Ducks and Water

I have a veritable poultry production facility around here.

I still have 5 Cornish Cross Chicks under a heat lamp, though it may be overkill at this point. If I can get my coop ready today, I will move the heat lamp out there for all the chickens, and the ducks can stay inside without a heat lamp.

The problem with the ducks is that they make a huge mess with the water playing in it until it is all gone and then they thirst for the rest of the night until I get up to give them more water. A quart of water is more than enough to keep ducks happy for a night, but they just keep splashing and spilling it everywhere. I really think that it is going to be a much better situation when all the chickens are outside and the ducks are just acting as inside animals. They can spill their water all they want without disturbing my meat chickens.

On May 18th, I will butcher everything that is not a layer. I timed everything perfectly, actually, and that is a very good thing.

My flock will be reduced to my 7 laying hens with 9 chicks off to the butcher and 4 ducks. Peace will once again reign.

Julie is trying to convince me to do do another set of meat chicks, but I am not sure if I am ready for that.

Now I just need to get the doors on the chicken coop, and we will be in much better shape.