The Duck Thread

[Julie Birb]

yes it gets pretty cold up here on the 45th parallel. Last winter and 2 weeks of -20*. Fingers crossed it doesn't get that cold again. I want to put a grate in it to elevate it so they aren't walking in over splash.

Here's Hunter and the chickens

And #2 just hatched.

How cute. A new life. Another sweet webby born. Yahoo.

 

[Tlearn98]

@Tlearn98
   I have Muscovy's and they fly I clip one wing on each duck every year after they molt in the fall keeps them home and safe I do not think wing clipping is terrible.
In winter ducks need a place to sleep at night out of the weather that is draft free but still have great ventilation. We all use different sources of bedding mine I like is deep shavings. others use straw some hay just depends on your preference, They will need a water source that doesn't freezer up on them I like heated buckets {TSC} is one source. I wouldn't put them inside though or you'll have  a frozen mess on the floor. Unless you can figure out a way to drain off the water that they splash out. They won't need heat if you provide them with a good hut which sounds like you are doing. Ducks are pretty cold hardy . Good wholesome feed and some nice dried meal worms and some whole corn in the afternoon to give them warmth overnight in inside their bodies and they should do fine. They really don't need bathing water but on nicer days giving them some kind of pan large enough they can splash around in would make them happy I use a cement mixing pan. Maybe some pics of you lil family members would be nice..

Thank you for your info!! How do you ventilate, but have no drafts? I'm 7 months into owning ducks. Before my two ducks, I've only raised a dog, a fish, and hermit crabs, so this is all very new to me! I've been getting my education through the Feedmill I shop and and mostly googling questions which usually lead me to BYC.

 

[Tlearn98]

Thank you for your info!! How do you ventilate, but have no drafts? I'm 7 months into owning ducks. Before my two ducks, I've only raised a dog, a fish, and hermit crabs, so this is all very new to me! I've been getting my education through the Feedmill I shop and and mostly googling questions which usually lead me to BYC.

Here's Ranger swimming in the house! I also have 12 ducklings that are being rehomed!

 

[MrsPlopPlop]

Recieved my long awaited order of 10 ducklings from Metzer Farms yesterday. They were shipped through the holiday and as a result were in transit for 4 days! Needless to say - only 5 survived. 50% survival rate... Not so great. It was pretty devastating. They will replace them for me I'm sure, but I'm so nervous to ship ducklings again! Who else has shipped from Metzer? Is a 50% loss super rare? Has anyone experienced this? Should I trust another shipment? On the bright side... Here are some happy pics of the 5 that made it.

 

[OldMissionChick]

Yeahhhh for #3!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Recieved my long awaited order of 10 ducklings from Metzer Farms yesterday. They were shipped through the holiday and as a result were in transit for 4 days! Needless to say - only 5 survived. 50% survival rate... Not so great. It was pretty devastating. They will replace them for me I'm sure, but I'm so nervous to ship ducklings again! Who else has shipped from Metzer? Is a 50% loss super rare? Has anyone experienced this? Should I trust another shipment? On the bright side... Here are some happy pics of the 5 that made it.

For Metzers I'd say that is not good. Why would they ship knowing a holiday was going to cause a hold up. And here I was thinking of ordering from them, I am very sorry I don't think I am going to be able to give you a good opinion on having more shipped..

Sorry for your loss, your surviving ducklings are adorable. Did you order grow gel and heat pac?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's Ranger swimming in the house! I also have 12 ducklings that are being rehomed!

So to ventilate you need to have air flow that allows moisture to escape from top. Most just cut in small vents and cover with hardware cloth you can cut in or put in used windows for the sides or cut in your own and add sheets of plywood to cover these in winter I have Old used windows in my houses and I keep the tops open on the south and east at the top about half way just to keep fresh air and moisture going in and out. Ducks make alot of moisture and if it doesn't have a way to escape can cause mold to build up inside and cause respiratory issues. So fresh air is a must. Your temps are probably not too much different than ours so leaving windows open at top on south and east side will give them plenty of air. Vents cut in a top will give moisture a way to escape. Go to search and look up ventilation you'll get some ideas on there. Did your 2 ducks produce these 12 ducklings? Your 2 adults are gorgeous. Cut or put your windows on west and north side up higher than east and south that way you won't have draft blowing across your ducks

