Abacot Ranger ducks

[DanniC]

hey all!

I'll hopefully be getting a trio of abacot ranger ducks next week from my neighbour who is hatching the eggs out.

I've got a few questions to ask, so here goes!!

How big do these ducks get height wise when adult?

What would be an ideal size "run" for them - me and my partner are going to hopefully be building a house and run for the ducks for when they can go outside. I want the run for when we're both out the house, so I know that they will be safe from anything that MIGHT come into the garden, and think "mhmmm.. loose ducks = easy dinner!" when we're home, they'll be allowed free run of the whole garden.

Would a 3'x3'x3' house be suitable for three adult ducks? And what bedding material should I use? Should it be spread throughout the whole house, or just cover some of it?

What age can they start going outside, and what age are they moved outside on a permanent basis?

When in the brooder: I've got a ZooZone (medium size in pink), a zoomed reptile lamp stand (large) and a zoomed deep dome lamp fixture to set-up for the heat required for the hatchlings (don't know if that's the right term or not lol!!) would this be ok to use? and also, can i use a ceramic heat emitting bulb (komodo 100w bulb) I can hook it all up to a habistat thermostat too, so would be able to control the temp that way, or i can adjust the height of the lamp stand. What are your opinions on using this set-up as the brooder for them?

I think that's it for now, but I'll probably have more questions at some point, so any other info would be much appreciated, especially with regards to rearing in a brooder..

Thanks!!

Danni x

 

[DanniC]

anyone?

Also, what is best to use for bedding material in the brooder?

 

[Marigold]

Don't worry, Danni, Dorsetduckowner or one of the other duck people will be on here soon I expect and they have all the answers, well worth waiting for.
From my more limited experience I would as that the brooder setup you describe is suitable for young ducklings - just check what temperature they have had whilst drying out in the incubator before they come to you, and get your brooder to the same level to start with. Ceramic bulbs are good because they allow the ducklings a natural period of darkness at night. Do remember they mustn't have medicated chick crumb, only unmedicated.

 

[DanniC]

yeah i will do.. they'll have to go next to my hedgehog (who's upstairs at the moment) so i can use the dual thermostat!
also, where is best to get the chick crumb from, or what brand would people recommend?

 

[DanniC]

still no replies?

well.. another question/idea going up.. would it be suitable to put a divider in the zoozone, so that one section covers about 1/3 of the zoozone.. that way i can put the food and water in the smaller side with a super absorbant material on the bottom so soak up their splashing antics, then i can have a much more suitable bedding material on the other side, which will have the ceramic heat emmiter bulb above it in the corner.. what do you all think?

 

[DanniC]

this is a rough idea of the idea with the divider (NOT TO SCALE)

 

[Marigold]

Hi again,Danni - while you wait for a 'proper duck person,' I wondered if you'd found your way to the Poultrykeeper main site, see link at the bottom of the page? There is quite a lot about keeping ducks on there, including a section on different breeds, with Abacots featured as well. http://poultrykeeper.com/keeping-ducks/
What sort of drinker were you thinking of using in the brooder? If yo could use a chick drinker with a circular reservoir round the base, they would still make a mess, as ducklings do, but wouldn't be able to actually splash. I expect you know they shouldn't be allowed to get wet or try swimming until they are several weeks old, as until they feather up their own oil gland doesn't work. In the wild the mother duck oils them from her own preen gland so they are waterproof straight away.The divider sounds an interesting idea, you could certainly try it out, though I think it might make cleaning out the brooder a bit more difficult.
I believe you can get special crumb for ducklings, but if this is not available, chick crumb will be OK if you enquire very carefully to ensure it is definitely not medicated. Any of the main brands will be OK, eg Dodson & Horrell, Marriages, Smallholder or Garvo. Tis will be fine for the first three weeks but after that you need to take care their feed isn't too high protein or a condition called Angel Wing may develop. See http://poultrykeeper.com/external-problems/angel-wing-waterfowl
But I expect a 'proper duck person' can advise you about all that!

 

[DanniC]

Thanks for replying Marigold

I'll have a look at the main wbsite, thanks!

