Separating setting ducks and drake

rusticular · **Posted:** Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:08 pm

Hi folks, I have two concerns.

My two muscovies ducks are both sitting, they started laying about three weeks ago. They were penned with the drake, sitting in two separate nests. However the younger (by two months) of the two seems to have become very territorial, and bullies the older duck, won't let it swim, and pulls its feathers.

Meanwhile, although the drake is still very amorous, when the ducks occasionally come off the nest, they don't welcome his advances and run and fly away (as much as they can within a small yard). I am worried about them being injured, so I have separated all three birds.

Had to build a shelter for the drake, in a hurry, hebel block and the door from a cupboard. It's bucketed down yesterday and today, and he got soaked under the trees (he has a small bunya and a small macadamia in his space. He doesn't seem to care though.

This is the first setting for all of us, have I got this right? Any advice welcome.

Muscovy J · **Posted:** Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:23 pm

hi,
with both your girls sitting , your boy will be very happy when a girl leaves the nest :lol:

, you did the right thing by moving the boy away from the 2 girls,

you 2 girls will be nasty to each other when there off there nests, as some girls love to chase and beat up other girls when thay get a chance, but thay will have a feed and swim and then go back to sitting, but if you choose to seperate them that is a great idea,

once your ducklings are hatched keep them away from the mature birds until there around 6 weeks old or so before you let them all run together , for feeding ducklings , i allways use pullet grower and i also feed them poultry mix , a 50/50 mix is good, with grass and bread and you will find your ducklings will do great,

if you want any help just ask ,

regards jase

rusticular · **Posted:** Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:21 pm

i allways use pullet grower and i also feed them poultry mix
if you want any help just ask ,

regards jase[/quote]

Hi Jase,

thanks for your reply, things seem a bit quiet a Duckin Crazy.
By pullet grower do you mean chicken crumble? Is the the poultry mix for after they are 6 weeks old, or do you feed it straight away. I use Darling Downs layer mix for my six laying hens. I also have some duck mash which I am going to try the ducklings (that is if they hatch) on when they're older, and pig finishing pellets .

I read in the Oct/Nov Australasian Poultry magazine a recommendation by Megg Miller to feed 5% wholegrain to 10 day old chicks rations. But ducklings are not chicks so??

I have moved food and water close to the nests for the ducks. They no longer have access to the pool.

Muscovy J · **Posted:** Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:03 pm

rusticular wrote:

i allways use pullet grower and i also feed them poultry mix
if you want any help just ask ,

regards jase

Hi Jase,

thanks for your reply, things seem a bit quiet a Duckin Crazy.
By pullet grower do you mean chicken crumble? Is the the poultry mix for after they are 6 weeks old, or do you feed it straight away. I use Darling Downs layer mix for my six laying hens. I also have some duck mash which I am going to try the ducklings (that is if they hatch) on when they're older, and pig finishing pellets .

I read in the Oct/Nov Australasian Poultry magazine a recommendation by Megg Miller to feed 5% wholegrain to 10 day old chicks rations. But ducklings are not chicks so??

I have moved food and water close to the nests for the ducks. They no longer have access to the pool.[/quote]

hi
pullet grower is also called crumbles, i feed it for a couple of days then i mix it with poultry mix, duck mash sounds good, as does pig finishing pellets ,
also i give dried cat food for protien and as a treat a few handfulls every couple of days,
for a great bath for your girls , try a plastic babys bath , thay work great, also you can get large plastic bowls from discount shops, ithink thay would be around 10 liters ? your girls will hope in them is thay dont have a bath, a bath also helps with the girls getting some water on there eggs , as it helps at hatching time

regards jase

rusticular · **Posted:** Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:54 pm

Hi folks,
now I've got my ducklings (lost a few in the storm), how long must I separate them and the ducks from the drake, and and the ducks from each other?
I am feeding chicken starter crumbles a the moment, they love it, and also eat some of the layer mix I put I for the ducks.

Muscovy J · **Posted:** Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:52 pm

rusticular wrote:

Hi folks,
now I've got my ducklings (lost a few in the storm), how long must I separate them and the ducks from the drake, and and the ducks from each other?
I am feeding chicken starter crumbles a the moment, they love it, and also eat some of the layer mix I put I for the ducks.

hi,
once ducklings are around 4 weeks or so, i let them out with the older birds when i am feeding them, and then lock them up after, after about a week or 2 of doing it, the older birds are use to the ducklings , and also the ducklings know to keep out of the way of older birds,

so i would say around 5/ 6 weeks before thay are running together,

but also , if you only have a drake you may be able to run them together from a younger age, ? , some drakes ,will kill ducklings, and some dont bother about them ?, just try your birds together and see what happens,

hope this has helped in some way mate

jase

rusticular · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:16 pm

Hi, I've put all my birds together, there was a bit of fighting between the two ducks, but things have settled, and although the drake chased the ducks a bit at first, he seems to have cooled his ardour. The drake sems a bit put off his food when he tries to eat and the ducklings rush up and steal it from him. I'd feed him seperately, but he doesn't always want to eat when I want him to. So I now have 18 ducklings, 2 ducks and a drake. Those ducklings are growing so fast, I can see signs of fledging now, particularly on the tail, and a little on the chest. :shock:

Muscovy J · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:20 pm

cool news, glad things worked out for you,

now all you have to do is feed the little buggers , thay eat like pigs :lol:

jase

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