Full Transcript for Ducks Q&A

I apologize in advance if you get sick of hearing me talk and seeing Emily nod her head. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.599 Our first question was actually sent in by the Neston West. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:16.479 Um she asked, best feed options when you have laying hens and drakes. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:19.919 Will the drakes still eat oyster shell if it's available to them? 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:26.000 I love using a maintenance feed because you don't have that excess calcium in a layer feed that the males don't need. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:30.479 Sometimes a male duck will eat oyster shell, but not in excessive amounts. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:31.599 I've certainly seen Mr. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:34.400 Whip go over to the bowl and put his mouth on them. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:41.680 He's probably eaten some before, but not to a point where it's going to be causing health problems from eating too much calcium. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:47.680 I would recommend a maintenance feed without that additional calcium if you have both males and females. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:53.280 I, my policy is the best feed for your flock is the feed you can afford to feed them. 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:54.719 That's how I feel about it. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:58.960 As long as it's meeting all of the nutritional requirements, I don't get too picky. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:00.800 I've tried a lot of feeds. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:02.879 I have some favorites, I have some not. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:12.639 I the one that I really dislike personally is do more, and it's actually not for the reasons that it's not for a reason that I think everybody needs to listen to me for. 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:18.080 I had moldy feed from a Do Moore bag, and that has that could completely not be on the company if that makes sense. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.360 Yeah, but it's not happens in storage or store. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:32.000 Um but I have anxiety, and so I've like banished it from my brain because it did actually, I believe it killed two of my goslings from avian botulism. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:36.639 And so that's my that's my only feed that I'm against. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:40.400 And I'm not even I wouldn't tell you not to feed it if that makes sense because of my bad experience. 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.960 Because again, I could have just been the store, but I'm just like, my anxiety will let me do it. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:55.120 But the I I don't really get too too particular because at the end of the day, you'll lose your mind trying to navigate the conversation of which feed is best. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:59.599 People have a lot of opinions, and really Fed is best, in my opinion. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:00.159 Yeah. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.120 Quick pause. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:05.599 I'm actually like shocked to hear you be saying that right now because like you hate layer feed. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.599 Oh, and layer feed. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:11.599 Because the question was best feed options when you have hens and drakes. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:15.840 Leaving this in because it's evidence of how dysfunctional I am when I'm in pain. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:28.240 I was like, okay, yes, feed what brand works for you, but like I was like, I'm a little surprised you're like, oh, feed whatever when you're like really anti-layer feed. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:37.600 I'm leaving this in because one, it's evidence of how dysfunctional I am, but two, it's evidence of how well Chrissy knows me that she literally just was like, this isn't what you think. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.120 This isn't your brand. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:47.120 What we meant to say was that Fed is best, but you should still feed an appropriate diet. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:47.839 Yes. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:54.639 And if you have males and females, you don't want the males to be getting excess calcium, so you wouldn't feed them a layer feed. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:00.160 You would go with something like a maintenance diet, which comes in many different price points. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:05.680 Yes, I feed an all-flock to all of my birds to avoid layer feeds. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:07.199 I'm not big on layer feeds. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.839 I did a layer feed for my chicken flock because I didn't have drakes. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.160 I actually think there's nothing wrong with a layer if you don't have drakes, but that's not what they were asking. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:20.000 Um, but sometimes, like, I don't want with the way that we worded that, I don't want people to think that like, I don't think you should be feeding your hens layer. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:24.879 If I have a flock of hens, I'm gonna feed them layer because then I don't have to worry about the freaking oyster shells. 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:30.079 Yeah, I actually don't have any roosters in my chicken flock, so I do feed them a layer feed. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:35.600 But yeah, if I accidentally somehow end up with a rooster someday, I'll just switch them to an off-lock feed. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:36.160 Yeah. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:40.480 Barb asked, My hens lay their eggs in the woods in very hidden spots. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.879 Is there a way to train them to lay in their house? 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:43.839 I got this. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:44.959 I got this. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:46.800 So I went through this. 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:47.920 Have you gone through this? 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:48.480 Yeah. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.120 It was actually Munskin who used to do this to me. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:52.879 Keep your birds in late. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:54.720 Ducks are morning layers. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:01.519 If you I can't promise you that you're gonna absolve the issue completely because sometimes it still does happen that somebody lays later in the day. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:04.079 But ducks being morning layers, shut

them in longer. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.120 Just leave them in their coop, let them out late, and you'll have pretty much all of your eggs laid in the coop. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.759 And then after a while, I used to be pretty strict about that. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.439 And after a while, after doing it for a long time, they get so used to laying in the coop that you don't have to worry about it anymore. 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:22.399 But I try to do that with new layers up in my layer duck flock, and that's how I solve it. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:24.079 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:29.680 I would also just recommend trying to have um as cozy of a place as possible for them to lay their eggs. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:34.319 I would say my ducks definitely prefer to lay their eggs in a dark place. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:43.600 My ducks also seem to prefer to lay their eggs in like corners or weird spots where other ducks aren't at the time. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:48.240 So I think if you aren't already providing nesting boxes, maybe consider doing that. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:56.160 You can make nesting boxes for ducks out of five-gallon buckets, turned on their side, just a little space where they can have some privacy, some cozy bedding. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:57.279 Didi's in here. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:59.519 You wanna come say hi to the podcast? 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.079 Well, actually tell the podcast first. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:11.120 Currently, the ducks have two full-time duck parents for the first time in their life because Dee Dee got hurt. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:14.480 And so he there he is in his Pikachu pajamas. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:18.000 So he's actually home full-time, so that'll be interesting. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.319 I don't think we've ever had two people here 24-7. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:22.560 I'm personally pretty excited about it. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:27.360 Not because he's hurt, but because last night I was out by myself at 1:30 a.m. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:34.399 in my spooky property looking for a fox, and all I could think to myself is, dang, I really wish my husband was here. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:38.240 And so now even he's not hurt enough that he can't go do that at night. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.560 So that will be one of the many benefits. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:48.319 I'm just thinking of how nice it would be to have a man here to help me with things throughout the whole day. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:55.920 The problem is that since he hurt his back, I'm actually probably gonna have to do more of his work, which is the downside. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:57.199 But you know what? 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:05.199 I think I would trade it in for having a man to go get the predators at night or go look for the predators at least, because I hate doing that by myself. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.720 Say hi out loud so the people that are listening can't even hear you. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:10.160 You just waved. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:10.639 Hi. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:11.600 There he is. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:11.920 There he is. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:13.040 Hi, DD. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:20.480 Our next question is from Naturalistic Moments, and they asked, There are many varying views as to how many windows need to be in a coop for ducks. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.800 Seems everywhere I look it says something different. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:27.600 Is there a recommendation or guideline you can provide for a shed to window to duck ratio? 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:32.399 I have 17 ducks ranging from khaki to peacekin in size and one African goose. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:38.240 We have a large shed we're converting, and our winters easily get double digits below zero degrees Fahrenheit. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:47.759 So this I think is a really so this I think is a really interesting question because I don't think it's a simple one to answer. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:55.679 Because technically, do they need a window or do they just need ventilation? 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:57.440 I have never heard of this. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:11.759 First of all, I want to say to naturalistic moments, for I I notice you comment on my page like all the time and you support us so much, and I want to say thank you for that because I recognize your username, and I love when I remember people's usernames because I see them all the time. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.840 So I know your username. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:16.559 I have never heard of this. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:19.039 I've heard about adequate ventilation. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:23.440 I have never known of appropriate window per duck ratio. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:25.919 Didi, honestly, I'm kind of glad you're here. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.960 Did you know there's a number of windows that the ducks need? 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:29.679 We gotta know. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:32.080 We're gonna be ripping down the coops, starting over. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:33.919 I'm gonna be so honest. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:41.519 I have never even considered this outside of just like a standard two, you know, you get two, it looks right, it looks like a house. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.360 Um, ventilation's different. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:47.759 I typically try to ensure like I have to do the ventilation strip around the top of the coop. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:53.759 Um, and I just like leave a gap up top because it's up, because it's different than a draft if you you want it above bird level. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:58.399 It's easy for ducks, it's hard for chickens because they're up when they sleep. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:09:58.799 Yeah. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:02.159 Whereas anything up high works for a duck, it's not going to create a draft. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:08.159 But they don't get more than, and I I mean nothing's wrong at night, other than ventilation. 00:10:08.799 -->

00:10:15.519 I think the question that I'm thinking of now is do ducks require windows for light? 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:24.480 And to a certain extent, yes, because the amount of daylight they get um controls their egg laying cycle. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:24.799 Yeah. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:35.039 So I would say the minimum number of windows you should have would be one to allow light in when it's you know, when the sun rises. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.600 But really, you're letting them out. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:38.960 Really Yeah. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.159 Well, I guess that depends on what time you let your ducks out. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:44.080 I guess I'm not sure. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:50.320 But beyond that, I don't really think you need to have a certain number of windows. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:52.960 You just need to have a well-ventilated coop. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:11.600 I'm wondering if this question, if your research, if this isn't something that you're researching, I wonder if your research is rooted in commercial settings where they don't actually have outdoor access, they're kept in like because that's the only when when I when you were saying the question, I was like, that's the only time where I could think that really makes is relevant. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:23.200 Because then yes, I think that you would need to ensure that the whole barn is properly lit in order for the birds to have a natural like laying cycle or natural light. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.440 Uh that's the only thing I could think of. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:26.559 But I you know what? 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:34.159 If you want my unresearched opinion, which uh however many, if you have a shed, however many windows are in the shed, are all set you're all set. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.759 You'll know if it gets stuffy in there. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:42.559 If you if it's a ventilation problem that is your concern, go in there, you know, use it how it is, as long as there's airflow. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:48.720 And if you notice it's stuffy, cut a couple holes, put some hardware cloth, make a little bit more ventilation opportunity and stuff like that. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.519 But I would start where you're at and see how it goes. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:52.240 Yeah. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:12:00.639 I do think that was a really interesting question, and I think I'm gonna try and look up what those requirements are for commercial birds, just to see. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:15.039 Yeah, if Chrissy and I come back and we find out that apparently we were doing this wrong and we've never thought of this, don't hold us accountable for us throwing an off and hip answer to that, because I will definitely look into it too. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:16.960 This is more of a fun question. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:20.639 I live in Indiana, and what ducks and geese do you think I should get? 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.759 I have two call ducks and three geese, but I

want to add more. 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:26.320 So, what unique duck breed should I ask? 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:29.039 Because I don't want a basic breed. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:33.600 I want a unique bird, a unique bird, not a common bird like a pecan. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:38.000 No offense, but I want a unique and friendly duck or geese breed. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:39.919 I have some suggestions for you. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.559 Chrissy's about to say East Indie. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:46.080 Am I right? 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.200 Yeah, you are. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:48.159 I know. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:50.320 I knew it. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:58.799 So as I was going to say, since you already have bantam-sized ducks, I would stick with the bantams. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.679 And I think East Indies are really cool. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:05.840 They're I have a black East Indie, but they do also come in blue. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.399 I've been seeing more blues more and more often. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:15.200 I don't see splash East Indies very often, but they exist, or I think they would probably be called silver East Indies. 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:22.559 Um, but I think East Indies are so beautiful and they'll all look different as they get older and start to grow in white feathers. