My ducks are driving me crackers!

[ChooksinChoppers]

We have 4 Pekins..Daffy, Daisy, Dolly and Donald...who we have had since 1 week old. First off let me say that everything everyone told me is true! They grew so fast and they are only 2 months? old...anyways they have learned so much in such a short time. They know the sound of my back door opening and can see me through the slats in the wood fence and start yammering for food right away! if I let them out of their pen so they can go swim in the pond (actually a water run off depression under a huge oak tree) and I am sitting under my screen tent on the back porch, as soon as they are hungry they start quacking and wadling around to where they can see me and come right up to the back door demanding food and ignoring all 4 of my small dogs and 2 kittens LOLOL My daughter's horse's stall is also right outside my door so as soon as I let the dogs out in the am I then have to feed the horse who wont stop whinnying and the ducks who wont stop quacking and the cats who wont stop meowing! The dogs..just stare at me (mind control) ..The ducks are wanting food 4 times a day! They follow me everywhere especially if have that yellow bowl with their food in it LOL Who's big idea was it to live in the country now? All want is to get my cup of tea and watch the sun rise in peace and QUIET! LOL

 

[sourland]

I believe they have you trained.

 

[downsm75]

Peakins are just noisy. I have 3 LOUD girls and one boy. He DOES quack, just not as loud. If they're free ranging, they are probably just being greedy lol. I feed mine early mornings and they hunt bugs and worms. I treat them to frozen corn, watermelon, cracked corn and frozen peas I LOVE my ducks lol. They are so much fun to watch

 

[PetesMom]

My guys hear MY car coming....they ignore everybody else's as we have tried this lmao and they all start going off.....ducks, turkeys, goats, chickens and a potbelly pig!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Noisy or Nosy? LOL aha! I am glad you told me that. Do you feed in the evenings as well? I would have thought that with free ranging they wouldnt need as much as they are demanding. I am feeding manna pro game bird feed and they get some frozen peas or other "extra" at the night time feeding. The bowl I use as a scoop holds a full 2 cups of food. I love watching them too! Specially over in their "pond" It really only fills up when it rains but it is rainy season here in florida, so a thunderstorm a day keeps the pond full LOL These are my first ducks and I love em! Today my daughter and I were sitting and chatting as we do each late afternoon..and here they come waddling up..quacking and demanding I get off my fat butt and feed them.."Oh? no food you say?" Hmm well lets just tromple and peck this lovely veggie garden then" LOL

 

[downsm75]

Lol BOTH nosey and noisy. My ducks will have NOTHING to do with me unleas I have a treat. I also have 2 Muscovy ducks that are soooo sweet. They like me a bit more..

 

[downsm75]

I feed them enough in the am that they (and the chickens) still have food in the evening. Free ranging SHOULD cut down on feed cost. Sounds like yours are a bit spoiled lol

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Well I suppose when you work it out...2 cups x 4 times a day = 8 cups so 2 cups per day per bird. I dont like to leave food out as we live at a horse barn and it will bring (more) rats around. The people that were renting all the stalls only just left and I have had to clean out the feed room of all the spilled food they left under the pallets. they had put out decon everywhere and the rats were vacating the feed room and dying in the barn aisles YUK! I had to get them before my 2 Jack russels did.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Fence off the garden, it's simple 2-3' chicken wire will keep the ducks out of it. Then you don't have to worry about them getting in it.

We feed only in the AM here, everyone is turned out and feed is then set out while pools and water buckets are filled for the day. Then all feed pans are picked up.

 

[Missy60]

Wow isn't two cups a day a lot per bird? I think on Metzer site for even the heaviest ducks one cup is the very most recommended. You feed them other food also? My pekin is very loud and comes to get us a lot, but it doesn't always mean she hungry. We can go walk around with her and after a while she just goes on her way.