I have to have boys only place here then!! Wonder how long it'll be before I can tell by looking at them. I can only tell the adults by the tail feathers.
Heather :)
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Their quacks are usually the first give away :)
Girlies quack and boys still keep up with the baby noise :)
Kate has put a link on somewhere I'll see if I can find it :D
Found it more for when they're adults though
http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm
With my last lot the girls started quacking at about 3 weeks :ohmy:
Sarah :)
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Oh no! Haven't heard any quacking yet! Fingers crossed though X
:unsure:
Heather
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The ducklings are getting quite big now! They're flapping their wings about too. So, tried to take them to the river for a bit yesterday, it's only 10 metres away. All went okay until the drakes appeared from nowhere and chased them into the scrubby bit. I shooed the drakes away and fell into the river! :ohmy:
Then we couldn't find the ducklings, and where scared they'd run off the edge - a 16ft drop at the edge of the waterfall. Anyway, we found that they'd run on a tiny ledge, with a sheer drop at the side, and managed to get into the field next door.
We have them back in our garden now, all were shaken and tired, one limping.
Oh no... what now? Are they destined to be in the garden forever? Poor little souls.... :(
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Sounds like a bit of a traumatic adventure for all of you! :ohmy: Hope you have all recovered well.