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:28.080 And beyond that, as far as ducks go, I would just say the Australian Spotted as another Bantam duck breed. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:32.720 If you don't want anything basic and you're looking for unique, Mallard probably wouldn't be a good fit. 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:36.159 So I'd say East Indie and Australian Spotted. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.200 But as far as geese go, I'm gonna leave that one to Emily. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:40.240 Roman Tufted. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.519 Amazing breed. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:43.679 I absolutely love my Roman tufted. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.960 I think that would be my pick. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:54.480 Even bonus points if you want like some rarity, if you find buff saddleback Roman tufteds, because that is a dream of mine. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.919 I I agree with Chrissy on all of the ducks. 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:02.240 So I think my only addition is if you're gonna do geese Roman tufteds. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.759 I don't like, I mean, I feel like everybody's like Sebastiples. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:07.840 I don't I don't like them that much. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.440 I'm I I love mine. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:10.559 I love their personality. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:17.279 But like I wouldn't seek out the breed over a smooth-feathered breed. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:18.960 I prefer the smooth-feathered birds. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:23.279 If you like the Sebbi feathers, get some sebies, but get yourself some colored Sabbies. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:25.840 Don't get the white sebies because you want the rarity. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:28.639 And I think that you

can get some really cool colored Sabbies. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:29.919 They do come in so many colors. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.440 So I think those are my two ads. 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:37.039 You know what you just reminded me of speaking of colors, is that you can technically get different color mallards. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:41.679 Like you could get silver mallards, and those are very hard to find, and those would be unique. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.960 I'm trying to buy Chrissy and I silver mallards next year. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:51.200 Yeah, Emily's like, I'm sick of she's she's only joking when she says this, but she's like, I'm sick of raising birds for you. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:54.080 You just keep getting birds and making me raise them. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:59.200 And then she's like, Oh, I signed us up to be on a wait list next year for silver mallards. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.399 And I'm like, Yeah, you don't want to raise birds for me anymore. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:04.799 I didn't even ask, I didn't even ask Chrissy. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:09.759 I was like, I I immediately was like, Yeah, I'll just grab four so that Chrissy has some. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.320 Because I was like, She's getting them whether she likes it or not. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.759 You're like, I put our names down. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.519 I'm always like, they're hard to find. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:17.039 They're really hard to find. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.399 So that's why. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:20.559 So that would be a really cool one, actually. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:26.639 Or some uh another really cool thing you could do if you're looking for some rarity is go to some breeders that are developing something new. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:27.440 Oh, yeah. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:37.600 Um, and get something like fun, like a coloration that's not really super common and totally accepted, or like a something like a cross breed that they're working on. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:39.759 Um could be cool for both of those. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.320 So yeah. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:41.519 Do you wanna wait? 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.080 Should we do a DD feature and he answers a question? 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.919 Is this question a good DD question? 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:47.360 I'll ask DD some questions. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:52.559 His very first podcast features since he's setting up here, he's gonna answer some questions for everyone. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:53.840 I'm excited. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:57.120 So while Emily's taking a break, I get to interview DD. 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.720 So here is some questions that I'm making up on the spot for him. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:04.960 What is your number one breed recommendation for ducks? 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.759 I like buff ducks or the Australian spotted. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.840 Oh, those are really good choices. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.200 What about geese? 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:19.200 Geese, I will have to piggyback on what she said and go with the Roman Tufted. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:20.159 Uh interesting. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:23.440 I thought you would have said the Sebastian's, but that that is interesting. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:23.759 No. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.519 I I'm not I don't really like the curly feathers if I'm being honest. 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:28.559 Gotcha. 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:36.960 Alright, so while we've got your got you here, what is your number one building tip when building coops for ducks and geese? 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.519 Buy more materials than you think you're gonna need. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:49.679 I I've run to the store so many times because I've run out of screws or fence boards or something else that was stupid that I should have had enough, and it wastes a lot of time. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.840 Yeah, I can definitely relate to that. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:57.759 Second tip is make sure who if somebody's helping you, aka Emily, make sure they know how to use a drill. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:00.320 So that is important. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:04.400 She's gonna watch this back and be someone who called her out like that. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.480 She knows she's she's stripped probably every screw she's ever put in. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:09.359 Alright. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:10.319 Next question. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:15.599 If you could add any species to the farm, like a new animal that you don't have, what would you add? 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:16.960 A donkey. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:18.319 A donkey? 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.119 Yeah. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.160 Really? 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:23.440 I think if we get rid of the goats, I might try to get one. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.319 Another question. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:25.440 You can't leave yet. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.000 Okay. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.440 Um, last question before you. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:30.480 She's standing over there eating a bag of chips. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.359 Okay, last question before Emily comes back. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:36.319 Why will you not let Emily get pigeons? 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.160 Because I don't want to deal with them. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.759 It's all right. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:42.559 Thank you for your interview. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.319 She says it's not gonna be more work, but I know it's more work for me. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:47.519 What are you guys talking about? 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.880 Don't worry, you'll figure it out when you do the washback and edit it all. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.400 You should tag back in now. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:54.960 Our next question was sent in from Christopher. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:59.279 Christopher asked, I have three young Welsh Harlequins that I'm about to move outside full time. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.279 First of all, great breed choice.

