[orchardlady]

Hi there, I'm very new to duck keeping but have kept free range hens for about 15 years. I found two of those vile huge rusty orange/brown slugs motoring towards my plants in the flower boarder. I picked them up and presented them to the ducks. Definite interest. However one duck picked one slug up and in a few moments dropped it and rushes to  the water and was clearly swishing it's mouth out. The other slug did not fair so well though. Another duck pounced on it and took it to the water and did a great deal of swishing the slug in the water, removing it , vibrating it in it's bill and then returning to the water and repeating the process. I'm thinking that these were slugs that tasted horrid in some way. These ducks want for nothing, duck pellets ad lib, cabbage, tomatoes, plums, lettuce etc. etc. Free range in a lovely grassy field in the afternoons they definitely do not have to work hard to survive yet this one duck was very insistent that this slug was going down! What do you think?

[EJCTM]

Hi there,

Don't worry, this is quite normal! With really large slugs, the ducks often have to beat them up a bit!

When caught, slugs exude a really sticky slime designed to deter the predator. You will notice this if you pick one up and hold it in your hand for a few minutes, and the slime is almost impossible to wash off without some form of abrasive.

Ducks do not seem to be deterred however, and the extra water gained from dipping will help the slug "go down". Mine swallow even the large ones whole, but sometimes after beating them up and trying to break it into smaller pieces, which is unlikely unless 2 ducks take an end each and pull! Once the slug is in the crop, it continues to produce sticky slime which then bubbles up and the duck foams at the beak! My other ducks love this so much, they will try and eat the slime from the other's beak when it drips down. SO gross   

I guess maybe your first duck was a bit perplexed by the slime but the other one was determined to get to the tasty treat inside. When mine were younger, they only ate the little slugs and not the big ones, but now, no slug stands a chance!

I also have some chickens who will only eat baby slugs but one who will rip apart the large ones until their insides pop out and then eat them bit by bit. She is also the one who can de-shell a snail and do the same.

My ducks also love snails!

[orchardlady]

Oh wow that's so cool (Sound just like my teenage children now!) but really... wow that is just so cool. I love the bit about foaming at the mouth. Fortunately I didn't see or notice that stage, I can honestly say I would have thought the duck was seriously ill if I had. They are all young adults hatched late spring so this is my first years experience of ducks and probably being young and inexperienced was the reason the first duck decided not to eat the slug. I'm finding them quite delightful although they are not keen at all on coming near me. I must say the hens aren't keen on big slugs and certainly don't eat snails but yes they'll eat little slugs.

I really am bowled over by your answer thanks so much.

[Kate and her Ducks]

My ducks love slugs above all else, no matter how many treats they have. There's always room for slugs, even if they have to work on them for a while.

[EJCTM]

You are welcome OrchardLady!

I kept ducks for the first time last year, and have a new brood of runners this year, hatched 1st July. I love them to bits.

You say that yours run from you - you can tame them with the clever use of peas! did you know this?

Defrosted peas (never canned) are like crack to ducks, seriously! You just have to pour some boiling water on a bowlful of frozen peas and they are thawed within a few minutes. You then take the bowl outside (useful to use the same bowl each time as they will know this is the treat bowl) and start off by throwing a few down on the floor for them. I have to separate my chickens when I do this or they don't let the ducks in. They have to cluck like crazy in the coop for half an hour while I spoil the ducks!

The ducks will go mad for them and you just drop them closer and closer to you until they eat from the bowl in your hand. You then put some peas in your hand and they will eat straight from your hand, they love the peas so much! You can gain their trust by doing this every day and they will see you as the treat lady and not the scary monster.

Also another rule of thumb with ducks is only approach them bending low down. Their instincts tell them that predators come from above, and you will be viewed as a predator standing tall above them. Secondly, try not to corner them as they will panic with fright, and again predator-fear. If you have to catch them, and it is good to do this so they get used to being handled, then do it with peas!

