Bruce
Herd Master
Let's see:
Duck hatching turkeys
Chicken hatching ducks
Seems you need a turkey to hatch some chicks!
Duck hatching turkeys
Chicken hatching ducks
Seems you need a turkey to hatch some chicks!
Goatgurl - life goes on at someday farm
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goatgurl
Herd Master
alright youall I have a full fledged mystery at my house. youall know the story of the duck setting on the turkey eggs, well Saturday when I went to check on her and the eggs 3 had hatched so I put a metal wire thingie over the front of her cage so she wouldn't take the poults out the next morning before the others hatched and were strong enough to leave the nest. went out the next afternoon and the wire barrier was off and the hen and poults were no where to be found. not a bunch of feathers like something had gotten her, not a sign of any babies or baby parts. gone without a trace. I have looked all over this hill for days and can't find a trace??? the only thing I can think of that would make them all disappear like that would be 2 legged but no one except str#1 knew they were here. can you all think of any explanations? i'm so disappointed. from the number of eggs left in the nest it looks like she hatched 9 of the 15 eggs. guess no turkeys for me this year.. 
@CntryBoy777 I have a question for you about your ducks, you have kc and rouens both right? which breed do you like best and why? I've been thinking about getting a few ducks that lay better than the muscovies since they are seasonal breeders and I do love me some duck eggs. have looked a welsh harlequin, kc, and Rouen. looking for an opinion? @Devonviolet you chose the kc, why? and how are you liking them so far?
nothing else new around here, life is good, God is great and the world keeps on spinning.
@CntryBoy777 I have a question for you about your ducks, you have kc and rouens both right? which breed do you like best and why? I've been thinking about getting a few ducks that lay better than the muscovies since they are seasonal breeders and I do love me some duck eggs. have looked a welsh harlequin, kc, and Rouen. looking for an opinion? @Devonviolet you chose the kc, why? and how are you liking them so far?
nothing else new around here, life is good, God is great and the world keeps on spinning.
- Thread starter
- #354
goatgurl
Herd Master
ya know what, I did kind of leave out an important happening in my life. my dd and psil moved from Oklahoma down to eagle pass, texas last weekend. right on the texas/mexico border. don't think I've ever been that far away from her before and is going to take some getting use to. he has accepted a job with the traditional Kickapoo tribe of texas and it looks like they will be there for several years if all goes well. keep 'em in your thoughts and prayers because its a whole nother world for them.
frustratedearthmother
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That stinks so bad! Sorry they disappeared. I was about to make a bad joke and say that maybe she took 'em swimming....but I won't say it. That would just be tacky!
Prayers for you DD!
Devonviolet
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Wow! So sorry to hear about your missing poults! Drat! I was going to offer to buy a couple poults.
I bought KC ducks because the can lay 300 to 360 eggs per year, and they aren't supposed to be seasonal layers - which means no dry spells like chickens & other ducks have.
So far, they are still ducklings. So no eggs yet. Our chickens and ducks have been very stingy with the eggs lately. We are talking 1-2 eggs a day -- and we look EVERYWHERE in the yard, including the garage, where the hay is stored! Occasionally we will find one on top of the round bales, but nothing in the nooks and crannies. So, we are looking forward to getting eggs from these new girls!
I bought KC ducks because the can lay 300 to 360 eggs per year, and they aren't supposed to be seasonal layers - which means no dry spells like chickens & other ducks have.
So far, they are still ducklings. So no eggs yet. Our chickens and ducks have been very stingy with the eggs lately. We are talking 1-2 eggs a day -- and we look EVERYWHERE in the yard, including the garage, where the hay is stored! Occasionally we will find one on top of the round bales, but nothing in the nooks and crannies. So, we are looking forward to getting eggs from these new girls!
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Devonviolet
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Yeah! It's a good thing you decided not to say that, 'cause that would be very tacky, indeed!!!
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
First of all, I wouldn't give up on the hen and poults....she may have them hidden and she won't make a peep if something is close by, but lay very still covering them....they will also carry them with their wings, too. I really do hope they show up for ya, but I kinda doubt it was a predator....even a 2 legged would have to catch em all and there would be a much bigger disturbance in the area than what ya described.
