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Posted: 4/4/2024 4:19:52 PM EDT
I just bought 5 of then as adolescents. I'm going to be putting them on 10 acres I own in Atascosa County. The property has a well and a pound. They ate quite and are supposed to be able to take care of them selves. Anyone with experience in south Texas?
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"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
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I live in WV but raised them for several years. They are more closely related to geese than ducks but are FREAKING DELICIOUS. They taste like the best filet mignon you ever ate.....not joking. Best tasting bird species.
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I'm at the opposite end of the country and had them on the farm for awhile. We enjoyed them and they taste great. We free ranged them and they'd fly around the property every morning at sunrise before landing to go beat the crap out of the chickens then spend the day foraging in the woods.
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I am definitely not an expert on these ducks. I know they passed regs years ago that dealt with them and you likely want to check them. I thought they had either outlawed releasing them to free range or perhaps even restricted raising them further because they are considered invasive. I do recall that in most counties in Texas, you can kill them as nuisance animals.
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rape ducks.
You'll see... |
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Originally Posted By networkguru: rape ducks. You'll see... View Quote This is the bloody truth. I get so tired of it, I take the hose on jet and go after the males just to give the (far fewer) females a break. Often there are five or six (ENORMOUS) males going after one (much, much smaller) female. I've seen them actually break the bones of a female before and she died. (They all pile on at once.) |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Originally Posted By SideCarGT: I am definitely not an expert on these ducks. I know they passed regs years ago that dealt with them and you likely want to check them. I thought they had either outlawed releasing them to free range or perhaps even restricted raising them further because they are considered invasive. I do recall that in most counties in Texas, you can kill them as nuisance animals. View Quote I've checked the laws concerning them and they vary from county to county. Atascosa is good to go. They actually are considered indigenous to the Rio Grand Valley. |
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"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
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Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: This is the bloody truth. I get so tired of it, I take the hose on jet and go after the males just to give the (far fewer) females a break. Often there are five or six (ENORMOUS) males going after one (much, much smaller) female. I've seen them actually break the bones of a female before and she died. (They all pile on at once.) View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Originally Posted By networkguru: rape ducks. You'll see... This is the bloody truth. I get so tired of it, I take the hose on jet and go after the males just to give the (far fewer) females a break. Often there are five or six (ENORMOUS) males going after one (much, much smaller) female. I've seen them actually break the bones of a female before and she died. (They all pile on at once.) Thanks from my understanding I definitely need to limit the drakes to one drake per 5-6 hens. |
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"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Originally Posted By markmars: Thanks from my understanding I definitely need to limit the drakes to one drake per 5-6 hens. View Quote Yes. That will really help. They are good duck mommas though, so you will be needing to cull males at some point for certain. Don't know if that's your plan, for meat, or not. |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.
NH, USA
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Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: This is the bloody truth. I get so tired of it, I take the hose on jet and go after the males just to give the (far fewer) females a break. Often there are five or six (ENORMOUS) males going after one (much, much smaller) female. I've seen them actually break the bones of a female before and she died. (They all pile on at once.) View Quote You need to eat some drakes. |
"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality."
Ayn Rand |
Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Yes. That will really help. They are good duck mommas though, so you will be needing to cull males at some point for certain. Don't know if that's your plan, for meat, or not. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Originally Posted By markmars: Thanks from my understanding I definitely need to limit the drakes to one drake per 5-6 hens. Yes. That will really help. They are good duck mommas though, so you will be needing to cull males at some point for certain. Don't know if that's your plan, for meat, or not. Yes I knew going in. Because they are such good mothers I'll have to cull the stakes and some of the hens or I'll be over rUnned with ducks. |
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"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
I've had these for years. Brief rundown:
Quiet - if they quack, something is wrong, or being attacked (maybe just by an amorous male) Fly - but they fly around, not away. Meat - Red meat similar to veal. Males can give a good 15 lbs or so. Great for people affected by alpha-gal tick disease. Good moms - moms can sometimes raise 3 clutches a year, meaning 45 or so babies! Talons - these things can cut you open like a velociraptor, so the way to get them is push them down, keep those massive claws on the ground...! Feed - Don't need much to supplement. I usually throw out some corn just to keep them friendly. Otherwise they forage well. As always, keep a dog around that will protect them, otherwise coons, foxes and whatever else will take them out. Snakes WILL eat ducklings. Kill every rat snake (black snake) you see. They are worthless anyway. |
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So far so good I bought adolescents one drake and four hens. They should be laying in a couple of months.
When they have their first babies I'll be transferring some to ten acres I own with a pound. |
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"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
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If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.
NH, USA
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Chunks of Muscovy breast with sweet onion, jalapeño, cream cheese, and bacon. Grill until the bacon is crispy. Mmm, mmm, Aunt Bea, Aunt Bea.
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"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality."
Ayn Rand |
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