00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.880 What is the best way to train them to go into their duckhouse at night? 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:09.279 Do you use treats, a specific call, or a routine to get them going in on their own? 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:11.839 First of all, Christopher, great breed choice. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.240 Welsh Harlequins are awesome. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:19.119 Second of all, there are a couple different options, but none of them are guaranteed to work. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:21.279 I'm just being so for real with you. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:30.720 Our friend over at the Nest on West actually successfully trained her ducks to walk into the coop at night because she gives them treats in there at night. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.640 And I think that's really cool. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:42.559 Me, on the other hand, my ducks know that when I come outside at bedtime, that they know what time that is, and I say go to bed, they'll head to bed. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:47.279 But sometimes they don't want to listen to me because they're like teenagers. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:53.839 And then I have to get the pool skimmer and usher them into bed. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:19:00.000 Also have a duck, sugar, who sometimes screams at the other ducks until they listen to her and go to bed. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:09.839 It's almost like Sugar knows that darkness is dangerous, and she's like, everybody needs to get in here right now so we can all be safe and none of us attract predators. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:11.359 But ducks are not chickens. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:17.599 They are not going to just go up into their coop on their own at night just by nature. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:24.000 So I would say you could try training them by giving them treats in their coop every night. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:37.039 You could try, you can you can try like saying a specific word or just getting them set into a routine, but I can't guarantee that any of it will actually get them to go in on their own at night. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:37.599 Yes. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.920 Uh mine I chase them with a rake. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.960 So we call it the rake of power. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:46.640 Um, so they're definitely not trained to go in. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:53.359 Uh when we first started with our very first with our standard flock, we used to only feed them at night. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:54.960 And that's how we got them in. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:59.119 So kind of similar to Nest on West, and it did work actually pretty well. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:04.400 Um, but then we stopped feeding doing overnight feed, and so that got abolished. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:06.880 And so if they want to rebel, they will. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:13.440 Unfortunately, ducks can see in the dark, so they don't have the instinct that like the sunset, they're like, we could still party. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:26.480 Didi was saying that the white call ducks put themselves away because like similar to sugar, oatmeal runs the breakfast club with an iron fist, and she doesn't like to be out past dark, and so everybody follows oatmeal in. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:28.160 That's really interesting. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.559 Oatmeal and sugar, man. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.519 Yeah. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:38.240 Some kind of they have some genetic tie by some by some miracle because they are so similar. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.359 Good luck, Christopher. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:43.839 I hope you're able to train your ducks to go in bed, but I make no promises. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:44.480 Yeah. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:46.960 Our next question was sent in by Kate. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:53.839 Kate asked, I just had a call duck, Odie, female last year, grow Drake coloring and a Drake curl. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:21:01.759 I didn't know about this, but it seems a common thing to happen, and something to do with one working ovary and suppression of male traits with female hormones. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.279 Do you know anything about this, or can you explain more about this? 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:15.279 So I have actually, unfortunately, gone through this situation before, and I think there's two main possibilities that we have to look at. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:21.759 One is that your bird is simply old, and we're gonna call it henopause that they're going through. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:32.400 Ducks are male by default, so if they don't have female hormone production from their functioning ovary, they're gonna default back to male. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:40.079 They might develop a drake curl, they might develop a more raspy quack, and they might even develop drake plumage. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:48.960 And sometimes, if it's just simply they got old and they aren't producing hormones anymore, it's nothing to worry about. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:59.839 But unfortunately, every time this has happened to me, it has been in relation to damage or illness relating to the duck's reproductive system. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.160 The first time that this happened to me, it was actually with my duck, Munchkin. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:11.920 She had developed just the tiniest little curl of a Drake feather. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.079 It wasn't even like a full curl. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:19.599 And that in combination with some other symptoms made me think, you know, let's take her to the vet. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:20.880 Something's not right here. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:29.759 And she most likely had cancer or a tumor on her ovary or somewhere else in her reproductive system. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:35.039 Unfortunately, she passed before we were able to finish getting her tested for that. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:37.519 So that really sucks. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:44.960 And if it was cancer, there is no treatment for that in ducks. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.559 So overall just a sad thing. 00:22:51.119 -->

