Author Topic: Mental stimulation for ducks (Read 3541 times)

Alex_ · « **on:** January 12, 2017, 10:03:27 am »

Has anyone got any good ideas to keep ducks mentally stimulated?
I have seen lots of things for chickens but I haven't seen much aimed completely at ducks
Duck Specific.

Thanks

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2017, 11:35:55 am »

I had run out of my usual bedding to top up with this morning (I'm deep littering them in the barn) so I chucked round a load of straw. They all went nuts for it dibbling away under it and making the funniest noises.

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2017, 01:10:38 pm »

Whole wheat grains fed underwater so they can dibble? Not sure what else ducks do....

I suppose anything hidden under other things for them to "hunt"?

(I'm deliberately not mentioning the drakes

)

GribinIsaf · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2017, 09:19:09 pm »

Today we got a new feeder for our ducks. It was almost identical to their old feeder, but not quite. They used up quite a lot of mental capacity deciding if they were brave enough to walk past it.

On the other hand, they are now living in a netted and covered vegetable bed, which they seem to quite enjoy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/colehouse15/31428809724

Womble · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2017, 11:50:09 pm »

Ours have amused themselves of late by escaping from their pen.

Now by that, I don't mean 'oh look, a hole, let's squeeze through it' type escaping. No, we're talking proper soil down trouser legs escape from Colditz type escaping. The thing is, they have been inside for what, 6 weeks now, and have never got out. However, they actually dug a duck sized hole under a sheep hurdle the other day and then went walkabout.

Perhaps they're not as thick as I previously supposed!

Cuddles · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2017, 01:34:04 pm »

Womble, I know chickens and ducks arent the same thing... but have you watched chicken run!? One of the best documentaries I've ever seen on getting inside the mind of a chicken!

Alex_ · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2017, 01:43:03 pm »

At the moment I have given covered hay bales to perch on at different heights. Muscovies love to perch.

I try giving them some fruit and veggie scraps as a treat but the don't seem to interested.

twizzel · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2017, 09:56:37 am »

My ducks are very bored in duck jail at the moment as we like to call it

Before they went to jail they wouldn't eat anything other than maize/wheat or pellets- however their new found boredom has made them explore cauliflowers- these went down exceptionally well especially the leaves, iceberg lettuce, mealworms (huge hit), suet blocks... they seem to be a bit happier in jail with a few of these things chucked in. And even happier when it rains !!