Once you have them eating out of your hand (literally!) then you can start by tickling their chins, and then putting a hand down over their back to stroke them. Once they get used to this (small steps and lots of patience) then you can stroke them while you feed them. Then you can progress to reaching down slowly and picking them up, and continue to feed peas while on your lap. Make them dig for them by partly closing your fist, and this will also stop them eating too much. It takes a bit of time and patience, but you can tame them enough so they run to you, and are happy to be handled. Ducks are rarely cuddly like chickens can be, unless they have imprinted on a human from hatch, and even then they go through a teenage freak-out-against-all-humans period of time.

Mealworms are a close second for mad-for-it treats too. Lettuce and tomatoes a joint third. But economy frozen peas are cheap and cheerful and do the trick!

What sort of ducks do you have and have you got some pics to share?

OMG, just seen the length of this post - sorry I do tend to ramble, but thought you might like to overcome the nervous side of them and make them more friendly - you will get so much more pleasure from them 

[RichardA]

my ducks who love to eat frogs in particular will eat the orange slugs quite readily but they really love grubs etc.
R

[orchardlady]

Hi EJCTM.

What wonderful advice about the peas. I'll have to give it a go. Sounds like fun. I bought 3 White Aylesbury ducklings in May and they have now shown me what sex they are, regrettably all boys. I also have 3 Khaki Campbells all girls. The KCs have only been with me for a few weeks and are settling down with the Aylesburys very happily. I know that my boys or at least 2 will have to go. Anyone want one?

[EJCTM]

Do let us know how you get on with the pea-taming! My kids call me the duck whisperer, lol!

What bad luck with the Aylesburys, I hope you find good homes. I will probably have to lose one of my boys eventually but am waiting until I absolutely have to. For now they are both behaving well but they are only 10 weeks and I am dreading the hormones kicking in, as this will hasten the dreaded day. If I had more space, I would just get more girls for both of them, but I only have my garden. It's times like this that I really wished I lived on a farm!

[orchardlady]

You know, I don't have a problem dispatching a sick hen but fit young male birds I just hate doing it. I have a very nifty little tool that look a little like a pair of pliers. It is humane and quick but I still hate doing it. Like you I'll keep them until the last possible moment hoping there will be a miracle over night and they'll all turn into girls or that some one will knock on my door and ask me if I have a spare drake/cockerel perchance? Hey hum. Just before I have to do the deed with the ducks are there any ducky dispatching tips out there? They look like they have lovely strong necks.

[EJCTM]

uuuum,  well actually I would be thinking of rehoming one of my boys rather than "dispatching", as they are definitely pets.

Each to their own, I guess  I am just a softie really.

Not much meat on a runner duck thank goodness, so not an option even if I were tempted, lol!

Sorry I can't offer any tips but perhaps someone else can - and I will just close my eyes and not read it   

[orchardlady]

Don't get me wrong .i just adore my hens and ducks (my family reckon I love the d&h's more than them as I certainly spend more time with them rather than the family in their opinion) but the reality is that these three boys will make the girls lives hell if they are not re homed or sent to ducky heaven. As you said I would get more girls for these boys if I could but it's just not an option at the moment.

[Sassy]

Brilliant thread!

[Thrift]

Will return to read all later ..... just having a late breakfast ! 

[jamima]

I have five ducks which won't come anywhere near me i am going to try this method and will let you know how it goes 

[EJCTM]

Don't get me wrong .i just adore my hens and ducks (my family reckon I love the d&h's more than them as I certainly spend more time with them rather than the family in their opinion) but the reality is that these three boys will make the girls lives hell if they are not re homed or sent to ducky heaven. As you said I would get more girls for these boys if I could but it's just not an option at the moment.

I agree with you, you just caught me by surprise! It was the comment about lovely strong necks that had me in stitches 

If I was a smallholder then I would probably raise some for the pot and that would be the purpose of having them. I would have a lot more and would never try to bond with them because then I would not be able to do the dirty deed! But, we got them for fun and for eggs, so they are definitely what I would call pets with benefits! I have no problem with those that eat them, and indeed I think it brilliant that you know where your food comes from and that it has had a good life. I respect the nerves of steel that it must take as well!

OL - I hope you manage to rehome your extra boys, or have a nice Chistmas dinner! You can try listing them on the preloved website, they often have pets on offer. Good luck!

PS, if you try the pea-taming, they will melt your heart and then you might never be able to dispatch them - you have been warned, lol