I was going to buy a chicken drinker, but I've made my own out of 2 feeding dishes I've got laying around from my hedgehog.. see picture below



So they can't get in it and swim in it! And yeah I knew they couldn't go swimming for a few weeks anyway
I've also changed the divider idea a bit, as cutting an archway/square out of perspex, was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be lol!! so again, see the pictures below for what I've done instead, and where the water bowl will be placed.. there will also be a small bowl put in aswell for the food of course





speaking of food! I was at pets at home earlier and saw some of the Dodson & Horrell chick crumb you mentioned.. pic below, so you can see what's in it too!



does this all look and sound ok?

 

[Marigold]

That feed will be fine, good quality and it does say 'including ducklings' so it won't be medicated. I now get my D&H hens' layers pellets from Pets at Home as its the nearest place - not the cheapest but it saves using fuel to go further and the hens do very well on it.
I'm sure the 'proper duck people' will be able to advise you about moving on from this, i.e. when and on to what and why.
I do think they will poo in your drinker, though - they will just walk all over it, messing as they go. The proper chick/ duckiling drinkers have a tower in the middle, full of water which dispenses into the 'moat' round the edge, and the ducklings or chicks can't get in to the water except with their beaks. I think this sort of thing would be good. Duckilings have bigger beaks than chicks so one with quite a large lip is best. http://countryfayre-countrystore.co.uk/drinkers/plastic-chicken-drinkers/1ltr-duckling-chick-quail-avery-drinker/prod_648.html
Same with the feed - a proper feed dispenser will help them not to spread it all over the floor, which is not only wasteful but means they are pecking around in the poo, which could contribute to a coccidiosis outbreak. I use this kind for my quail, or for chicks http://countryfayre-countrystore.co.uk/feeders-and-drinkers/feeders/1kg-round-grid-feeder-suitable-for-chicks/prod_691.html and when they are big enough I put the feeder n a somewhat bigger bowl so they don't scatter it all around so much. I'm not sure if there is a better version for ducklings, we both await the verdict of the experts!
Your brooder looks very nice. How big is it, and how many ducklings do you think of getting in there? And what sort of top will you have on it?

 

[DanniC]

awesome thanks i never thought about them walking over the drinker! I'll be buying both the products you've linked to as they look and sound perfect!

the brooder is a medium zoozone... http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/pet-supplies/pet-cages/rabbit-hutches/indoor-rabbit-homes/zoozone-critter-home-pink-medium.html and in the picture, you can see the top of it aswell.. altho the hay rack and feeding dish wont be in there.. the heat will be supplied by using a zoomed lamo stand, zoomed deep dish dome lamp fixture, and a ceramic heat emmiter bulb on a thermostat controller. we're looking at getting 3 ducklings in there.. the dimensions are Top - L 72 x W 46 x H 16.5cm, Base - L 71 x W 45.5 x H 16cm.
also, in about 2 weeks, my hedgehog will be moving into a nice big wooden vivarium, so his large zoozone 2 will be free for the ducklings when they get outgrow the medium one, I'll transfer them into the bigger one for a big more space.. this it is..
http://www.equipetable.co.uk/hagen-zoozone-2-large-free-delivery.html
and dimensions are: 100cm (39.25") x 51cm (20") x 37cm (14.5")

thank you sooo much for all your advice by the way!! just wish someone else wouold give their opinions aswell lol!! (nothing wrong with yours bare in mind )

 

[Marigold]

That's certainly a very good price for those cages. Lots of people use the plastic base type for quails, and they are very good. I have one like the larger picture in the link. The only drawback that I found with it was that you can't hang drinkers etc on the plastic dome sides like you can on the ones with an all-wire top. For quails you can use either a rabbit bottle as a drinker, or a budgie drinker with a little lip that projects through the wire, but I couldn't fix either of these to the cage I 'inherited' when my daughter's guinea pig died.
Yes I think all the duck experts are out to lunch this weekend, but will be worth waiting in for, hang in there. Don't worry, you are well planned and on track for a successful time with your ducklings. It would be lovely if you could post some pics of your other animals when you have the time. I am intrigued by the Pygmy hedgehog in particular. When my elder daughter was a kid, she kept everything under the sun, from fish-eating snakes through terrapins, breeding budgies, an axolotl, gerbils, hamsters, mice, an albino crow, stick insects, guppies, ponies and chickens of course. I once worked out she kept 32 different species (not all at the same time of course.) it was a nightmare when we went on holiday and the all had to be ferried around her friends for the week and then collected afterwards.