00:22:56.559 The second time I had this happen was actually with my duck Nutmeg. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:23:02.079 And she did not develop a Drake curl, but she developed a Drake quack. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:05.680 So she started having a like raspy quack sound. 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:14.160 And when I brought her to the vet, it was a very similar situation to what I was dealing with what I had dealt with with Munchkin. 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:18.960 And unfortunately, on top of that, she also had an infection. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.960 So we had to treat that first. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:31.759 And she also passed away before we were able to further explore what you know was causing the male traits. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:38.799 So sometimes your bird develops male traits and they're just getting old and that's just nature. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:43.039 Sometimes you have a really serious health problem on your hands. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:47.680 I would say I don't even know if I would say don't immediately panic. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:55.920 I would say if your bird develops male traits, keep a very close eye out for other symptoms that they might be unwell. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:59.440 But overall it's it's just sad. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.400 I think it's worth I think it's worth just shooting to the vet right now. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:09.839 Just just uh I would rat I mean for me, I would rather rule out. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:18.559 It's un unfortunately, like this is likely probably like if there's some kind of tumor or something, there's a lot of things that could show up pretty quickly at the vet. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:21.039 You might not even necessarily get to the point you have to do laps. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.200 I especially if the duck is younger. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.880 If it's older, maybe I would wait. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:25.119 Yeah. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:31.920 But if the duck is younger and you're starting to see that, I would probably head to the vet now just to get a general idea of what's going on. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:40.960 Um, and it might be clinically obvious enough at the point that it's showing these severities that you'll be able to get an answer pretty quickly. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:48.400 So I would say that if you can put if you can manage it, otherwise closely monitor symptoms and see how things progress and go from there. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:48.880 Yeah. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:25:00.640 I was actually hopeful when Munchkin was going through this that it had just possibly been a reproductive infection and then we would be able to treat the infection and everything would be fine. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:05.920 But it was most likely a tumor and more likely than that, probably cancer. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:08.480 And I'm sorry, I hope your duck is okay and not going through that. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.119 I do too. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.400 I don't want to scare you. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:16.480 But that's probably my like number one biggest fear because that's what happened to Munchkin. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:20.480 And then it happened to me again with Nutmeg, like not even a year later. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:24.319 So it was just like going through that death twice is what it felt like. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:33.839 And listen, when you guys get the when you guys get these info you're getting a biased take because Chrissy's been through a lot of bad things with this, right? 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:42.880 And when you start to like when you keep birds and you keep a lot of birds and you see the same outcome many, many times, you start to get really pessimistic when you start to see an onset of symptoms. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:44.400 Yeah, it's in it's inevitable. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:47.200 I have this problem with Australian spotted ducks. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:51.039 Every single time one of my Australian spotted ducks goes down, like it's gonna die. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:52.160 I just there's no hope. 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:53.200 And that's how I feel about it. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:26:02.240 Another really awesome thing about going to the vet is there's there could be reasons to be optimistic that it's all okay, but coming from Chrissy, who's had a history of this going really bad. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:05.599 I actually haven't had this happen to me in ducks. 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:10.319 I've had it happen in a chicken, never had it to me happen never has it happened to me in ducks. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.279 Oh yeah. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:15.759 I forgot about that momentarily because I'm focused on ducks right now. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:17.359 But my chicken, Blue Wee. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:30.799 Your chicken did do it, started crowing, yeah, developing male care characteristics, and it turned out that she had a reproductive infection, which we then treated, but then it came back and she passed away too. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:33.039 So yeah, that's three for three for me. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.720 Christy's a little jaded. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.079 All right, we'll give her that. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:47.839 But yeah, check in, check in with your vet, get a get as much information as you can, and it'll help you navigate it if there is something to be navigated, or you have a nice little hen that no longer has to worry about egg binding. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.000 Or whatever you want, whatever you whatever you choose to call it at that point. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.440 Or on the topic of delicate questions. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:27:11.680 I have a question sent in by Quacks and the City, who said This might be a delicate question, but when do you know it's time to stop medical treatment and to let a duck live out their days or be euthanized? 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:16.079 When would you consider treatment too aggressive or not worth it? 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:17.359 And this

is a tough one. 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:19.519 Do you want me to answer it? 00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.160 No. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:25.440 If you're at the point you're asking yourself this question, it's probably time. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:26.880 Does that make sense? 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:35.519 If you're at the point that you're like, is this gonna is it is this prognosis? 00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:38.240 If you're gonna be able to help a bird, you know it. 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:42.240 I mean, every once in a while, me and Chrissy call each other and we screw up. 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:47.039 One time Chrissy was about to call a quail and she showed it to me, and I was like, Chrissy, you could treat that. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:48.240 You could treat that bird. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.599 I saved his life. 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.720 Here I am here. 00:27:51.039 --> 00:28:06.880 And so you can be wrong, but if you're starting to feel like the prognosis is poor enough or the treatment is complex enough that you're not entirely sure that the bird's gonna make it through the treatment course, you're probably at a realistic point where euthanasia euthanasia is able to be on the table. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:13.200 And the thing about euthanasia is it's always better to do it days too early than days too late. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:14.559 And that's how I look at it. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:25.440 I would rather let a bird go too soon than to get to the point that I actually let the bird go down in a more painful way, and I the the suffering could have been preventable. