Indian Runners & Water...

Discussion in 'Breeding, Raising, Feeding and Caring for Animals' started by Pakanohida, May 1, 2013.

  1. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    I am at my wits end, these lil buggers are nuts! :giggle:

    3x a day I go and change the water for them because they all try to fit inside the water bowl at the same time ((6 of them)) & occasionally try to drink from it. :think:

    I guess I am switching over to a nipple system, but wow, these buggers are nuttier then a US Senator. :giggle:

    Any other suggestions? :)
     
  2. annette

    annette Junior Member

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    They need to be able to swim Pak. The only ones that don't have to are muscovies. But runners need to be able to get in a water source and swim around. Can you get an old bath tub for them? I used a little clam shell pond like MITH. You have to set it up so that you can empty the water frequently. Ducks are the messiest things ever.
     
  3. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

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    Oh yeah they're nuts all right!!! :)
    The other night for reasons unknown ours didn't go back in their yard and we were out in the dark again crawling under bushes with torches and had to catch each one and cart them back to their coop. Ours get into the clam shell and duck and dive and splash. I have to empty and re-fill every day. Your fun is only beginning!
     
  4. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    I have pond(s) made & in the works for when they feather out, they are only 3 weeks old.

    I am also very confused now, every thing I have read teaches me that they do not need to swim, but occasionally enjoy it, so I am confused a little about them at this age.
     
  5. annette

    annette Junior Member

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    Hi Pak

    When I got my ducks years ago I did some research and everything I read said they need to swim, except the muscovies as they needed to only get their bills wet to ensure they could clean the gluck out of it. This was years ago, maybe there is more up to date info. However, makes sense that ducks need to swim. Why have those webbed feet if not to swim? If you have some pond for them I'm sure they will be ok.

    By the way, at Zaytuna Geoff had his ducks and chickens in the same enclosure. He had a pond in there that drained near the kitchen garden.
     
  6. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    Right now they are in the grow house feathering, they get to play for a while in a small pond like thing tomorrow for a little while. :)

    Outside the grow house on the outdoor kitchen is the start of Duck-ponics. There is a gutter, capped on 1 side, with 2 pc's of wood on either side of the gutter. On top of the wood are plastic bins used for growing plants. The bins have cotton cloth soaking up water into the plastic bins as the plants need water. The water goes through the gutter, past all the plastic bins, and then drops 1/2 a meter into a temp. pond. Overflow at this moment is going directly into the soil around the plastic kiddie pool. ;)

    I am building a new pond for the area come summer when strawbales are cheaper, but for now I am using what I got & stacking functions best I can. Anyway, the above mentioned pool will be in use for what is now called our "Little Rascals.":rofl:

    To the left of the grow house is the aviary, and our variation on a chinampa kitchen grow beds where they can swim also when it is flooded.
     
  7. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    So will you put the duck water into the gutter to feed the plants?
     
  8. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    Sorry, yes it is. It's pumped from the pond to the gutter, and the gutter drops back to the pond after the plants wick up what they need. :)

    I am still adding plants to the system before the ducks get at it. I am also setting up barrel aquaponics or barrelponics to be attached to the system as money allows.
     

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