The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Declan on August 28, 2010, 08:52:16 pm
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PLease excuse the completely novice question. I was offered a few young ducks today fro ma guy who also had goats and hens. MY wee girl was mad keen toget some but I passed it off as I think I have enoight to be looking after.
The ducks were upright type and black with white markings. He said they were mixed breed and the "typical farmyard duck" I do like the notion of a few duck eggs to compliment my hens. I also like the idea of hasving a pen with weilds flowers and a pond. My question is -what is the difference betwen this upright type duck and the mallard duck you see in your village pond.
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The main difference is that a mallard will fly away, most domestic ducks stay put and don't fly. Why would you want to keep wild ducks anyway? Ducks are messy and will muddy up a pretty pond in seconds. I have a pen for mine, they have a paddling pool which is cleaned out three times a week and is muddy within seconds of refilling it. But they don't mind, and they get out to wander round the front paddock every day and paddle in the trickle of a burn that runs through the garden. But I love having them, and their eggs, as do my 3 grandchildren who love hand feeding them. So if you have somewhere suitable to keep them go ahead. They may be a cross between runners and khaki campbells if they are upright.
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I'm fully on this with Annie - don't ever let them into a real pond if you want anything else (plants, wildlife, frogs or toads) in it rather than smelly mud...old plastic sandpit for us, cleaned out once a week, drinking bowls daily. They sound really pretty, maybe a cross of runners and Cayugas or Swedish Blues? Post a picture when you get them? Keep them shut in a run for a few days so they learn where they live and sleep. Wild mallards are no use to us, they have their own lakes and rivers they go to they won't stay! :&>
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Ive got a wild mallard of 10 weeks old. It lives with my hens .Will it fly away when it gets older?
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How did she come to stay with you?? ;D If she's born with you she might stay - or get the urge to take off once brothers and sisters fly over...My lot chats a lot to the wild ones ;) :&>
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The upright kind are runner ducks and dont seem to need a great deal of water to splash about in as say Aylesburies do. My Aylesburies and Swedish Blues do need a lot of water and running water at that but the runners are much more 'polite'and preen at the side of the pond but they still need one. Runners lay more eggs but not great meat ducks except in asian dishes where they are prefered. If you want their eggs I would put them in a large pen so you can actually find the eggs! The pen will also save your garden which will be decimated in days with ducks about. You can get runners in lots of colours but I would take them as they are a real gift.
A new post was written before I posted...... I have a neighbour who had a swan go live with his geese, as far as I know it is still happy with them. It does fly around the neighbourhood but goes back!
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This is lovely, James has a wild goose who joined his lot. Sadly none of the wild mallards ever got tempted to stop by - as I said they just chat a lot! :&>
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This is lovely, James has a wild goose who joined his lot. Sadly none of the wild mallards ever got tempted to stop by - as I said they just chat a lot! :&>
The wild goose that has joined my family is a Greylag and she has really made herself at home. I think she may be quite young and is actually not too scared of us at all. She comes right up to the gate with the others and has even ventured in to the pen where we keep the ducks for some food. I think it is love between her and my Roman Goose. :hshoe:
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This is lovely, James has a wild goose who joined his lot. Sadly none of the wild mallards ever got tempted to stop by - as I said they just chat a lot! :&>
The wild goose that has joined my family is a Greylag and she has really made herself at home. I think she may be quite young and is actually not too scared of us at all. She comes right up to the gate with the others and has even ventured in to the pen where we keep the ducks for some food. I think it is love between her and my Roman Goose. :hshoe:
Who knows, James, you may soon be able to hatch some Grey Romans instead of Khaki Campbells ;) ;D ;D
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Ducks in ponds/pens - novice's questions.
I live deep in the countryside, and there is a large pond just outside my boundary. No neighbours to be seen. I am wondering about getting a couple of Runners and maybe they will use the pond during the day and I can pen them in at night. Is this wishful thinking? Do they put themselves to bed like my helpful Wellsummers, or could they be trained to? Or could I let them free-range with the hens?
I like the idea, but if they'll just disappear, or never come back from the pond then it's not worth it.
Maybe I could make an island on the pond with a nest box and collect the eggs from there?
Any ideas or experiences to share?
Thanks.
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Hi, we live alongside the River Eden and my ducks and geese use this every day and return to our land at various times during the day, I also have 3 Indian Runners amongst them. The secret is when you first get them keep them in their pen for a few weeks, the longer the better. Once they are settled with you they know where home is and are happy that you are going to feed them they shoudl come home. As to putting themselves to bed at night, I doubt that very much.
The river Eden is tidal and wide beside us and the ducks happily co exist with the swans, wild ducks and geese, seals and various other wild birds.
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the pond outside your boundary will be a smelly muddy puddle in a very short time. I chose not to let mine use the pond as I also enjoy windlife, like toads, frogs, etc and they would destroy all in a few days. Instead they have a paddling pool/plastic sandpit, which is easy to clean. As they free range in the garden, they are still happy - maybe not as happy as James' on the river ;D but happy enough. Putting them to bed took some training and is easier in the darker months. Certain levels of light just make them want to stay out and chase moths! If I am lucky they have already gone to bed when I come and I just need to shut the door, but I can't rely on it like with the chooks. :&>
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my guy/or girl has a paddeling pool that it has free access to as it is penned in during the day,
but once all the cows have stopped bulling and the nasty bull is away from behind us, they are going to get walked to the large pond for an hour or so, it is safe as it is all fenced in, therefore we could leave them and fetch them home for bed.
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Ive got a wild mallard of 10 weeks old. It lives with my hens .Will it fly away when it gets older?
more than likely ive raised a few in the past n theyve always flown away good luck
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My white campbells ARE HUGE, one or two actually look like they are attempting to fly but they also seem to love their home. They also put themselves to bed just before its too dark. Tonight, the wind had blown the door shut, poor things were huddled up outside when I went to close the doors of the chicken coups. Opened the doors and went to the chicken coups, turned round and my duckies were all in bed. :)