The Duck Thread

[WVduckchick]

Why does Florida have to be so dang hot?!?My poor babies are out on our enclosed back porch and even though they are only 3 days old I have to turn off the heat lamp during the day!Their water was actually hot , so I had to put ice cubes in it...I feel so bad but they can't swim all day , even in this weather.(It's about 90 outside , 95+ on the back porch , when the heat lamp was on it was 105 when they were drying from their swim)

Many people let them swim in a few inches of water for a few minutes from the time they are born. Not sure your intentions on fully swimming, but even at 3 days, I put mine in the sink in a few inches of water for a few minutes. Supervised of course. If you have a kiddie pool or something for them, you could put a little water in the bottom for them to walk in. Not completely cover the bottom, but basically some puddles for them to walk in. Might help?

 

[needlessjunk]

Why does Florida have to be so dang hot?!?My poor babies are out on our enclosed back porch and even though they are only 3 days old I have to turn off the heat lamp during the day!Their water was actually hot , so I had to put ice cubes in it...I feel so bad but they can't swim all day , even in this weather.(It's about 90 outside , 95+ on the back porch , when the heat lamp was on it was 105 when they were drying from their swim)

I have raised ducklings in winter and summer. Summer is soooo much easier because I do allow them water to swim in from a young age. Usually the water is the coolest area and the only way they can cool off. My boys had a pool from 2 weeks on because I'm in TX and the summers are hot! They did have a few ways to get out and I never made it deeper than what they could stand up in. Winter was a completely different story and they only got a bath when I could watch them and it was in the bath tub with warm water.

 

[Julie Birb]

Have to thank cacklejoy for breeding and raising such an amazing roo I just get to reap the benefits =) she also told me he has blue egg genes =) so far I'm in love with him and he's in love with my green ee hen and anything that remotely sounds like a baby bird =D

He is such a blessed bird for loving little beepy baby birds. Reading this that you have written just further reinforces my love for birds.

 

[kalibus330]

Can anyone tell me what breed my little duck looks like his down started out as yellow and now he is turning brown and white (also not sure if guy or girl just kinda assumed a guy)

 

[lopez1611]

I have a Brody Muscovy duck and she's been laying in her nest for about 18 days already day and night. and I wanted to see if they are fertile but due to a myth I heard that " if you touch one of her eggs she doesn't want the egg anymore because it smells like you " I'm not sure if it's true but I'm scared to grab them.. Someone help and tell me if this is true

 

[Lizzy456]

Many people let them swim in a few inches of water for a few minutes from the time they are born.  Not sure your intentions on fully swimming, but even at 3 days, I put mine in the sink in a few inches of water for a few minutes.  Supervised of course.  If you have a kiddie pool or something for them, you could put a little water in the bottom for them to walk in.  Not completely cover the bottom, but basically some puddles for them to walk in.  Might help? 

Oh yes , they have been swimming supervised since yesterday.I made sure the water I put in their pan was the temperature of bathwater , and they only swam for 25 minutes tops.After that , they all got out and started preening.We do have a kiddie pool , but it's the large size(5ft round 12in deep)so we're using a smaller pan set in the kiddie pool until they graduate to the bigger one , which from the fact that they visibly grow each day , probably in a week.
All their pool parties are going to be supervised , moderately short and warm until they go outside to their coop.

 

[Julie Birb]

Can anyone tell me what breed my little duck looks like his down started out as yellow and now he is turning brown and white (also not sure if guy or girl just kinda assumed a guy)

Gorgeous bird. Could he be a Muscovy? The pic on my smartphone isn't very big bit it looks like there are the tissue things on his face.

 

[Julie Birb]

I have a Brody Muscovy duck and she's been laying in her nest for about 18 days already day and night. and I wanted to see if they are fertile but due to a myth I heard that " if you touch one of her eggs she doesn't want the egg anymore because it smells like you " I'm not sure if it's true but I'm scared to grab them.. Someone help and tell me if this is true

I think it is a myth. If you find Miss Lydia or Amiga and ask them directly they should know.

 

[jtn42248]

I think it is a myth. If you find Miss Lydia or Amiga and ask them directly they should know.

Mostly a myth. While many wild birds will reject an egg once it is tuched by a human it is rare for a domestic bird to do so. They are so acclimated to our smells and sounds that they tend to just ignore the fact that you touched their egg. More likely they will try to prevent you from touching them. I would make certain that my hands were clean but not smelling of soap. Mostly to prevent the transfer of something from outside the nesting environment to the eggs. You do have to be sort of quick and taking them from the nest say into the house and back again would probably not be wise.

 

[Julie Birb]

Mostly a myth. While many wild birds will reject an egg once it is tuched by a human it is rare for a domestic bird to do so. They are so acclimated to our smells and sounds that they tend to just ignore the fact that you touched their egg. More likely they will try to prevent you from touching them. I would make certain that my hands were clean but not smelling of soap. Mostly to prevent the transfer of something from outside the nesting environment to the eggs. You do have to be sort of quick and taking them from the nest say into the house and back again would probably not be wise.

Interesting. And great advice not to have one's hands scented so as not to pass on the smells to the egg.