Fairly new to ducks...questions!

There is lots of good information on raising ducklings here, if you haven't seen it already: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

And some other good topics here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

Enjoy your gorgeous ducklings!

true byc addict...I am new to ducks...got 2 early spring..want them just as pets...a white duck and a Mallard ho is now purple and green black. I use the bigger kiddie plastic pools..they jump right in and out...and are easy to clean....My mallard is panting..but the white duck is not....the mallard is swimming and drinking....he does not seem to be in distress...but it bothers me that he is panting and the white isnt....

My baby Muscovy duckling is panting like a dog. I know when they get older they pant like a dog when they are happy. But do they do it as a duckling? If so does this mean he/she really is a Muscovy? I'm not 100% sure if it is a Muscovy. Thank you

Also when I walk off my duckling starts crying, but when I go back and start petting her/he he/her stops crying.

keyt1969 said:

I have a trio of call ducks that are now 21 days old. I have never raised ducks from ducklings so I have a few questions. Sorry if they're kinda silly.

1. Do ducks pant like a dog? I've had them in their enclosure after swimming and seen them with their mouths open like they are panting. Does that mean they are too hot?

2. When is a good age to put them with the chickens, or should I? We have everything from Belgian Quails to RIR.

3. When can I start feeding them more solid food like corn or something similar? When can they chew?

4. We don't live too close to water, but I have been letting them swim in a plastic storage box and they love it. Eventually we will have an in-ground "pond" for them, but for now how often is it required for them to swim?

Any other advice is greatly appreciated!!

Keyt (Kate)

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Here’s a few tips in case you don’t already know that a lot of first timers aren’t aware of.
TIP (#1) Only use RED bulbs for your lamp and DO NOT USE WHITE BULBS because the white bulbs will prevent them from being able to sleep and will eventually cause them to die.
TIP (#2) Positive your lamp to shine on only HALF of their enclosure so they can move away and find a cooler spot if they get too hot and will still have the lamp if they need it.
TIP (#3) If you are raising them for their eggs remember that a happy duck is a more productive duck. If they’re unhappy they will lay less eggs.
TIP (#4) Ducks love water so splashing is something that will happen so to keep them from splashing in their water bowls as much try placing marbles, rocks, aquarium marbles etc. at the bottom of their water dish. Give them lots of playtime in the water so they don’t try to make their own pool out of their drinking water dispenser.
TIP (#5) As they get older they will be able to fly so to prevent them from flying away from where you want them to remain you can trim their wings by cutting the tips of their flight feathers which will be the first first few feathers and the longest looking feathers on their wings but be very careful that you don’t actually trim a blood feather because if you do you will have to yank the feather out (to prevent them from bleeding to death) which is very painful for them.