Recent content by OzarkEgghead

Hi y'all... I've raised chicks/chickens for a decade but this is my first foray into ducks. I have 9 absolutely ADORABLE Ancona ducklings that are a week old now. Initially, I started them out on a thin layer of soft hay bits that fall from the bales for our other livestock. It's very soft &...

I'm confused...if I have to keep my birds segregated, why would I have to feed All-flock to the chickens with oystershell on the side when they have been doing VERY well on what was pictured in my original post? Why not just keep them on the Rgg Mash they're on & put the ducks on a complete...

I've raised chickens for a decade & feel very comfortable caring for them. This May, I'll be moving into new territory by adding 7 Ancona duck hens & a drake. I plan to manage my ducks & chickens as one, mixed flock. Since I've never had ducks before, I'm still researching & learning what I can...

That was my concern with the plastic kiddie pool, too. About the only way to make sure you don't get caught with a leak when there's no kiddie pool replacements to be had would be to buy 2....1 to use now & 1 to keep in reserve in case the other breaks/leaks. The biggest problem with that would...

I wasn't sure if I wanted to get a cheap plastic kiddie pool or buy a large(ish) round, metal livestock tub that's as deep as a kiddie pool. The metal tub will have sturdier walls for pulling it over to dump & wash out but could be very heavy to overturn when filled with water. The kiddie pool...

I was looking at "standard" Pekins, not the Jumbos. The coop has a 7' ceiling, a window that can be opened on 3 of the 4 sides & a standard house entry door on the 4th side for excellent cross-breeze in summer. I was thinking 3 drakes & 17 hens which would put the drake to hen ratio at 1 drake...

Hello, everyone! Hope all who celebrate it had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm looking to transition from chickens to ducks. I've had chickens for a decade but I'll be a first-time duck mom. I'd like to do a mixed flock of 3 breeds...Pekin, Silver Appleyard & Ancona. My coop is a walk-in coop...

I did, indeed, get them from Cackle Hatchery. I've gotten several other breeds from them over the years such as Dominiques, Wyandottes, Speckled English Sussex, etc & been happy with the quality but this is my first foray into EE's. Each time I add to my flock, I try to get a different breed...

I haven't heard any crowing from any of them but the one in the original photo that I posted is noticeably bigger than the others so I think everyone is right that he's a cockrel. Maybe he's a late crowing bloomer.....or just shy. Lol

The one in the original photo I posted that we've determined IS a roo...I was pretty sure he was because he is MUCH more active than the others, tends to be rather assertive around the other chickens & I've seen him chest bumping one of the light yellow ones....but I can't recall if it's one of...

Wowza! He's GORGEOUS!!!!!!

OMG, I never realized photographing chickens could be so darn hard! Just as I got one snapped they'd all scramble & I'd lose track which ones had been photographed & which weren't! I think I finally have photos of all of the ones I'm questioning gender. Despite the color on the wings, I'm...

One last general question since I've never had a Roo....I have 17 of these EE youngsters. If I assume the hatchery DID mis-sex 20% of them, that's 3.4 roosters - so 3 or 4 of them. I assume they will reach an age when they start fighting one another & I'll have to cull all but one of them. I'd...

I think I know this answer but......what, exactly, is "male specific" about his coloring?

Forgive me for being stupid but what is wing leakage?