Adopting a Duck or Goose from Us:
What to Expect
|
 The
ducks and geese we rescue all have distinct
personalities. Some were extremely friendly and almost
seemed anxious to be rescued. Others were fearful and
wary and needed to be humanely captured with boats and
nets. As a result, some birds will adapt more quickly to
their new homes and new families than others. So it is
important that you understand that some of them will
need extra time and commitment to get them accustomed to
you. Acclimation can take days, weeks or
even months, depending on how much time, effort and
kindness you put into it. The good news is that although
progress may tend to be slow at times, it does tend to
be readily apparent. One of the first indications that
your new duck or goose is warming up to you is when
he/she begins to venture closer to you when offered
treats and no longer runs away when you enter the
enclosure. Over time your new duck or
goose will begin to show signs of improved plumage.
Because abandoned ducks and geese tend to be lacking in
good diet prior to their rescue, their feathers tend to
show immediate improvement after their first molt.
There is nothing more rewarding than watching animals
learn that you love them unconditionally and that they
can trust you. If you put your heart into it, in time,
you will see a wonderfully different duck or goose than
the one you originally rescued and added to your family.
And they will be forever grateful to you for it.
About the ducks and geese available for adoption
All birds we take in are immediately
treated with a precautionary dose of wormer along with a
powdering for mites and lice. Specific information
regarding these medications will be provided to you
before the adoption process is complete. All birds are
quarantined for a minimum of 14 days before being made
available for adoption. If a bird is in need of medical
attention, it will receive treatment while in our care.
Only healthy birds will be made available for adoption.
To view a list of the birds that are currently available
for adoption please visit the
Adoption Profiles page.
Requirements for Adoption
We ask many things from adopters and
that is because we are trying to place our ducks and
geese in the best possible homes. Before rushing to fill
out an adoption application, please take a moment to
consider the following:
 |
Do you know how to care for the
duck or goose you wish to adopt? Ducks and geese
need many things including special feed,
well-built enclosures, and bathing water. |
|
|
Caring for ducks and geese is a
more than a once a day chore. At the beginning
of the day their bedding needs to be changed,
they need fresh feed and water, and their
enclosures need to be inspected. At the end of
each day they need to be locked up to protect
them from predators. Will you or someone else be
there every day to do these things? |
|
|
Ducks and geese can live
anywhere from 8-30 years. Are you prepared to
care for your duck or goose for this long? |
|
|
If you already own ducks or
geese or other poultry, have you considered how
they will react to a new duck or goose? |
|
|
Are all family members in
agreement about adopting a duck or goose? |
|
|
Have you researched town or city
ordinances to make sure you are allowed to keep
waterfowl? (Many towns and cities prohibit the
keeping of waterfowl). |
|
|
The leading cause of death to
domestic waterfowl is from predator attack. Are
you aware that almost all dogs (even the most
gentle of household pets) have an innate
instinct to chase and even kill birds? |
|
|
Another frequent cause of death
in waterfowl is from hardware disease. This
occurs when ducks and geese ingest foreign
objects such as nails, wire, coins, etc. Death
occurs in almost all cases. Those birds that are
operated on in time and the objects removed often
die from the stress of the operation itself.
Veterinary bills to treat hardware disease can
run in the hundreds on up. Are you able to keep
your duck or goose's enclosure free of such
items? |
|
|
Ducks and geese are flock
animals and are happiest in the company of
friends. If adopting a duck or goose, you will
need to have at least one companion for them. If
you don't already have a duck or goose at home,
we request that you adopt a pair. |
|
|
Female ducks and geese sometimes
experience egg binding. This is when an egg is
trapped inside and the duck cannot expel it.
Without intervention death occurs in most cases.
Do you have the resources to take your duck or
goose to the vet if this happens? When egg
binding occurs time is of the essence so you
need to have a knowledgeable veterinarian treat
her immediately. |
All adopters must be prepared to:
|
|
Provide a proper diet for your
duck or goose that is specifically designed for
waterfowl. |
|
|
Make fresh, clean water
available to your duck or goose at all times. |
|
|
Supply a bathing source for your
duck or goose that is cleaned on a regular
basis. |
|
|
Keep straw and bedding fresh and
clean. |
|
|
Enclose your duck or goose in a
predator-proof structure that provides
protection from direct sun or inclimate weather
(snow, hail, rain, hurricane, etc.). |
|
|
Lock up your duck or goose each
evening in an enclosure that is completely
predator proof. |
|
|
Locate the closest veterinarian
that has experience with waterfowl and list
their full information on your adoption
application. |
|
|
Provide proof of home ownership
through a copy of your home mortgage or deed. |
|
|
Show proof that you are over the
age of 18 years of age. |
|
|
Provide us with photos of the
outdoor enclosure that the duck or goose will be
staying in during the day as well as photos of
the nighttime housing, both inside and out. |
|
|
Be willing to let us perform an
onsite inspection, provided you reside within
our standards of reasonable driving distance. |
|
|
Pay a donation of $25 per duck
or goose. This donation cannot be waived. |
|
|
Pay for a NEST carrier and
shipping fees. (For
more information on shipping,
click here). |
|
|
Read and sign an
Adoption
Contract. The
Adoption
Contract is your legal
promise to provide proper care and enrichment of
the waterfowl you adopt from us for the rest of
their natural lives. In the event that you no
longer can provide a suitable home or proper
care for the waterfowl, you will agree to
relinquish the waterfowl back to our sanctuary. |
How to start the adoption process
Look through the
list of ducks and geese
available for adoption to see if there is one (or
more!) you would like to adopt. Then to start the adoption process you
will need
to fill out an Adoption Application (see bottom of this
page for links to applications). This can be
completed online (fastest turnaround) or an application
can be printed and mailed to us (slower turnaround). You
will receive email confirmation of receipt within three
business days of receipt of your application. If your
application meets with our minimum standards of
acceptance, a phone interview will be arranged. If you
are approved for adoption, you will need to provide
proof of home ownership and age, sign an
Adoption
Contract, and pay adoption fees, including shipping.
Shipping Ducks and Geese
Whenever possible we will arrange for
either you to come and pick up the duck or goose or we
will deliver it to you personally. For those who live
too far away for this we can arrange shipping for ducks
only. We cannot ship geese. Note: We
will only ship birds to residences in the continental
U.S. We cannot ship birds to Alaska, Hawaii, or outside
the United States. Please keep in mind
that the cost of shipping a live animal is costly. The
cost of shipping a single duck can range from $40 to $50. Shipping boxes
start at $26, and vary depending on the size. For
more information on shipping,
click here.
|
Please read all the information on this page
before completing an adoption application!