The Duck Thread

[Tevyes Dad]

So my baby is about a month old. Seem like she is getting more and more needy as in we can't leave her alone. She screams every time I leave the room. And I'm literally only leaving to go potty. It's gotten worse and worse the older she gets. Just wondering if you guys have and advise about how to start leaving her alone and her not having her freak out because right now I take her everywhere with me.

Is she by herself??? Ducks are very social animals and they will be unhappy without a friend with them 24/7.

 

[GreenAcres825]

Cayuga ducks can have white on them, not a big deal if they are not show ducks. They will also get more white as they get older. East Indies are black like the Cayuga too, but they are bantams. it will be interesting to see what your kids look like when they get more feathers. Do the black ones have bibs? That could be an indication that they are Swedish.

Cayuga molt in white as the get older. They can also have a slight bib as ducklings which grows in black.

They only have small white patches, maybe a few little feathers. One has it mostly on her wing and the other one has it on the side of her chest. No bibs, and it really isn't much white. I can't wait to see, either! I wasn't able to see them when they were still young, since I just got them and I'm thinking they're about a month old, maybe a little older since they've got almost enough feathers to be outside all of the time. I loved our other Cayuga, he was a wonderful drake! I'm so excited to see their personalities once they get acquainted with their surroundings!

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Pretty sure my lead KC is broody. Just chased me out of pen and has been sitting on eggs all weekend I think. I work non stop all weekend so not entirely sure. I didnt think they were a very broody breed.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Pretty sure my lead KC is broody. Just chased me out of pen and has been sitting on eggs all weekend I think. I work non stop all weekend so not entirely sure. I didnt think they were a very broody breed.

Metzer rates them as "Good" in "Mothering" which I think is going broody + watching 'lings. This is the best rating they give any domestic duck: only Mallards get "Very Good". Whereas Pekins get the "Poor" rating. Here is their chart:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

 

[dan26552]

Metzer rates them as "Good" in "Mothering" which I think is going broody + watching 'lings.  This is the best rating they give any domestic duck: only Mallards get "Very Good".  Whereas Pekins get the "Poor" rating.  Here is their chart:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

Well they obviously haven't met Big Mama She's my only duck to go broody so far and she's set and raised two clutches in her short 1 1/2 years. Also the only duck I fear When she goes broody you better watch your back, she's chased me well over 50 feet from the coop multiple times.

Not saying all Pekins would be like that but every once in a while you get a good one.

 

[boyce1690]

Hello,
So I have a female black runner that is coming up on two years. I just got a chocolate runner baby & I don't know the sex yet. If it turns out to be a male, will I have to keep them separate? I'm not trying to mate them. Thank you!

 

[Julie Birb]

Well they obviously haven't met Big Mama She's my only duck to go broody so far and she's set and raised two clutches in her short 1 1/2 years. Also the only duck I fear When she goes broody you better watch your back, she's chased me well over 50 feet from the coop multiple times.

Not saying all Pekins would be like that but every once in a while you get a good one.

She's so cute. I love her yellows.

 

[Cynthia12]

So my baby is about a month old. Seem like she is getting more and more needy as in we can't leave her alone. She screams every time I leave the room. And I'm literally only leaving to go potty. It's gotten worse and worse the older she gets. Just wondering if you guys have and advise about how to start leaving her alone and her not having her freak out because right now I take her everywhere with me.

This is why I got a buddy for the one and only that hatched for me. The get lonely..they are babies. Even if you can find an older chick, they would probably be fine. Company!

 

[Cynthia12]

Hello,
So I have a female black runner that is coming up on two years. I just got a chocolate runner baby & I don't know the sex yet. If it turns out to be a male, will I have to keep them separate? I'm not trying to mate them. Thank you!

I'm thinking yes.

 

[casportpony]

So my baby is about a month old. Seem like she is getting more and more needy as in we can't leave her alone. She screams every time I leave the room. And I'm literally only leaving to go potty. It's gotten worse and worse the older she gets. Just wondering if you guys have and advise about how to start leaving her alone and her not having her freak out because right now I take her everywhere with me.

This is why I got a buddy for the one and only that hatched for me.  The get lonely..they are babies.  Even if you can find an older chick, they would probably be fine.  Company! 

X2! Another good reason to get it a buddy is because if the duckling is male it will turn into a real monster once it reaches sexual maturity. It will try to mate with people, and might even attack other people. I have seen this in my own ducks, peafowl, and chickens, and there have been many people on BYC with similar stories.