The Duck Thread

[Dennyis]

@Dennyis
  can you post a picture of the foot? usually bruising takes a while to go away and is usually sort of yellowish at the end.
The duckling could have been injured internally by being thrown in to the brooder I can understand why the duckling is afraid of hands after that episode. If you want your ducklings to trust and be friendly then I would be sure all who interact with them treat them gently.

Internally injured!!? What is the symptoms ? My duckling is still behave normally
Here í the picture of the bruise

 

[FishingMT]

Are Black Billed Magpies(black & white scavenger bird) & crows a threat to ducks & geese? We don't have very many crows that stick around, but you can almost always spot a magpie around the property. They steal dog food from the yard & have befriended one of my dogs. It comes in the morning & sits in the small tree in the yard. It sits there & squawks & my dog goes running out & barking all around the tree. The magpie jist sits & squawks back & forth. Pretty entertaining until the magpie gets bored & flies off. My dog chases it as far as she can haha. It's very comical. But my question is, will the magpies gang up on ducklings or goslings? Are they a threat to my flock? They are very intelligent. Does anyone know what kind of bird I'm talking about or have them around your flock?

They eat everything & anything. Will they eat my ducklings if given a chance? Please someone help me with this.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Are Black Billed Magpies(black & white scavenger bird) & crows a threat to ducks & geese? We don't have very many crows that stick around, but you can almost always spot a magpie around the property. They steal dog food from the yard & have befriended one of my dogs. It comes in the morning & sits in the small tree in the yard. It sits there & squawks & my dog goes running out & barking all around the tree. The magpie jist sits & squawks back & forth. Pretty entertaining until the magpie gets bored & flies off. My dog chases it as far as she can haha. It's very comical. But my question is, will the magpies gang up on ducklings or goslings? Are they a threat to my flock? They are very intelligent. Does anyone know what kind of bird I'm talking about or have them around your flock?




They eat everything & anything. Will they eat my ducklings if given a chance? Please someone help me with this.

Like all wild birds, they pose some risk of disease to your flock so by no means should the be encouraged. My ducklings were never outside unattended until they were fully feathered, and even then until they were accepted into the flock. In my experience magpies will eat eggs and if you let them they will show up in greater and greater numbers, so it is better to keep they area where the ducks overnight fairly magpie proof and to collect "yard" eggs frequently so the magpies aren't frequently successful with the eggs. (The same is true for skunks). I have never had a magpie pose a direct threat to any of my ducks and sometimes they chase off hawks so I consider them fairly duck neutral. I think they are the same as ravens as far as ducks are concerned. If you have to leave ducklings outdoors unattended, I would do it in a completely enclosed (including top) run because everything in nature thinks they are snacks. Once they hit 8 weeks or so (fully feathered), I wouldn't worry about direct attacks from magpies unless you have bantam ducks. If you do have problems with excessive magpies, than as you said, they are very intelligent. If you kill one (or find a dead one) and hang it from a tree or some other prominent place in the center of the area you want them to avoid, they will get the message (or so I have been told by other farmers who have other issues with them - eating grain and such).

 

[mischievouslady]

Are Black Billed Magpies(black & white scavenger bird) & crows a threat to ducks & geese? We don't have very many crows that stick around, but you can almost always spot a magpie around the property. They steal dog food from the yard & have befriended one of my dogs. It comes in the morning & sits in the small tree in the yard. It sits there & squawks & my dog goes running out & barking all around the tree. The magpie jist sits & squawks back & forth. Pretty entertaining until the magpie gets bored & flies off. My dog chases it as far as she can haha. It's very comical. But my question is, will the magpies gang up on ducklings or goslings? Are they a threat to my flock? They are very intelligent. Does anyone know what kind of bird I'm talking about or have them around your flock?

They eat everything & anything. Will they eat my ducklings if given a chance? Please someone help me with this.

yes they will.. crows expecially. I have trained my dogs to keep the crows away. They don't even have to see them. They just have to hear the crow and they are ******.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A couple years ago one of our members lost a gosling to Magpies so yes they are a threat to babies no matter what the species.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

A couple years ago one of our members lost a gosling to Magpies so yes they are a threat to babies no matter what the species.

I figured babies were at risk which is why I mentioned the completely covered run. The question started with ducks and geese and ended with 'lings so I tried to cover both. I haven't seen any threat posed to "adults" or adult sized birds. With fuzzballs, I would consider everything - even mice a serious threat.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I figured babies were at risk which is why I mentioned the completely covered run. The question started with ducks and geese and ended with 'lings so I tried to cover both. I haven't seen any threat posed to "adults" or adult sized birds. With fuzzballs, I would consider everything - even mice a serious threat.

We don't have magpies thankfully but Crows and even blue jays will take tiny kittens so I they would also snatch up baby poultry too. If given the chance.

Covered run is best if you can provide it.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

I don't know if I'm just not observant enough but I never really see birds other then finches by me. I have a cat that likes to chase birds (not mine yet thankfully) but we have alot of space here so I'm kinda surprised

 

[peyton1222]

My baby ducky is 3 weeks old. I like to let him swim but he can't jump out on his own.. how do i know when she wants out or how long should I let her swim

 

[Miss Lydia]

My baby ducky is 3 weeks old. I like to let him swim but he can't jump out on his own.. how do i know when she wants out or how long should I let her swim

You need to be right there to supervise even a 3 week old test the water to make sure it's still warm once it starts getting cool take her out. Unless she acts tired from all that diving and bathing then take her out before. Usually at 3 weeks 10-15 mins is good time. As long as water hasn't cool down. They can get water logged pretty quick till they get their feathers.