 

[DanniC]

i actually got the pink one a little cheaper than that website i linked.. not by much tho lol!! they are amazingly easy to clean aswell, being plastic and also the fact that the lid can be completely removed!

I'm just hoping that they all hatch out with my neighbour! they are due within the next 5 days or so! SOOOOO excited :mrgreen:

the plan is, is to use puppy training pads on the smaller side under the waterer, and then either old towels, or finacard as bedding on the other side where they will sleep.. not sure about the finacard tho! http://www.finacard-uk.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=52&products_id=152
would you suggest anything else for the bedding material?

And here's some pictures of my Hodgy Podge! (proper name is Hodge!) including one when he was still a baby with the breeder

 

[foxy]

Your set up looks fine. Ducklings are very robust. I rear ducklings in a large plastic brooder, much like yours with a little heat for about 2 weeks. Good quality dust extracted shavings will be fine as bedding, not much you can do amount the mess! Ducklings will need to be cleaned once a day, they will dabble their feed into the water container but that's normal. Make sure you place the water drinker...the bowl is fine for ducklings btw..next to the feeder. After about 2/3 weeks I add a small paint tray so they can dabble in the water, not too deep just to paddle in will be fine I wouldn't bother with a divider though.
Good luck with your ducklings, plenty of photos please when you get them!

 

[DanniC]

Ok cool thank you the heat supply will be thermostat controlled, so what temp would you recommend it be set as?
I was already planning on putting the feed next to the water anyway as I'd read they need the water to wash it down.. I've already got a paint tray too my partner says I'm too prepared lol!! Also, what age can they start going outside to play in the grass, and what age can they go ooutside on a permanent basis?also, the divider is in now and the silicone has cured, so I'll leave it in to save the castle of trying to scrape it all out lol!!
And I promise lots of pics when I've got them

 

[4jordynjoeynjorge]

I am not sure how big your ducklings/ducks will be, but I have Buff Orpington DUCKLINGS (I know, there is a chicken breed, too), which are a medium size duck. I needed to do things the inexpensive way, but at the same time wanted these birds to be pets, not just sluggers and layers. I got three of them when they were about 2 days old. They came home in a box that is about legal paper size. They stayed in our bathroom in that box for about their first week, then moved to a clear plastic box that wasn't more than twice its size. They are teenagers now, and have moved outside. During their time inside, I gave them a yogurt cup for water and another one for food. Don't give them too much food at once, as they can be quite wasteful. They aren't like chickens that keep coming back to clean things up.

Almost every day, I would pull them out of their box and put them in the sink to swim. Then, they would be gently towel dried and set in their box with an ordinary lamp pointed their way. It was 60 watts, I believe. I started (at about 3 days of age) reducing the time the lamp was on, since I didn't have temperature or distance capabilities. I also took them outside immediately for about an hour at a time. Think about a duck with its parents. The parents take them for walks and swims their first or second day. They do fine swimming, though getting out can be a challenge. They are exposed to the elements. These ducklings were small enough that they went through our neighbors fence. But, when I sat down, they would come sit beside or on me. They now follow me around the yard, and cry for me if they can't find me and they aren't in their wire pen. At night, for added protection, they are in an old tractor tire that has an old fireplace screen with a weight on it.

I guess all this to say, think about how much you want to invest in them. Also, do you want them as pets or just to have as layers. If you want the pet side of them, handle them a lot. Hold them while watching tv. Sit them on your lap while working in the yard. Our biggest reasons they aren't completely free in the yard now include 1) the neighbors cats, 2) loose dogs, 3) raccoons and 4) hawks/eagles/ospreys looking for lunch.

Also, try to keep the food as far from the water as possible, or at least a half meter/18 inches away. If they are too close, the food gets wet, and the ducks don't eat it. As far as food, just make sure it isn't medicated. The picture of the package you had does look appropriate. I wish you the best, and I hope you are able to enjoy their antics, especially around water. They really can make excellent (but messy) pets.

 

[DanniC]

brilliant thanks for all your advice I'm getting so exciting about having them! they are due to hatch this week some time, so I'm just making sure I've got everything prepared and ready! I just hope they hatch out and survive ok!!

I'll get some pictures up as soon as they've hatched and dried off

 

[DanniC]

aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! they've pipped today!! duckies soon

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Sorry for missing this post, my notifications seem to be up the spout!

