Should I or shouldnt I??

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Anonymous

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Hi Guys,

My sister in law works at a school, a local farm gives out duck eggs and the schools hatch them. This year they had 2 hatch out of 10 eggs. A lady at the school said she was going to take them and look after them, but she made many excuses and my sis in law ended up bringing them home for easter. She has rabbits and guinea pigs so they have been in a run, and then inside at night.
Anyway, if she gives the ducks back to the farm they will feed them up and them kill them for the meat, we really dont want this to happen but my SIL cannot keep them as she dosnt have enough space. I dont know what type of ducks they are but she thinks there is a male and fem as one is alot bigger than the other, the big one is yellow and the other is yellow with black markings, (i will add a pic if i can).

So should i take them on??

I do have the space, I have an old shed (needs repairing) and a large dog pen, plenty of wood and wire, (was gonna make some rabbit hutches ages ago). I have been looking at chickens recently but wouldnt mind ducks either! what do I need to know that you only find out from owning them?? would they need their wings clipping and how would i do that? (not keen) there are alot of cats around here (I have one) would that be an issue? I only want to take them on if i can give them the best home possible. are 2 ok to live together? Do i have to apply for a permit from the council?

Sorry for the long post i really want them but dont want to make a mistake!

Thanks for your time
Claire
 
Sounds like they could be cross breeds. Or google silver applyeard ducklings, they have a black stripe on their heads and black tail feathers. You wont really know what they are 'til theyre grown, now. But if the farm will kill and eat them then theyre likely to be a bigger breed than a call duck for example.

Ducklings are harder to look after than adult ducks as they, quite willingly they will get their heads necks etc on anything, legs trapped etc, my brooder is like completely baby proof lol and my duck pen!...and as you probably discovered by now theyre messy! I find a cat litter tray handy for introducing them to water!

Only thing is i would warn you, dont dig a pond or anything (nightmare to clean), they only need water deep enough to get their heads under, but they do prefer swimming water, so ii use a bath tub! water needs to be tipped out daily ideally, and theyre fantastic characters, they will live together, should it be two drakes they'll be ok, but if its one drake one duck, id recommend building a pen a bit bigger just incase you gota get a few more ladies in.

Also, if the farm they come from eats them, then i would imagine theyre a big breed, so the shouldnt fly.


As for a permit, i havent got one lol but i dont think you need one!

Cats would be sorry if they went for my ducks because theyll chase them back lol, and they'll chase my dogs! but 2 of my neighbours got cats and theyre fine i dont worry about them, but i have got dogs so they do stay outta my garden! Especially since they had the hose pipe once :D

Good luck, can we see piccies? :mrgreen:
 
are you on the other poultry keeper? lol A clairebear answered one of my posts about polish chickens the otherday!
 
Thanks for the info, i tried to put some pics on here but it wouldnt let me!

And no this is the only fowel forum i am on!

my sister in law has found someone with a farm now where they can live happily, so they wont be coming here but i plan on doing some more research and maybe get some when i am ready!

Thanks
Claire
 
my ducks are lovely (the 1 i hatched eats out my hand and comes over to me). they live quite happierly with my multi sized chickens and the cats never bother with them even the young cat from over the back leaves them alone but sits in my garden to catch mice. my dogs would eat them if got them but i know people whos dogs are fine with them
 
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