| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| bodger |
Ducks Again.There were some hunking big duck eggs for sale in a posh food shop at Trentham Gardens yesterday. They were a humungus size and the price was quite hefty as well. They were priced at £3.20 a dozen. What do you think about that? How much do you pay or charge for a dozen duck eggs ?Historicaly of course, they have always demanded a higher price than hen eggs. It doesn't take much to catch my imagination and just from seeing those duck eggs, I've decided to keep some again. I got rid of all our ducks after the very first bird flu scare. I realised then, that if forced to bring all our birds under cover, then the ducks would have to be kept in intolerable conditions. I don't know how many I'll keep but after I've finished building my latest chicken house, I'm going to transfer my attentions to building something for my forth coming ducks. Ducks don't perch so it doesn't have to be too high a shed. It will still need to be dry and airy with wide doorways though. I'm looking forward to seeing some of these comical characters wobbling around the fields again 
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| alison |
I have 2 ducks that perch! (out of 31!) |
| bodger |
Have a look at this duck farm website that I've found.
http://www.duckeggs.co.uk/ducks.htm On the opening page, guess which sentence concerns me ? This is what I've witnessed on just about all the large free range hen units that i've visited. Only a small percentage of the birds go outside and actually free range. This is because the birds want to stay indoors near to the food and water suply. This IMO defeats the object of the exercise, which is presumably supplying genuine free range eggs. Why not keep the birds food inside away from vermin but at the same time have the water outside to encourage the birds out onto the grass and fresh air ? |
| alison |
very sad.
Our ducks live in the front paddock, outside the B&B, but can easily get out. You would be amazed at how far they travel. I have just seen a line of them waddling up to the pond, 3 fields away! |