The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: jameslindsay on August 25, 2010, 10:38:13 pm
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Kenny went to put the ducks to bed earlier and found only 2 waiting on him. He let them in their pen and gave them their food and water and went to the river bank to call the others. They always come back themsleves but when he went out the hens were acting strangely too. He climbed the fence over to the river bank, fell on his back side and as soon as he went down with a thud a bloody fox got the fright of its life and went running off.
The ducks have teamed up with my geese and gone down stream where we can't even see them now. We are going to have to leave them out for the night, don't know what more we can do and the ducks have never spent a night out before. Very worried about them - there are 16 of them and 5 geese!
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They will hopefully be safe near or on the water,
can you leave a box or something nearby for them to shelter in if they need to? though they will settle quickly in the dark.
try not to worry, and hope Kenny is ok?!
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Och he's fine Ruth, thanks. I will be up at the crack of dawn in the morning to do a head count.
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Oh, I do hope they are all okay.
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I would say the ducks will stay on the water for the night - and they will be safe there. If they are with the geese. they should be safe enough. I assume the fox frightened the ducks and thats why they stayed on the river? Do the geese usually stay out all night?
Fingers crossed all is well in the morning.
One of my banties has disappeared tonight, searched everywhere I can think of. Thats banties for you, they take a notion to lay a clutch of eggs somewhere strange, and then sit on them. Well, it won't be sitting long, because if its outside, the fox will be there.
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I hope all the ducks have returned safe and sound James.
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Thanks folks. I got up just after 5am this morning and went out. The tide was very high so they were all close to my land and they were all there safe and well. They came running to me as soon as they saw me - nothing to do with the fact that I had bread in my hand for the ofcourse! So, after a head count they were all locked up for a few hours.
Roxy - the geese really suit themselves on where they sleep. If they are on the land then they will go to their beds and be locked up quite the thing but if they are not in the mood they stay out all night and always appear at the gate making a noise about 7am looking for some bread!!! Hope you find you bantam safe and well and you have harmony in the goat sheds. :)
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Glad to hear all is well. I can imagine you had a restless night. I felt for you!
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Ah, good that they were all safe there this morning :&>
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Pleased they all returned safe and sound, James. My bantam, plus one hen who I did not know was out, were waiting by the feed shed this morning. I hope they do not stay out again, they were lucky this time, but the fox is always about.
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Scraggy Aggie, the new ex batt with absolutely no feathers except two or three wing and tail ones had jumped over the fence today unknown to me - I let the dogs out as usual and there was mayhem! Fortunately the German killing machine had her muzzle on ::) but the three Brits were vying for teh opportunity to pick her up with me bawling their names individually as they tried to catch her - no feathers meant it was difficult to get a hold. Eventually Bobby's mum, Belle, was triumphantly holding her high and the others then backed off, and I yelled at her to bring it to me - not a mark on Aggie - not a bite, bot a scratch - but she is panting in shock so I have laid her on straw in her shed. Just going out to check but I fear the worst.
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Oh poor scraggy aggie, she will be in shock, and not surprising after being chased. But all credit to your dog for not hurting her. Do hope she is ok. I have had dogs in among my hens, and after having theri feathers pulled out they were traumatised, but after a few hours shut up, they recovered.
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Oh poor scraggy aggie, she will be in shock, and not surprising after being chased. But all credit to your dog for not hurting her. D
The Brittanys are all used to retrieving in the field and are all soft mouthed - couldn't take them on shoots or field trials otherwise - it's in the breeding. But Hester is a different matter - she takes no prisoners! Hence the muzzle - she just might have a go at Belle or Bobby if she got irritated by them.
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James, I've come online just to check about your ducks.... what a relief they are ok!
and Scraggy Annie, once she's had a rest...
:)
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Thanks they are all fine now. I just hope they haven't got the taste of freedom and the good life at nights now!!!!
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phew, James, I can imagine your worries...we thought we had lost mother hen, had to search the garden in the worst rain for weeks! she had been stuck in the brambles near her house where she had laid an egg in the morning. I also noticed that Mr is giving them a bit of a hard time just before bedtime! Not exactly encouraging for going to bed! I hope yours is found safe and well, Annie! By the way, did I say that our chick is still white?? The girls called her snowy ;D, Dad is nearly black and mums are all Lohmann Browns, weird :&>
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Glad to hear all your feathered friends were well this morning, James!
Hope Aggie is none the worse for her tussle with the dogs.
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I've tucked Aggie up in lots if straw and left food and water for her - I think she is pretty bruised as she is hobbling and falling over so she is a little unbalanced - might be due to loss of wing feathers. will see how she is at teatime. Glad your ducks were OK, James. Birdbrains they may be but they are still a worry!