Now to the ducks, it kinda depends on what ya prefer from your ducks. If ya are looking for eggs, a bit of comedy, and tenacious go-getters foraging the khaki campbells are the way to go. If ya want a bit bigger bird to harvest for meat and a decent layer, then a rouen will be better. My personal preference is the KCs. They lay better have much more personality and character, and will talk to ya. They may not be as big, but just how much is really eaten at one meal? Also, the rouens are louder than the KCs and don't prefer the water as much....they will get in, splash about and hop out. The KCs will continually hop in and out all day long. The rouens waddle for the most part everywhere....but, the KCs will run like the dickens everywhere they go. Both are very sociable and pretty much move about as a flock, unlike chickens that scatter in all directions. Neither are aggressive birds with anything, but bugs, frogs, and lizards. I truly love watching them and the KCs lay most everyday, but not always in a specific nest. We let them make their own nest areas and just gather them from those locations....they do return and use the same ones. However, if they are held in their pen until about 8-8:30am 85% of the eggs will be in the pen....they don't lay thruout the day like chickens either.....
I like them both, but I will always have kahkis, they are very comical....guess it is the runner blood in them.
Now to the ducks, it kinda depends on what ya prefer from your ducks. If ya are looking for eggs, a bit of comedy, and tenacious go-getters foraging the khaki campbells are the way to go. If ya want a bit bigger bird to harvest for meat and a decent layer, then a rouen will be better. My personal preference is the KCs. They lay better have much more personality and character, and will talk to ya. They may not be as big, but just how much is really eaten at one meal? Also, the rouens are louder than the KCs and don't prefer the water as much....they will get in, splash about and hop out. The KCs will continually hop in and out all day long. The rouens waddle for the most part everywhere....but, the KCs will run like the dickens everywhere they go. Both are very sociable and pretty much move about as a flock, unlike chickens that scatter in all directions. Neither are aggressive birds with anything, but bugs, frogs, and lizards. I truly love watching them and the KCs lay most everyday, but not always in a specific nest. We let them make their own nest areas and just gather them from those locations....they do return and use the same ones. However, if they are held in their pen until about 8-8:30am 85% of the eggs will be in the pen....they don't lay thruout the day like chickens either.....
I like them both, but I will always have kahkis, they are very comical....guess it is the runner blood in them.
Bruce
Herd Master
I agree (scarily often!
) with @CntryBoy777 Since she wasn't in a blocked off brooding space, she may have decided they would be safer somewhere more hidden. Here is hoping!
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Sorry if this is a bit more than ya bargained for, but after making the pevious post, then doing the evening rounds I got a few pics for "Show and Tell". Tho, angles can be a bit deceptive...the size difference is like the difference between a fryer and a stew hen. This pic has 2 khakis between 2 rouens....
...the lighter colored one is in the process of moulting from the light phase to the dark phase, which can be seen on the one ahead of her. The darker hen is Lil Bit and she was the runt of the hatch, but these are the smallest of the khakis. This next one is of the khaki drake, rouen hen, and khaki hen...from right to left....
...he has just about completed his moult, but is similar in size to 3 of the rouen hens. This next one shows 2 khakis that don't mind getting squirted, but the rouen will stay away from the spray, but bill in the puddle....
....the darker khaki, in the middle comes up to me every evening and talks to me waiting for me to give her extra sprays.....
Anyway, I do like them both, but the khakis get my Vote as my favorite. The khakis start laying between 17-20wks, the rouens are more to the 20-22 wk range. Hope this helps and isn't "Overkill" for ya....anything else, just ask and I'll certainly let ya know my experience.
...the lighter colored one is in the process of moulting from the light phase to the dark phase, which can be seen on the one ahead of her. The darker hen is Lil Bit and she was the runt of the hatch, but these are the smallest of the khakis. This next one is of the khaki drake, rouen hen, and khaki hen...from right to left.... ...he has just about completed his moult, but is similar in size to 3 of the rouen hens. This next one shows 2 khakis that don't mind getting squirted, but the rouen will stay away from the spray, but bill in the puddle.... ....the darker khaki, in the middle comes up to me every evening and talks to me waiting for me to give her extra sprays.....Anyway, I do like them both, but the khakis get my Vote as my favorite. The khakis start laying between 17-20wks, the rouens are more to the 20-22 wk range. Hope this helps and isn't "Overkill" for ya....anything else, just ask and I'll certainly let ya know my experience.
