backyard ducks Archives - View from the Front Porch

21 07, 2023

Duck Report

By judythemorgan|2023-07-19T18:36:52-05:00July 21st, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

It has been a while since I’ve talked about the ducks and they are feeling neglected. In fact, someone asked me this weekend how many ducks we have and I couldn’t give an exact count.

I have since counted and there are fifteen ducks.

Part of the challenge to knowing how many ducks we have is that we have hatched two different sets of eggs and sold four ducks to a friend so the number is in constant flux. But yesterday I moved the final ducklings out with the big ducks and so they are all together – for now.

I used the travel cage to move them, put them in the duck yard, and opened the door to the cage.

As expected, they huddled in the corner, terrified.

The bigger ducks were also terrified and ran to the opposite side of the yard.

Eventually, they realized that they were all ducks and had nothing to fear from each other.

Minimus Dachsamus, on the other hand, has to be watched diligently.

3 06, 2022

Ducks and Water Part 2

By judythemorgan|2022-05-31T10:21:11-05:00June 3rd, 2022|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

It is a well-known and documented fact that ducks like water. What I have discovered recently is that they prefer dirty water.

I regularly empty, clean out and refill the kiddie pool we use as a duck pond. Now that we have added more ducks, I do this more regularly. Ducks are very dirty. I’m beginning to think they like it that way.

Exhibit A: Ducks sitting in the muddy overflow and leaving the nice clean pool completely empty.

Notice Cooper, Rachel’s dog, keeping an eye on the hose. He likes to “help” me fill the duck pond and prefers clean water. He grabs it straight from the nozzle as I carry the hose back to the house.

The ducks are very entertaining. A friend says they sound like they are laughing. I do believe, however, that dogs are smarter.

12 03, 2021

Just Visiting

By judythemorgan|2021-03-11T15:25:52-06:00March 12th, 2021|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When I got home from work one day this week, there were chickens in the duck pen. When I went out to check on them, the door to the pen was securely closed.

Hmmmm How did they get in there?

They didn’t seem too disturbed and I had to zoom in with a piano student so I left everyone where they were.

When I finished teaching, I looked out and Lucy, one of the ducks, was out in the chicken pen. Perhaps they were trading places?

But then a rooster started to harass Lucy, so I had to go wrangle her back into the safety of the duck pen. I also convinced the chickens to go back to their spot,

Yesterday the chickens were back in the duck pen. I gave up and stayed inside to get the kitchen cleaned up. I looked out and one of the birds was flying over the duck fence back to the chicken yard. At least I know how they are getting back and forth.

As long as none of the birds go visit the dogs, I guess all is well.

1 05, 2020

Just in Time

By judythemorgan|2020-04-29T12:27:13-05:00May 1st, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We started building a separate enclosure for the ducks during Spring Break. We dismantled all the individual Bantam runs and moved the small coop and “duck pond” to that side of the chicken yard.

Matt came and helped Brian build a door, and I strung the chicken wire.

It was finished on Sunday, and we moved the little ducks into their new home along with Lucy and Ricky, the adult ducks.

Now I go out at night to put them in the coop.

We made the move just in time. Tuesday, the next batch of ducks started to hatch.

Here we go again!

5 04, 2019

Duck Containment

By judythemorgan|2019-04-04T18:28:52-05:00April 5th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

In our quest to reduce the number of chickens we have, we sold the Welsummer flock (one rooster and four hens) to some friends who are starting over with chickens after building a more secure coop.

That left an empty space which I decided was perfect for the ducks. I moved the “pond” into the new locations and Rachel helped me corral the ducks.

Before I could even close the gate, they had escaped through a loose spot in the fence. They were getting along fine with the chickens so it was not a big problem. I simply wanted to separate them so they would only make a mess of their own waterer.

I secured the fence and decided to wait until dark to capture the ducks and put them in their new home. I learned that ducks do not roost at night like chickens do. I ran around in the dark chasing ducks until I remembered the turkey incident — I fractured my ankle when I stepped into a hole in the chicken yard while chasing a turkey.

I gave up and decided to try in the daylight.

After about a week, I was able to coax Lucy and Ricky into their new home. I filled the “pond” with fresh water and they immediately splashed in.Everybody is happy – especially me. I like everything to have its own home – including the animals.