Should I get ducklings?

About a year ago, i asked my parents to buy me ducklings. So one day my mom said to me as we were in a store that sold ducks, and she told me to call my dad and ask him. but he said no. A few weeks later he showed up with chickens for me. And of course, i later bought some more chickens, so now i have 4. I live in the north east U.S. so i have snow in the winter, but my chickens are kept warm and they even still lay eggs in the winter. Anyways, i want ducklings again now. I know i could take care of them, and i have done a lot of research. When i was younger i had ducks too, but at that time i was just a kid and... well one duck flew away and the other had to be given away because it was lonely. So, i know i could easily buy ducklings at a local store, but do i really want them? My dad said i could buy adult ducks.... the only problem is i cant find any to buy.... So i know i could easily convince him to let me get ducklings. when i was a kid i got my ducklings when they were just a day old! But now i have 4 dogs, and i go to school for most of the day. Would ducklings need me to be with them all day? and will everything be fine adding them with chickens? When i added my 2 new chickens to the flock, i watched in horror as the older chickens attacked the new ones!!! But ducks dont have beaks to help protect themselves will i have to wait until the ducks are fully grown to add them with my chickens? any information about ducks v chickens would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks for any help.

Well my opinion is getting ducklings and raising them young
they will be tame and not that kiddish
you do not have to be with them 24/7 just make sure there is multiple ducklings so the one wont get lonley
and do not add them with the chickens that young that will be pecked to death
just keep them in a brooder under a shelter or inside with a heat lamp to keep them warm
supervise them when they are young and they start swimming because they can drown

There are many websites and probably some threads about integrating new animals in to a flock and about keeping chickens and ducks together
if you have anymore questions just ask

I have two Rouen ducks that I raised from babies, as well as five Indian runners and two Muscovies that I got already grown. Because we handled our Rouens from babies, they are super tame. I can go pick them up and they don't even try to run away. The other ducks don't like being touched, but the Rouens are so used to it, they're completely relaxed being handled. If you want ducks, be sure you can have some sort of pool or pond for them. It breaks their little hearts not to be able to take their daily baths. Another thing to keep in mind, they are VERY messy. They will dirty up their water in minutes. If you give them a clean tub of water, they will promptly splash a bunch out, play in the mud, jump into the tub and muddy it up. Ducks are very cold hardy, at least most breeds, ours swam all winter in Montana. We put a tank de-icer in their main tub but not their kiddie pool, so when their kiddie pool froze over they'd stand on top of the ice and shout about it. They have a ton of personality and I compare them to toddlers: they're messy, they're loud, they get into everything because they're very curious, they put everything into their mouths, and they're just so cute and funny that you can't help but love them and go refill their pool for the fifth time because they splashed all the water out.

You wouldn't have to be with the ducks 24/7 (though it might be tempting to do so ). When we put our duck in with our chickens the chickens went after her, and we had to take her out. I'd definetly wait until the ducks are grown before trying to introduce them to chickens.

X2

thanks everyone! I just purchased two ducklings yesterday. I am unsure of the breed and gender of them, but i am sure they will grow up to make amazing pets!

Would love a couple ducklings were did you get them? no stores around me sell them so id be looking at online options.

birdygirl01 said:

thanks everyone! I just purchased two ducklings yesterday. I am unsure of the breed and gender of them, but i am sure they will grow up to make amazing pets!

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Cool! If you can post a picture we might be able to tell you the breed.