from Grit magazine:
Good ventilation also is key in chicken houses, as this helps keep chickens from acquiring respiratory illnesses and aids in keeping humidity levels down in the coop. Birds require fresh air in the coop, without it being too drafty and cold. This is a delicate balance to achieve and may require some trial and error. Being observant is one key to giving all of your barnyard animals a high quality of life. However, realize that even in cold areas such as South Dakota, chickens can thrive in sheltered, non-heated chicken coops with the windows left open all winter.[This is talking about chickens but pertains to all poultry]

 

[Julie Birb]

All the new duck pics. Eeeeeeeeeeeeee. So cute. Ranger swimming in the sink. The 5 surviving babies. I am so sorry for the loss of the other 5. That is so sad. And duckling #3. Awesome. LOVE.....

 

[PotatoWaffles]

Recieved my long awaited order of 10 ducklings from Metzer Farms yesterday. They were shipped through the holiday and as a result were in transit for 4 days! Needless to say - only 5 survived. 50% survival rate... Not so great. It was pretty devastating. They will replace them for me I'm sure, but I'm so nervous to ship ducklings again! Who else has shipped from Metzer? Is a 50% loss super rare? Has anyone experienced this? Should I trust another shipment? On the bright side... Here are some happy pics of the 5 that made it.

I think Metzer has good survival rates depending upon the time of year you order. Many people have had great experiences with the hatchery, and I believe it's definitely among the better hatcheries. But it's getting cold. And it's starting to get into the holiday season, and there is a lot of postal traffic. I tried to send a package last week that took two weeks to deliver rather than the three days I was promised. Delays will be a major issue in shipping chicks at this time of year.

I have ordered from Metzer before. Last February, I received my order of six ducklings and one was dead. I live in Ohio and it was very cold, and too early to order ducklings but I was excited and I wanted them as soon as possible. The people at Metzer are very good about refunding, and they agreed to replace the duckling right away. I ordered two more ducklings to travel with the replacement duckling, so they could keep warm better. This entire shipment, along with hundreds of other shipments of chicks and ducklings, was delayed about a week after being sent due to a bad winter storm. Thousands of birds died in transit from the delay. Metzer, again being very good about refunds, replaced the birds, and I finally received my last three ducklings in late April.

My lesson learned is to never order during cold weather, even if the hatcheries offer to ship chicks in the cold weather months. It's not worth the risk and just better for the birds to wait until warm weather. Also, always always pay a little extra for the Gro-Gel for them, and heating packs if the weather is chilly. This definitely increased their chance of survival. I would see if they will hold your replacement order until next spring, unless it is warm weather where you are now. In that case I would see if they can hold your order until the holiday traffic slows down. And check the calendar to ensure the shipment doesn't fall over a holiday with no postage. Upcoming holiday with no postage to look out for include:

-Christmas Day: Friday December 25 2015
-New Years Day: Friday, January 1 2016
-MLK Day: Monday January 18 2016

Metzer does everything they can on their end to ensure the survival of your chicks, and if everything goes according to plan and the chicks ship Monday and arrive Tuesday or Wednesday, their survival rate is very good. But sometimes unforeseen events just happen. It's always a risk. Good luck with your ducklings!

 

[MrsPlopPlop]

For Metzers I'd say that is not good. Why would they ship knowing a holiday was going to cause a hold up.  And here I was thinking of ordering from them, I am very sorry I don't think I am going to be able to give you a good opinion on having more shipped..

Sorry for your loss, your surviving ducklings are adorable.   Did you order grow gel and heat pac? 

Yes I ordered both. what bothers me most..... Is that I received a call on the 10th saying that because of the holiday they would not be shipping the ducklings till the 13th. But the ship date on the box clearly says they shipped on the 10th. I received them on the 14th. So they were in transit for 4 days! I do not appreciate the dishonesty

Even with grow gel and a heat pack.... 4 days is just way way too much.