Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Ducks  (Read 5427 times)

piggy

  • Joined Oct 2008
Ducks
« on: May 20, 2010, 10:22:39 pm »
Hi

Went to store to buy stock fence and have come back with 8 duckling due to feeling sorry for them!

We have lots of chickens and geese but i know nothing about ducks.

Been told that their Aylesbury ducks about 3 weeks old,have got them in a very old fenced pig pen at moment with baby sand pit filled with water dug in ground until there bigger to go on pond with geese?

Am feeding mixed corn at moment is that ok and should it be ad lib?

Hopefully some will turn out to be female,when do they start laying?

Do i need to worm them?

Any advice would be great.


Thanks

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Ducks
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2010, 11:09:33 pm »
I worm mine the same as my chickens with Verm-X, I feed them the same as my chickens too - layers pellets, mixed grain, bread, vegetables, noodles, rice, worms, slugs.  The pond you've given them is fine - you should be able to sex them at about 10 to 12 weeks, possibly earlier, by their voices, the girls will start to quack, and you need to stand and watch so you know which ones are quacking, the boys just make a pathetic squeaking noise  ;) ;D, and they start to lay about 6 months like chickens.  The eggs are fantastic for baking! or eat tehm teh same as hens eggs
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Nr St Andrews, Fife
  • "Blossom" one of my Pygmy Goats
Re: Ducks
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2010, 06:33:29 am »
Good for you. Ayelsbury ducks are known as lazy ducks whose only purpose in life is eating but they are beautiful ducks. Hope you manage to get a high percentage of girls. :)

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Ducks
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2010, 06:49:57 pm »
They aren't White Campbells are they - I often mistake them for Aylesburys
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Re: Ducks
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2010, 07:01:21 pm »
Hi,

Just make sure that you dont feed them any feed with ACS in it.

No comment on the worming - there are those far more knowlegeable than me who can answer that  ;)

Thanks
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Helencus

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • NW Leicestershire
Re: Ducks
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2010, 11:08:59 pm »
What's ACS?

Hermit

  • Joined Feb 2010
Re: Ducks
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2010, 11:20:52 pm »
I have Aylsburies and they taste great. Mine are free range though on a burn so I just feed layers when I lock up at night and add flaked maize in winter. I worm the same as the chooks with Flubenvet. I breed for meat so it does not matter about sexing as when they are old enough to kill the males have the curly tale feather anyway. The eggs are large and white and great for baking and fried but I dont like them scrambled or omlettes etc as they go too rubbery for me. Just had 15 hatch this morning and another twelve on the way.

piggy

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Ducks
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2010, 11:27:44 pm »
Thanks for the replys

What age are they ready for eating?

Hermit

  • Joined Feb 2010
Re: Ducks
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2010, 11:31:01 pm »
Never really timed it , when the tail feathers show on the males and they feel meaty enough is what we go by.

Re: Ducks
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2010, 08:43:04 am »
What's ACS?

Basically an additive found in normal chick crumbs / rearer and chicken finisher - but not in layers pellets.

Prevents Salmonella, listeria etc.

But not good for Ducks systems

Thanks
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk - Safe Secure shopping for all your livestock equipment and supplies.
Also www.suppliesforfarmers.co.uk for more larger farm related items

piggy

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Ducks
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2010, 12:23:58 am »
Pics at last.

piggy

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Ducks
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2010, 06:51:46 pm »
Out of the 8 there were 7 females and 1 drake,its typical that as i wanted 2 or 3 drakes there was only 1.

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Nr St Andrews, Fife
  • "Blossom" one of my Pygmy Goats
Re: Ducks
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2010, 06:59:18 pm »
Out of the 8 there were 7 females and 1 drake,its typical that as i wanted 2 or 3 drakes there was only 1.

Be careful what you wish for Piggy, next time you may get 100% drake hee hee :&>

hennypenny

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • North Cornwall
Re: Ducks
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2010, 05:22:33 am »
We have 2 Aylesbury's and 3 white 'Whatever' ducks (bought at auction).  They all get on well, and make a terriblemess and thoroughly enjoy themselves!
We just tried 4 eggs in the incy for a friend who is pestering about ducks and one really cute wee thing hatched...so now weve got 12 in for both her and ourselves.  God knows what we are going to do with them...eat them probably....

 

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