Eek! It's about time to send the ducklings to the pond

17 years ago

I'm so nervous:)

Our 6 Pekins will be 8 weeks old on Tuesday. After growing up in the barn, it's nearing the time to finally let them join our 3 geese on the pond. Any wise words of advice?

We've been letting them out in a temporary fenced area to enjoy the sunshine and to get better acquainted with the geese that they'll be sharing the pond with. Our property is fenced, but they'll be free-ranging during the day and locked up at night only. I've been following a nightly routine with them for awhile so hopefully they're conditioned to hear the feed bowl and return to their stall at night.

As for predators, the pond is big enough to provide some protection, but I've seen several red-tailed hawks checking out the ducklings from above:( When the ducks spy the hawks, they march back into their stall. I hope that when the ducks are full-size they won't look so enticing to the hawks...

Anything I'm missing? It worries me to death to let them out on their own, but I'm not willing to keep them caged when there is a perfectly good pond for them.

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Comments (9)

rose__rosesforever
17 years ago
ROFL!!!!!!

Beth, that's exactly what I feel about my girls leaving the nest.

It's a dangerous world out there (not only for feathery ducklings). If only I could lock them up at night, it certainly would make me feel better!

Yes I admit it: I am behaving like a broody hen. Got any advice for me?

:-)

Rose
GennyM
17 years ago
Beth,
Make sure you keep an eye out for them. Id just check on them every now and then. I know how you feel. I kept my 2 Muscovy girls inside the house until they were about 7-8 weeks old. They were my babies :) They have recently passed away. The first girl got killed in June by a dog, and my other girl grieved herself to death because she missed her sister so much. She died in September. I miss those girls so much!!! Their names were Jake and Topaz, and no matter what they will always be my favorite girls ever.

I hope everything goes well with your babies! I also had a female Pekin that just passed away last month :( She was a precious girl. She had an infection that spread all over her body and we carried her to the Vet and got meds. but nothing helped her. She was beautiful.

Well, tlak to you later. Good Luck.

Genny
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ruthieg__tx
17 years ago
If you are going to give them free range you can almost expect something to get them....that is the nature of the game...even in a fenced pen it often happens but a pond will be a dangerous place for them...You have to decide if you are willing to take that chance...
GennyM
17 years ago
Your right, something could get her ducks, but you can't keep them locked up forever. Two of my Muscovy girls have decided to fly away everyday and come abck at night. It scares me to death when I really think about what could happen to them. I have thought several times I'd just clip their wings, but then I decide not to because if they are happy flying around then I hate to clip their wings so they can't fly. I mean that's the fun of being a bird/duck, because you can fly, right?
bethw
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for all of your thoughts. Yes, we're aware of the dangers of free-ranging, but after watching the happiness my geese have on the pond, I'm just not willing to pen the ducks up...no one can doubt how happy the geese are after seeing them do a 3-goose synchronized dive in the middle of the pond and come up splashing after a few heart stopping seconds!

I just want to make sure I'm doing all I can to minimize the dangers. Our geese are 7 years old, so they're experienced at keeping an eye out for danger, and our fencing is lined with welded wire to keep out the occasional neighbor dog. I'm hoping that by waiting until the ducks are fully grown that they'll be too big for the hawks to be interested in, and I plan on herding the ducks into their covered pen at nightfall to avoid the noctural predators.

I'm doing what I can. Anything I'm forgetting? I'm a little worried about getting them off the pond once I let them go out for the first time...
Dibbit
17 years ago
If you let them out still a bit hungry, they will want to eat. At that point, they will still be used to you providing the groceries!, so if you start now, if you haven't already, and make a special sound when you feed them, I would imagine they will come to your call off the pond, saying, "where's our dinner!".
Miss_Kitty
17 years ago
Good luck! It's alway scary to let a batch of babies go off for the first time. My geese were protective of the ducks. I miss the geese, but am not ready to get another pair. Maybe after we get the pastures fenced with woven wire.

My husband wants peacocks. They are noisy birds, but so very pretty!
beeliz
17 years ago
Maybe you can get a kids pool unlil your ducklings have grown a little larger...they would still have a blast with the water,and you wouldn't need to worry about the hungry preds. Just a thought.
jjj3
17 years ago
Hehe... I'm so glad that I read this thread tonight. After posting a question and some of the things I had been "allowing" with my ducks, I had a nightmare that night about the ducks and dog attacking me!!! lol

I didn't grow up on a farm but both sets of grandparents lived on farms and I was there so much of my childhood that I know the wonders and horrors of nature. I remember being attacked by a flock of mean geese, baby ducks legs being snapped off in the pond by turtles, playing with rambunctious goats and laughing at the many things they included in their diets... even riding a pig one time!!!

Yet, I was so concerned over what I was 'allowing' my ducks to do that I felt guilty enough to dream of them attacking me! LOL!!!!

Broody hens ;)

Eek! It's about time to send the ducklings to the pond

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rose__rosesforever

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Eek! It's about time to send the ducklings to the pond

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