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:33.920 Chrissy and me both follow a practice of if three people in the room agree that euthanasia is the right decision, then we go for it. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:41.519 Um, and that's one of the reasons that you guys always hear us talk to each other when we're making euthanasia decisions or we're making treatment decisions. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:51.440 And each treatment intervention that you go through medically, like every decision that you make with the bird, you look at what is the probability that this intervention is going to be successful. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:54.079 Am I potentially doing something that's futile? 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:58.000 Am I treating something that is just prolonging the bird? 00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:01.039 Those are all going to come into play about euthanasia decisions. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:21.200 I actually did a long-form video on YouTube where I showed people how to navigate this in a flowchart style method that talks about uh how to create an at-home differential if you don't have vet care, and also get to the point where you decide what is how do I weigh quality of life. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:28.799 And it's so much, like we could do and we should do a whole episode on this because I have so much to say on this is something I take very seriously. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.319 Um, check that out. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:35.440 Chrissy and I will probably talk about it on here and talk about some of the times that we've made that decision together. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:38.880 But ask yourself a lot of questions. 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:41.519 Ask yourself, think like the bird, you know. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:45.599 Ask yourself like, does this bird doing things that it loves to do? 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.440 Is its quality of life still here? 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:51.839 Is it living in a box and a tote in my house indefinitely if I can maybe fix it? 00:29:51.920 --> 00:30:01.519 You know, those are all times where you can start to think like euthanasia might be the right decision for the bird because birds don't birds don't worry about having 10 plus years. 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:03.759 They worry about a good life or a bad life. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:09.759 And if you start to get to the point that the bird's actively living a bad life, it might be time to just let them go as hard as it is. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:14.400 I think that euthanasia euthanasia is a very difficult decision. 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:17.440 And you had also brought up the is it worth it? 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:23.279 And that is a very complex question. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:31.119 Because if you ask Chrissy or I right now, we're gonna say no, because we've had some bad luck this year. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:32.720 Both of us are at the point. 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:38.160 Yeah, I think we had a couple conversations between the two of us where we were like, can we even save birds? 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:38.720 Yeah. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:46.079 Because we were like I will I will say I've never regretted taking a bird to the vet to get answers. 00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:48.480 I've never regretted spending that money. 00:30:49.359 --> 00:30:57.440 When Munchkin was sick, she went through a lot of testing, a lot CT scan. 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:00.880 I mean, her bills were in the thousands. 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:14.559 And for me, it was worth it because she was my sole pet, and I would have spent every last penny I had and gone into any amount of debt to try and save her. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:30.880 And I also thought of her as an individual, and I knew the possibilities of what would happen if she had lived through that CT scan and was diagnosed with what the possibilities were. 00:31:31.119 --> 00:31:46.480 If it was a benign tumor and it could be removed, I would have gone through with a surgery to have it removed, and then she would have had to live in the house for potentially six weeks in as sterile of an environment as possible. 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:50.160 And if it was cancer, there would have been no cure. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:52.319 So I knew those options going into it. 00:31:52.480 --> 00:32:00.880 And I knew that Munchkin, as an individual, would not have been suffering being kept in the house for six weeks if that's what I needed to do. 00:32:01.119 -->

00:32:07.519 On the other hand, when it came to Nutmeg, Nutmeg was not nearly as friendly of a duck. 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:22.000 It doesn't mean that I loved her any less, but I don't think she would have recovered from a surgery to have a tumor removed being kept in the house, because I think if I kept that duck in the house for six weeks, she would probably starve herself to death. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:28.319 And I know that because Nutmeg's sister, Brownie, had a surgery on her eye. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:34.319 She had to be kept inside the house to recover from that, and she stopped eating. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:44.319 And unfortunately, she did end up passing away because she wasn't able to recover from the surgery because she wasn't nourishing her body, and it was just like a horrible cycle. 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:54.160 And part of me wishes that I had never done that surgery, but at the same time, I would have never learned that lesson if not for Brownie. 00:32:54.319 --> 00:33:03.119 I would have never thought can this particular duck survive being kept in the house to recover from surgery. 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.319 Yeah. 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:06.240 And one thing I have peanut. 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:14.640 A perfect example of what you're talking about is Peanut is my bird that I would, I would be completely comfortable doing more advanced interventions for than almost any other bird on my property. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:22.400 Because remember when she prolapsed and I had her in my house, and I was just like, I was just manipulating her literal organs, and she was just like staring at me. 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.519 She's like, that's fine. 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:24.640 I didn't even have to restrain her. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:27.359 I it was the it's the easiest bird to handle in the world. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:30.079 So I could do more without stressing the bird. 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:35.680 Um, and same thing with when we go to the vet, I my vet loved peanut because she was just sitting there. 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:36.799 He went to go handle her. 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:40.160 He typically has to handle my ducks, and he was like, it doesn't move. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:42.480 It just is like, here's my here's my body. 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:43.039 Take it. 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:43.599 Yeah. 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:46.000 So it does that changes the outlook a lot. 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:49.359 You do have to look at each individual bird and like what they can handle. 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:56.240 Um, and another thing that I actually really like to do when it comes to when I do go to the vet. 00:33:56.319 --> 00:33:58.640 And I like Chrissy said, I've never, I always go to the vet. 