# mini rant about ducks



## manybirds (Jun 13, 2012)

so we ordered some ducks and geese from holdereads waterfowl this spring (7 geese, 10 ducks) 3 of the ducks where silkies (the duck we wanted most in the order) well 2 of the 3 died. It happens we didn't blame holdereads, but we told them and they said they'de send us a free refund. so we sent in an order our, 2 replacement silkies, along with australian spotteds and bargain assortments to fill it the rest to meet the 10 duckling minimum order. they said they where running low on silkies this year but thye owuld see what they could do. got an e-mail yesterday saying our birds shipped out yesterday but THEY RAN SHORT ON SILKIES! we would not have ordered if it whern't for the silkies. brooding young waterfowl SUCKS especially when there ones you don't want! its still not holdereads fault they can't meet everyone's demands but i'm out brooded for they year. now we have a bunch of bargain assortments and australian spotteds coming in tomorrow (at least i kinda wanted the A spotteds a little but still wouldn't have ordered them) now we have 10 new birds to brood and we just finally got the last batch out. i love my waterfowl alot but if you've ever brooded those messy little birds you'll understand my pain. Now they need new homes away from here! i guess it will be fun to see what the bargains turn into. now we have to order 10 more next spring just to get our silkies! there are NO silkie breeders in this area so holdereads are our only hope.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jun 13, 2012)

Hear you.  I so wanted my ducks to hatch their own, but twice a predator messed up the nest before they hatched, so put 14 eggs in the bator and 10 hatched last week.  And what a mess.  Fortunately, i have them a brooder that has small wire bottom and a catch basin underneath to catch the mess and then i dump it ever day.  It works out well and makes the cute ducklings so much easier to tolerate.

Bummer on your silkies.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 13, 2012)

I am sorry to hear about  your duck situation.  I know that every company is different, but it is unfortunate that even though they were going to replace the 2 that died, they required you to purchase more to make the "minimum order".  I would think in that situation, they would have bit the bullet so to say and just sent you your replacements tossing in a couple extras is need be for warmth.  

Hope you are able to rehome the ones that you don't want.  And I hope that the bargain assortments end up being something fun!


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## manybirds (Jun 13, 2012)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

> I am sorry to hear about  your duck situation.  I know that every company is different, but it is unfortunate that even though they were going to replace the 2 that died, they required you to purchase more to make the "minimum order".  I would think in that situation, they would have bit the bullet so to say and just sent you your replacements tossing in a couple extras is need be for warmth.
> 
> Hope you are able to rehome the ones that you don't want.  And I hope that the bargain assortments end up being something fun!


well they need minimum for warmth, i can uderstand though that they just didn't give us 8 free birds, they raise top showquality expensive birds (bargains are fairly cheep, there jsut whats left over after all the orders are filled out) and they can't just give them awa for free. 
I'm hoping! the mystery and the guessing game is always interesting!


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## manybirds (Jun 13, 2012)

ThreeBoysChicks said:
			
		

> Hear you.  I so wanted my ducks to hatch their own, but twice a predator messed up the nest before they hatched, so put 14 eggs in the bator and 10 hatched last week.  And what a mess.  Fortunately, i have them a brooder that has small wire bottom and a catch basin underneath to catch the mess and then i dump it ever day.  It works out well and makes the cute ducklings so much easier to tolerate.
> 
> Bummer on your silkies.


i wish we had one of those! out local hardware store sells chicks in the spring and uses some really nice brooders with wire bottoms and catch trays etc. we have a relative who works there and asked him to make us one of them but he either hasn't gotten around to it yet or forgot.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jun 13, 2012)

manybirds said:
			
		

> ThreeBoysChicks said:
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Mine is actually an antique.  It has the heater and everything.  Our friends purchased a house years back and it has chicken houses and in one of them was this brooder.  They gave it to me.  The heater stopped working, more than likely it was the thermostat that stopped working.  I have not purchased a knew one yet, but will before winter gets here.


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## manybirds (Jun 14, 2012)

ThreeBoysChicks said:
			
		

> manybirds said:
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That sounds nice! they came, it seems by 'ran short on silkies' they meant they gave us some just not all we ordered very happy about this. i'm thinking the bargains are black cayuga's


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## manybirds (Jun 14, 2012)

here's some pics!





















that thing in front of it is a penny

those little bantams are SO tiny.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 14, 2012)

Well that is awesome!  At least you got some silkies.  They are adorable!


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## Royd Wood (Jun 14, 2012)

Great pics - never heard of silkie ducks - are they chinese like the silkie chickens


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## manybirds (Jun 14, 2012)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> Great pics - never heard of silkie ducks - are they chinese like the silkie chickens


No i believe dave holderead himself created the breed (though i'm not sure) there tiny little bantam ducks with feathers similiar to that of a silkie feathers, though there unusual feathers or small size don't hinder them in anyway. there supposed to be good foragers and moms plus easy to tame and entertaining. there very hard to find outside of big APA shows or dave's strain.


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## Symphony (Jun 16, 2012)

http://fargo.craigslist.org/grd/3042436872.html

I don't know how far northern Wisconsin you are but these Ducks are in the Fargo, Minnesota region.  Black silkie ducks straight run or 5 bucks each.   Don't even have to hatch them.

Just found this listing by looking up the breed, maybe it will help.


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