rachels.haven's Journal

rachels.haven

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Now the loft is done being stuffed. There is a path down the middle and I kept the door area clear so I can open it for ventilation. Any other bales would need to be carried up the stairs. There are 9 bales in the spare stall for daily use. I'll arrange deliveries to keep us covered as long as the supply lasts (feed and pellets too!). For some reason the local store is only charging $12 lately to deliver. Sounds like TSC curbside pickup is getting them down. We buy a lot of feed. Here, I'll help.

The husband tried to sneak away and take a nap in the sensory deprivation loft like he did last year after I stuffed it, but the kids got him first. They like jumping around the loft too!
 

rachels.haven

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Well, the muscovy have hit duck "puberty".
The last couple of days as a group my trio has decided they are not going to bed anymore and tonight I can not round them up and catch them. They get no pellet on freerange, but they are eating high enough on the hog out in the yard they do not care (but of course they will gorge on pellet if given the chance as long as it doesn't involve lockup). So tonight they will probably disappear. There are 3 ducks, one LGD that goes to bed at some point (yep), and a whole woods full of hungry things waiting for idiot ducks.
Normally I'd have a whole flock of adult muscovy to sweep them away into the coop with, but I just restarted with these gorgeous, well bred, solid colored ducks, and they are all I have right now.
Typically the only thing that convinces them that staying out is stupidity is a predator attack that takes out one or two, but I doubt I'll have any ducks left after that the way the predator load goes here. Normally I'd out consistent them for training, but these have decided they are wild now and too smart for bed and they are FAST.

Oh well. There are many good things to do in life, and you can not do them all, and it appears I will not be doing these right now.

If they survive, I have the stuff for a duck pen in the van picked up from HD yesterday and they will be confined until they go to bed reliably. I will probably put one up for the normal ducks even if they don't since I'm not loading hay right now but this is a bit of a bummer. Time for T Post therapy.


Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, while I was loading hay last week my parents came and stayed two days and my dad finished the little duck house while I was remote schooling my kids (mom loaded hay with me as therapy afterward). The Dan has lost interest in climbing all over the roof (it's about 3' tall) and hanging out inside and the normal ducks have just about transitioned to the new routine.

And this is how you save on feed-by letting the invincible young idiot birds get rid of themselves. Good luck Bailey. Maybe they'll be alive tomorrow.

Rant over. :somad :barnie
 

rachels.haven

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Sheesh, at 11 in pitch black my husband went out and the muscovy were sitting outside their old pen and this time didn't hook and run out and scatter but instead went into it and he snapped that door shut so fast...and then he biffed it really good on a log that was laying on the ground and acquired new bruises because that late EVERYONE is really, really blind. I guess 11 o'clock in the dark is when they are ready. I guess I'll try later.
This onry muscovy stage is lousy. I dread it every time.

If these were poorly bred muscovy this would be when the drakes would try to attack you for dominance, for context. Then we'd eat them.
 

Baymule

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I can't have muscovies here, Trip eats them. I wish you the best with your ducks. They are too annoying for me, thank you Trip! LOL

Love the kids in the barn pictures! What fun! They will have these memories all their lives. Hope they follow in Mom's footsteps and have their own little farms someday.
 

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