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:03.359 Even if I know I'm going to euthanize a bird, I go to the vet sometimes. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:05.279 So I can ask questions, I can get information. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:08.559 I can the other awesome thing is you can talk to your vet about all of this. 00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:12.159 You can talk to your vet about my vet helps me make my euthanasia decisions too. 00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:17.679 But so I call Chrissy, I call my friends, I call my poultry people, and I talk to my vet inevitably, and he helps me decide. 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:19.840 So you can talk to your vet about all of this too. 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:30.000 You can ask your vet about interventions and vocalize your concerns and ask if how comfortable is this going to be, especially if you have a really good vet and tell them that your quality of life is important to you. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:39.679 But one thing that I do with all of my birds, and it's a flexible system, but I have something, it's called like in my head, it's like my bird DNR, right? 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:41.280 Bird do not resuscitate. 00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:54.079 And what that means to me is that there is certain interventions that I deem to be advanced enough that I'm just going to pick euthanasia every single time, no matter how much emotion is into it. 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:59.599 There's some flexibilities in that, but tube feeding for me is one that is on my bird DNR. 00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:02.880 So if I hit a point of tube feeding, and this is also to keep me in check. 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:08.079 So if I get emotional and I start because it's really hard because sometimes you're emotionally, you want to save the bird. 00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:13.039 And so you start creeping into the category of things you don't actually totally agree with. 00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:16.960 Yeah, and it's it's really hard to control that in the moment. 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:20.960 And so that's why I tried to do it in advance, and it actually just happened to me with Little Dipper. 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:25.440 And my vet checked me, which was shout out to my vet. 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:29.840 Um, because I was gonna take Little Dipper home because I didn't have it in me. 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:32.480 I had just lost goji the say two days before. 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:34.800 And I was like, I'm just gonna take her home. 00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:39.199 And he was like, You're gonna have to tube feed her, and tube feeding is on my bird DNR. 00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:41.360 And he was like, and she's probably not gonna survive. 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:45.039 And I I like said to myself, no, just do it. 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:56.000 Because I knew I knew I checked myself that tube feeding, and the reason for me that tube feeding is on my bird DNR, tube feeding, there's some mild flexibilities, and each case is still like I would approach it. 00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:00.000 There's some times where I would break that rule, but they're very rare, and there's very specific. 00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:02.320 When we do a whole episode on this, I can talk about it. 00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:04.559 I'm probably not gonna get into all of

that here. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:15.280 But the reason that it's on that is because if I'm at the point of tube feeding a bird, the bird's prognosis is probably so poor that my chances of saving this bird are low enough that I should just let it go. 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:16.239 Does that make sense? 00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:16.800 Yeah. 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:25.679 So it that that's something that I find really helpful is having a treatment ceiling that you always have. 00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:34.960 Like sit down with yourself one day and decide what that is for your birds, what you're in it, it all comes down to what your moral standpoint is on certain interventions. 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:39.679 Because there's a blurry line where medicine hits ethics and it's like it's crazy. 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:42.960 So figure that out for yourself and it'll help you navigate your decisions. 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:49.039 But here's the most important thing that everybody needs to know going into euthanasia, euthanasia decisions. 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:54.239 No matter what, you are not wrong for what you choose. 00:36:54.480 --> 00:37:03.280 Yeah, that is a completely you're escorting this animal through a difficult time, and that is completely up to you what you end up deciding, and nothing you can do is wrong. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.639 And I think it makes sense. 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:09.760 I think you can also apply that to the money aspect as far as is it worth it? 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:16.159 I am never going to judge someone because they chose to humanely euthanize a bird because they didn't have the money to treat it. 00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:20.400 It is so much better to do that than to allow that bird to suffer. 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:23.360 Euthanasia is treatment. 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:23.840 Right. 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:25.920 And I think Asia is a treatment. 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:26.559 Absolutely. 00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:36.159 And I think that you can also set a bar for yourself in advance of how much you would be willing to spend if you were in a particular situation. 00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:48.079 Like Emily and I can say that we would spend our last dollar to save munchkin or peanut, but realistically, we also know that we have other birds to take care of. 00:37:48.159 --> 00:37:48.480 Yeah. 00:37:48.800 --> 00:37:53.599 So there is, unfortunately, a limit that does exist. 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:57.920 And for some people, that's a vet appointment in and of itself. 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:03.760 And for other people, it's a certain dollar amount. 00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:13.599 I also think the the money aspect for me also comes into play of the bird's health in general. 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:19.840 Like I just spent a couple months ago, I don't remember how long it's been,$700 to have Mr. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:21.360 Whip's eye removed. 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.079 But Mr. 00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:28.239 Whip is a healthy duck and

