Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Chickens or Ducks?

We have both (chickens and ducks) and even though I originally got the ducks just for fun for the grandkids, I've really come to like them.  In fact I think I almost prefer them to the chickens!  They are voracious foragers and even when they're working their way through the garden eating insects like crazy, they aren't destructive like the chickens are (no hen pecks in the tomatoes, no uprotted young plants...)  They lay beautiful eggs faithfully, and I was surprised to find that our Dora Duck's eggs are a lovely bluish-green (see below)

They do, however, make a mess in every single water trough on the farm - except the horse tank because that's to tall.  The sheep water can't be that high off the ground or the sheep can't reach it (obviously).  It doesn't matter that they have their own duck pool as well as drinking water, they go from pen to pen sampling and sometimes bathing in every water.  I can pen them up in winter, when I don't need them to forage, but they sure make a mess in summer.  Do any of you have this problem?  And if so, do you have any tips to solve the problem?