All great advice you have here.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

How big do these ducks get height wise when adult?

What would be an ideal size "run" for them - me and my partner are going to hopefully be building a house and run for the ducks for when they can go outside. I want the run for when we're both out the house, so I know that they will be safe from anything that MIGHT come into the garden, and think "mhmmm.. loose ducks = easy dinner!" when we're home, they'll be allowed free run of the whole garden.: GET A MOVEABLE RUN AS THEY WILL MESS THE GRASS UP VERY FAST. AT LEAST 12x12 IF THEY WILL BE LEFT FOR A WHOLE DAY.

Would a 3'x3'x3' house be suitable for three adult ducks? And what bedding material should I use? Should it be spread throughout the whole house, or just cover some of it? NO BEDDING REQUIRED DURING THE DAY, GRASS IS BEST.

What age can they start going outside, and what age are they moved outside on a permanent basis? WHEN THEY ARE FULLY FEATHERED. 6 WEEKS ish

When in the brooder: I've got a ZooZone (medium size in pink), a zoomed reptile lamp stand (large) and a zoomed deep dome lamp fixture to set-up for the heat required for the hatchlings (don't know if that's the right term or not lol!!) would this be ok to use? and also, can i use a ceramic heat emitting bulb (komodo 100w bulb) I can hook it all up to a habistat thermostat too, so would be able to control the temp that way, or i can adjust the height of the lamp stand. What are your opinions on using this set-up as the brooder for them? MAKE SURE YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR, A PLASTIC SURFACE MAY GIVE THEM SPLAY LEG AS WILL NEWSPAPER. TOWELS< STRAW OR SHAVINGS WORK WELL. BRROD LAMPS CAN BE BOUGHT ONLINE AND ALL HAVE AN ADJUSTABLE HEIGH CHAIN. CERAMIC IS GOOD AS YOU SAID. THE DUCKLINGS NEED THE TEMP CHANGED EVERY WEEK.

I read you are planning on keeping ducklings in proximity to a hedgehog. Be very careful as hedgehogs have a lot of parasites and fleas and ticks can kill a growing duckling.
Have fun!!! Please feel free to ask more questions, sorry for missing this.
Have you got the babies yet?

 

[DanniC]

Hi.. Thanks for answering my questions altho you missed the height one lol! And he's and African pygmy hedgehog, and as such has none of the fleas,ticks or parasites that native European hedgehogs have as he's a strictly iindoor pet and has never been outside other than to be transported!

And 2 pipped yesterday and one more over night.. This morning, one of them has made a bigger hole in the shell, and hopefully will be out by the time I get home from work this afternoon!! I've got some pics on my phone, so will post them up later too

 

[Tim]

Abacots are light ducks and stand at about 40cm high. They are active foragers so really need space and grass to forage for invertebrates, and keep fit since they are descended from Indian Runners that have these characteristics. My flock will spend hours going around the hedgerows and in the longer grass.

The chick crumb you found is fine for the first 3 weeks or so, waterfowl crumb (smallholder range for example) are a little better because they contain more vitamin B for waterfowl. To prevent Angel Wing, the lower protein growers pellets can be gradually introduced at 2 to 3 weeks, followed by wheat (no mixed corn, it contains maize) around 5 weeks. This is normally called strait wheat and is available from the bigger suppliers or from a local farm sometimes if you ask.

You should aim to be feeding 50% wheat by 10 weeks of age. This keeps the protein intake in check and stops wing problems.

Layers pellets can replace the growers pellets at 18 weeks or so. Always provide wheat (this can be in the bottom of a tub full of water) the drakes will eat more wheat as they don't need the calcium and the ducks will eat more wheat during the winter when they aren't laying.

Water must be available at all times and they must be able to dip their heads in to wash their eyes (they don't have tear ducts) but when young, must not be able to drown or get soaked and chilled. A paint roller tray makes a good bath when you supervise but make sure they all dry off under the lamp soon afterwards and don't shiver.

The duck to drake ratio is important too so if you get a lot of drakes, do make a plan before the breeding season next year or the females will suffer. It's better not to have to over-winter too many drakes because you'll only have the problem to sort out in the spring.

Abacot Rangers are a lovely breed to keep, a great choice, I have 30 of them here

Good luck!