(2 Embeden Goslings, 3 Ancona Duckings, 3 Rouen Ducklings, 2 Khaki Campbell Ducklings all about 2 weeks old)
My ducklings and goslings have been spending the last few days outside. It has been in the 40s to 50s so they must be fairly tough.
First day out I made a pen out of an unfilled raised bed planter and used a saucer sled as a waterer. I covered one end and used my fish drying rack as a dog deterrent along one side. For the first few hours they were fine.
I took my little one to dance class and came home to find one of my khaki campbells apparently dead. The others were walking on it. Her eyes were open with dirt caked to them. Pupils blown. She was flat on her side, limp and cold. I was very disappointed because this was their first day out and she obviously got chilled after splashing in the water-sled. I should have ignored the overwhelming stench they were creating in my back bedroom a few more days...but they are so wet and messy and flicker their poop everywhere and the smell was really noxious. I was extra disappointed because the khakis are the ducks I would really like to see if I can winter over and have for egg production next summer.
I picked her up and checked on the other birds. As I messed around I noticed her beak moved ever so slightly. I spent five minutes convincing myself that she might not be "completely dead"...my own Princess Bride moment.
I finally bit the bullet and put her under my shirt for an hour and she ever so slowly came back. Within three hours she was back to normal. How about that? A chick that gets that chilled would have been dead for sure. I also got to smell like wet dog for the rest of the day. Kind of takes the edge off my needy farmer gene.
First day out I made a pen out of an unfilled raised bed planter and used a saucer sled as a waterer. I covered one end and used my fish drying rack as a dog deterrent along one side. For the first few hours they were fine.
I took my little one to dance class and came home to find one of my khaki campbells apparently dead. The others were walking on it. Her eyes were open with dirt caked to them. Pupils blown. She was flat on her side, limp and cold. I was very disappointed because this was their first day out and she obviously got chilled after splashing in the water-sled. I should have ignored the overwhelming stench they were creating in my back bedroom a few more days...but they are so wet and messy and flicker their poop everywhere and the smell was really noxious. I was extra disappointed because the khakis are the ducks I would really like to see if I can winter over and have for egg production next summer.
I picked her up and checked on the other birds. As I messed around I noticed her beak moved ever so slightly. I spent five minutes convincing myself that she might not be "completely dead"...my own Princess Bride moment.
I finally bit the bullet and put her under my shirt for an hour and she ever so slowly came back. Within three hours she was back to normal. How about that? A chick that gets that chilled would have been dead for sure. I also got to smell like wet dog for the rest of the day. Kind of takes the edge off my needy farmer gene.
I borrowed a long extension cord (Thanks Kurt) and put a heat lamp in the run I had made and now everyone, including chilly…who runs away from me like I tortured her back to life…are all right as rain outside. Maybe someday she will become an evil zombie duck but so far so good other than the fact she is an ingrate.
I have been bringing them back inside at night because while we have not had a dog incident there are foxes lurking about and I don’t know if my set up can withstand a sneaky fox. I am not the only one who thinks ducks are delicious.
What has been extra fun is that ducks and geese grow really fast so they really like to eat. They very much enjoy the grass that is sprouting up outside and they love leftovers more than chickens. The other day I fed them left over moose meat I diced up. I found this to be hilarious but the irony seemed to only amuse me.
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