We got this batch of ducks in early March. We wrote about them before and you can find that here http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/a-new-deputy. This picture shows how they looked when they arrived and really, they caused quite a commotion at the post office. The baby goose looked so wise that Sally named him Solomon. Not being a real formal type, I shortened that to Sol and determined that he and I would become good buddies. We haven’t but everything else I expected from him seems to be coming to fruition.
I think they were about three weeks old in this picture and they had started to outgrow their cage. We put them into a small room on our porch. It was screened including the floor and I was able to hose it down every morning.
Things were going well and I wasn’t in a particular hurry to change things but I had failed to consider one thing. I might not have wanted to move them but Sally did. It seems that since I was on Submarines my sense of smell has been a problem. Her sense of smell, however, remains intact so they needed to move.
Things were going well and I wasn’t in a particular hurry to change things but I had failed to consider one thing. I might not have wanted to move them but Sally did. It seems that since I was on Submarines my sense of smell has been a problem. Her sense of smell, however, remains intact so they needed to move.
There was, however, one little problem. You might have seen this little compound before. Our babies were put in here last year. Beau and Jack were 20-30 pound kids when we put them there. I expect they are 70 lbs. or more now and they needed more space to roam. You can find that story here: http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/remodeling-the-nursery
When they were babies we also penned juvenile Guinea Hens and Muscoveys with them. We stopped when these two batches grew and began free ranging.
When they were babies we also penned juvenile Guinea Hens and Muscoveys with them. We stopped when these two batches grew and began free ranging.
We had to move the (now grown) goats first.
Things were almost ready for them but the fence needed to be upgraded and I needed a roof for shelter.
We had been taking our time and dodging raindrops but Sally said it needed to happen quickly. http://www.grangerlandrfd.com/making-a-fancy-fence
Then it rained and rained and rained. Not much attempt in this picture to really get a good idea of the new pasture. It’s bigger than an average house site unless you are talking McMansions. This picture shows them exploring their new home for the first time.
Taking another look at the now “former goat pen”. What works for goats doesn’t always work for ducks. There is a little enclosure to the left of the shack. It has a poultry netting (chicken wire) roof that protects from owls and hawks. It was unneeded and unwanted by the goats. They trashed it and we had to rebuild.
When we first put the ducks into this new home we left them in the building for two days. Then we let them into the enclosure and herded them back to the building at night. It didn’t take long for them to get used to the routine. Even at this early stage Sol (the goose) had figured out his job. He would herd his little ladies into the building and he was always the last one to enter.
I put straw all over the dirt floor of the shack for bedding and since runner ducks do not like to navigate ramps I cut the foundation under the door from the shack to the pen. That required building reinforcements for the cut foundation and screen to protect the enlarged opening. Then when we had transferred them, we went out of town for a week. It rained every day. Our daughter Rosa deserves a medal for watching out for all these critters. She had to settle for lunch.
When we first put the ducks into this new home we left them in the building for two days. Then we let them into the enclosure and herded them back to the building at night. It didn’t take long for them to get used to the routine. Even at this early stage Sol (the goose) had figured out his job. He would herd his little ladies into the building and he was always the last one to enter.
I put straw all over the dirt floor of the shack for bedding and since runner ducks do not like to navigate ramps I cut the foundation under the door from the shack to the pen. That required building reinforcements for the cut foundation and screen to protect the enlarged opening. Then when we had transferred them, we went out of town for a week. It rained every day. Our daughter Rosa deserves a medal for watching out for all these critters. She had to settle for lunch.
Then it was time to let the ducks out into the larger pen. Ducks are smaller (Mr. Obvious) than goats so I lined the inside of the pen with chicken wire and made the enclosure smaller than for the goats. The thing that looks like a ladder laying on the ground is something that I ran across and it was free. When it rains you can sink in the muck to your ankles so it became our sidewalk.
The white pan is the drain pan for a water well. The blue pool is a baby pool. The water you must have for ducks makes the ground even worse than the raid did. The hose can be turned off or on from the porch. It becomes very soggy and there are a lot of bugs but all the birds love eating bugs.
Sometimes they just set in the pen and start quacking when they see my flashlight. Sometimes I have to herd them into the pen and the building. Generally they just go on in when they see me. They never use the shed during the day.
The white pan is the drain pan for a water well. The blue pool is a baby pool. The water you must have for ducks makes the ground even worse than the raid did. The hose can be turned off or on from the porch. It becomes very soggy and there are a lot of bugs but all the birds love eating bugs.
Sometimes they just set in the pen and start quacking when they see my flashlight. Sometimes I have to herd them into the pen and the building. Generally they just go on in when they see me. They never use the shed during the day.
I keep working on their pen as time allows. Two days ago I put two bales of chips like this inside the shed. Last night when I went to put them to bed they resisted me. It was work to get them into the little roofed enclosure and then I had to go inside that to get them into the shed. At first I couldn’t figure it out.
The floor was covered with piles similar to this. It evidently looked like an alien landscape to them. When I forced them inside they started pecking at it and figuring if they could eat it which worried me for a while. Then the quacking subsided.
Yesterday morning, by comparison it looked smooth as a ballroom floor. During the day yesterday I found them congregating in the shed for the first time. Now there was some method to our madness. Everything I read says that they used surfaces like this to make nests and lay their eggs. We are probably a month or two from the time that starts.
I am pleased to say that we bought no drake so unless there was a mistake there will be no future male supremacy wars here. Sol considers himself their protector but so far as I can see he has no romantic interest.
It’s new territory for us. I think I will make a wooden fence outside the wire that serves now. The ducks alerted me to a couple repair jobs when they got through the fence. When they get through all they want is to get back. I have hopes I can herd them to the pond and decrease the water in the pen. Who knows but I do know that I’m having fun.
I am pleased to say that we bought no drake so unless there was a mistake there will be no future male supremacy wars here. Sol considers himself their protector but so far as I can see he has no romantic interest.
It’s new territory for us. I think I will make a wooden fence outside the wire that serves now. The ducks alerted me to a couple repair jobs when they got through the fence. When they get through all they want is to get back. I have hopes I can herd them to the pond and decrease the water in the pen. Who knows but I do know that I’m having fun.
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