Delving Into Duck Care with Kristine Ellis | The Beet

[@alices8328]

We have had ducks for 5 years and had 12 at one time. She spoke very well and covered the downside of having male ducks. As an experienced duck owner that has a 1 acre pond, so I don’t have that part of cleaning up to take care of…. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have gotten them. We were gifted our first ones, so we were unprepared starting out, but we’ve learned SO much along the way. They are a lot of work, especially if you live somewhere cold. They’re so messy. I love them but when these last 4 are gone, no more ducks for us.

[@janebrown3096]

I love my pekin ducks I have a huge looking forward to getting chickens next year

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Kevin, i started building aquascape ecosystem ponds once i got my ducks, and ironically the ducks really test the system--since theyre poop is used as a pond sealant. I talk with some certified aquascape contractors about how to best filter them and we are still kicking around ideas. I keep my ducks and chickens together in an aviary and there hasnt been a problem with that. I give a mix of duck and chicken feed to them that they share. Just let the ducks sleep under your coop, and a smaller number of ducks will tax your pond less; so Id say 8 for pekins and 12 for campbells max. They will seal up your negative edge intake if youre not careful.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

I imagine pond being dug a foot deeper than usual everywhere. Ducks Droppings is applied or ducks roam and seal over time. Once sealed covered with fallen leaves and a foot of sand?

[@JoyoftheGardenandHome]

Nooo Kevin, no ducks for you. Not on the current property... So when's the rabbit royalty coming on??

[@thebeetpodcast]

Rabbits aren't off our radar yet - we'll see!

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@thebeetpodcast I bet you would like quail, they don’t have long lives if you want to add more animals in limited property. Im slowly building a living willow aviary for mine.

[@mourbonaventure7475]

This whole, "animals will eat what they need to eat" is absolutely REDICULOUS. No, that's not how the world works. There is that feeder with all the different vitamins separated that some KZbinrs are pushing. The dumbest product ever...

[@Dirt-Fermer]

Some trends are stupid, but animals will eat what they need. Domesticated ones might not be as good at it but I would always recommend to have actual feed of some kind that’s mixed together and then just have them roam for their treats or food they like that’s growing in areas for them.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

Deer eat snakes, squirrels, lizards, anything smaller, occasionally because they need the energy and protein

[@mourbonaventure7475]

@@Dirt-Fermer What I am talking about is this storage bin people are pushing with all these different ingredients in it. They are suggesting the animals will self-select the vitamins they need based on the taste. I'm not suggesting they wont naturally gather what they need from nature. I'm talking about this trend where if they eat it then it must be good for them, so I place out products that are not a part of the animals diet.

[@mourbonaventure7475]

@@Dirt-Fermer I am talking about a trend where people are setting out 10 different kinds of food and believing that the animal will select and eat the healthiest items that their body needs (no matter what you set out). There is a belief that the animals will "know" what they need to eat when given diverse choices. They have taken it so far to take a multivitamin and put all the different vitamins in their own bins and claim the animals will know which vitamin they need more of.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@mourbonaventure7475 ya that trend sounds like a good way for some companies to make easy money off of not mixing any feed lol