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Farming Friends Forum » Ducks

1. m40mo
   Administrator

   I was up at silly o'clock this morning so sat in the dark with a coffee and decided to put the camera on and see what was going on in the shed with the ducks, im not surprised Sugar has taken to laying out doors, everytime a girl lay down to lay her egg she was jumped on by one of the drakes or sometimes both, I feel so sorry for the girls, if you think of egg laying as like us giving birth I'd have swung for my hubby if he had tried that, im seriously considering putting the boys away from the girls over night now its just so annoying for them, and im surprised the eggs dont get smashed as well x

   mo x

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. dollydylo
   Member

   Hi Mo

   I know exactly what you mean, but with our chickens.

   We don't want a cockeral any more purely because of the damage they do to the hens.. I find it quite distressing to watch when they are waiting for their favourite girl to come out in the morning, then chase her and pounce on her. Hardly a nice restful way for her to start the day! We had a couple of girls that got the most attention and the feathers on their backs were broken.

   Sounds like keeping the boys away might be a plan!

   Karen x

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. m40mo
   Administrator

   it must be the weather Karen but this morning all hell seems to have broken out, in and out of the shed, the boys have suddenly realised what they can do with the new girls and the new girls are shocked, I will keep a good eye on them as thats why we got the new girls anyway, and know what you mean about the feathers to Candys neck is looking bald in places already

   mo x

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. Katydid
   Member

   Might be an idea to let the girls have a rest over night, Mo. At least they can get away during the day, but it is what they do!!!!

   You can get saddles for hens to protect them from treading by the cockerals. I just wish someone would come up with a bonnet for the ducks. I have to put the really popular girls in quarantine sometimes.
   KT

   No holidays, too many birds.

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. m40mo
   Administrator

   the first picture that came to my mind was Jemmima Puddle Duck in her pretty blue bonnet how cute would they all look lol

   and it is what they do but the dirty little boys are doing it to often lol

   mo x

   Posted 1 year ago #

6. Katydid
   Member

   Laugh out loud.

   No holidays, too many birds.

   Posted 1 year ago #

7. m40mo
   Administrator

   well all is calm and happy in the shed this morning and even think all my eggs may be in one basket lol
   since getting my ducks I have read so many different books and articals about them and asked loads of questions on here but some times think the best way to learn is to watch and learn by their behaviour,
   the new girls by late yesterday seemed almost scared of the drakes and were clearly un happy near them, so last night I did what I said and seperated them in the shed, they are still side by side so can see each other and everyone was calm and went to sleep quicker than normal and this morning they are all calm, even the boys
   I know I can't stop what is nature and wouldn't want to completly but as their owner I can control it slightly for everybodys sake, so im going to follow my own intuition again this morning, i'm going to let the boys out first and usher them to the pen and lock them in there for a while so the girls can potter around the garden without being chased and pulled to the ground, I love all my ducks boys and girls but as I have no intention of having ducklings I can at least control the mating :)

   good news Sugar also layed an egg today so maybe it was the boys behaviour putting her off

   mo x

   Posted 1 year ago #

8. Katydid
   Member

   All is well in the Mo duck fold. Well done. Where did Sugar lay in the end?

   When I said Laugh out Loud yesterday, I meant it. I had a really good belly laugh at your vision of blue bonnets. I was wondering, do you fancy knitting a few?
   KT

   No holidays, too many birds.

   Posted 1 year ago #

9. m40mo
   Administrator

   Sugar layed in the shed Katy and can't knit sorry lol

   mo x

   Posted 1 year ago #

10. m40mo
    Administrator

    well happy to report the early morning split went well the boys wern't to bothered being locked in the pen for a while and did enjoy a swim, the girls seemed very contented forageing around the garden on their own, when I did let the boys out they were more interested in seeing if there were any worms left to be had and didn't pay attention to the girls for ages
    when they did remember their favourite past time two the new girls got all the attention thankfully Candy was past over for the new feathers in town lol, the new girls arn't to impressed with this new attention and im impressed how fast they can both run and fly compared to my other girls, however they were no match for the boys, the girls Jemima and Kathy are not impressed at all by the act and give the boys quite a mouthful.

    Over all though im pleased how the day has gone, I think they are all settleing into one happy group for now, time will tell if I need to seperate into two groups for the summer but for now I will continue seperating the boys from the girls over night and for a short while in the morning :)

    one problem though white ducks get very dirty very quick when the boys mate them in this mucky weather, not so pretty now lol

    mo x

    Posted 1 year ago #

11. Katydid
    Member

    Mucky ducks, Mo!!
    What do you mean 'mucky weather' nothing but dust here. Bah humbug.
    KT

    No holidays, too many birds.

    Posted 1 year ago #

12. m40mo
    Administrator

    lol it rained all morning yesterday Katy, it does have its plus sides though, you can tell which new girls are being mated now, it reminded me of the farmers, cant remember if its goats or sheep, when they put dye on the underside of the male so they can see which female has been mated
    I said to hubby well as I thought Daisy hasn't been mated yet hubbys reply.....well she hasn't given them an answer yet lol

    mo x

    Posted 1 year ago #

13. Lorna
    Member

    Its sheep Mo, they put the dye on. Mind you them rams can be aul ruffians as well as drakes.

    Lorna

    Posted 1 year ago #

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