a great addition to the flock. 00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:29.679 He's a well-behaved male. 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:36.719 He could have many years ahead of him, and missing an eye isn't really going to affect his quality of life that much. 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:48.000 Whereas if I had a duck that had other health issues like um progressive arthritis, it was really old. 00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:49.920 And you have that. 00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:57.679 Okay, but I can't name Maple and be like, so if it was Maple, I wouldn't have done the surgery because that sounds wrong. 00:38:58.000 --> 00:38:59.360 But it doesn't. 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:00.320 It's true. 00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:11.519 If it was Maple who was having the eye problem, I probably wouldn't have put him through that because he already has other ailments affecting him in his day-to-day life. 00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:14.719 So like sitting here, how did Maple become hypothetical? 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:16.320 He's he's alive, Chrissy. 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:18.400 He's there, he's standing right there. 00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:20.079 Yeah. 00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:20.960 I look at Mr. 00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:24.880 Whip and I'm like, he could have many happy, healthy years ahead of him. 00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:31.119 I don't think of Maple that way because he's so old. 00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:33.119 He already has arthritis. 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:39.360 If something else were to happen to him, it probably would be prolonging suffering. 00:39:39.679 --> 00:39:40.000 Yeah. 00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:43.440 Just because of his age and other ailments. 00:39:44.159 --> 00:39:44.480 Yeah. 00:39:44.719 --> 00:40:02.960 And I hate to assign value to a bird's life and how long they can live, but I wouldn't want to torture him by putting him through something like a surgery at his age, knowing his condition. 00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:07.440 We're gonna do a whole episode on this because we can we could talk about this for a long time. 00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:10.239 Yeah, I think we should stop talking about this because it's sad. 00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:11.599 It is sad. 00:40:12.159 --> 00:40:20.559 And we can we'll do a whole episode on it one day where we can cover like so much information on this topic. 00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:22.960 Because Chrissy and I talk about this all the time, to be honest. 00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:23.360 Yeah. 00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.880 Um, so we have a lot of thoughts. 00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:29.199 Every time a bird gets sick, which is like a lot sometimes in a row. 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:32.320 On a better note, we have a question from Chris. 00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:39.039 Chris asked, What are the benefits of having a Drake in your flock other than being able to hatch ducklings or breed them? 00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:40.320 That's it. 00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:52.000 Yeah, I hate to say it, but if we're talking about the benefits of having it in your flock, I don't necessarily think they're great protectors. 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:54.159 No, you want to know what they are good at? 00:40:54.320 --> 00:40:56.000 You want to know what the only benefit is? 00:40:56.159 --> 00:40:59.119 They will do a better job watching the sky than your hens. 00:40:59.199 --> 00:40:59.280 Yeah. 00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:01.519 But they will literally let the hens die. 00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:07.199 Just say they they're self-preservationists, so that they will watch the sky and they will run. 00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:08.239 And then the the hens. 00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:13.360 I mean, some like mine alert so that the hens know that there's danger, but they're not trying to protect them. 00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:13.679 No. 00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:20.239 Besides that, it's just a nice thing to do to give a Drake a home. 00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:34.320 But if we're genuinely just talking about the benefits of them to your flock, alerting, and I think that's the most common predator that your hens deal with is the Drake. 00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:35.920 So there's that. 00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:41.519 So it's like, but I mean, there's I mean, there's there's beneficial parts of having a Drake for the people. 00:41:41.760 --> 00:41:42.559 I love them. 00:41:42.880 --> 00:41:43.199 You know? 00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:52.480 They're goofy, they're funny, they can be a pain in the butt, but they're beautiful, they're gorgeous birds, they're uh and hatching's fun. 00:41:52.800 --> 00:42:06.320 Yeah, and if having eggs is not something you're looking for, you can totally have a bachelor flock, not have to worry about reproductive health issues, and love your flock and have gorgeously colored birds. 00:42:06.559 --> 00:42:07.199 Yeah. 00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:15.760 But I would do I would do a batch flock if I was like never gonna hatch, never gonna do because I have chickens, say I was never gonna do duck eggs anymore. 00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:18.239 I would have a batch flock forever. 00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:21.440 Because oh my gosh, I have male cockatiels. 00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:24.559 Let me tell you, not having egg laying. 00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:28.320 Literally, it's literally the best thing ever. 00:42:28.480 --> 00:42:33.519 I get so happy because obviously I don't eat parrot eggs or hatch parrots. 00:42:33.760 --> 00:42:36.960 And every time one of my parrops up male, it's like the best. 00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:45.039 I'm like, yes, because they don't have ratio stuff, and they're the so it's like it not having egg laying, you that bird will live forever too. 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:46.400 The Drakes live forever. 00:42:46.639 --> 00:42:47.199 Right. 00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:51.199 While we're on the topic of your birds, everybody should go check out Taco Teals. 00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:55.679 It's Emily's not so secret secret bird page that she has. 00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:57.679 Yeah, well, it's not a secret anymore. 00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:04.800 You could come hang out with the sassiest duck on the farm, which is my duck duck, my little female Lutino cockatiel. 00:43:04.880 --> 00:43:05.679 She's hilarious. 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:07.119 The parents are fun. 00:43:07.280 --> 00:43:09.360 All right, that's all we got for this one today. 00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:13.039 I promised Emily we would try and keep this episode as short as possible. 00:43:13.199 --> 00:43:16.639 Thank you again so much to Metzer Farms for sponsoring today's episode. 00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:22.239 If you're looking to get any ducklings this season, be sure to check out Metzer Farms at the link in our show notes. 00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:24.639 And once again, thank you guys so much for watching. 00:43:24.800 --> 00:43:28.639 If you want to check out our merch, we're actually both wearing the same design today. 00:43:28.800 --> 00:43:30.159 This is our podcast logo. 00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:31.760 We'll also have that linked below. 00:43:31.840 --> 00:43:35.280 And as always, we always appreciate your support for the show. 00:43:35.840 --> 00:43:37.840 All right, that is all we got for this one. 00:43:37.920 --> 00:43:39.679 Hopefully, see you guys next week. 00:43:39.840 --> 00:43:45.760 We're gonna try to also film on Monday to get that winter care out once I'm feeling a little bit better. 00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:47.360 But that's all we got for this one. 00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:48.000 Bye, guys.