how hard is it to raise ducks?

[Elmer love]

Hi there, Im going to post an email I sent to a aviary rescue with my details. I'm heartbroken but also already overwhelmed. I'm asking advice if I were to keep and extend my duck family..... I have no experience and don't know if I can handle having more and building an outside area with every predator around daily.... here is the gist of it

Hi, shohola veterinarian clinic advised me to reach out to Giselle..
I'm located in Hawley Pennsylvania and in April there was chaos between a fox and an immature bald eagle to my belief, when I checked it out I found 2 eggs near. I assumed they were Turkey eggs as they nest there yearly. I researched this and incubated and they hatched on may 28. One passed away shortly after hatching. But they were not Turkey's. Elmer is the surviving what I think is an ancona duck.
He is so loved, he goes outside at his leisure and also sits inside in a diaper now watching tv lol. I have 2 rescue handicapped dogs and a rescue angry parrolette. Just recently Elmer has been trying to mate with my dog and got very lucky a few times he wasn't killed and Elmer has gotten my parrolette a few times and he is now, as my son says trying to make my son lay an egg.... he is beyond affectionate and cuddly but the behavior and mess I clean has us in chaos. I'm trying my best but I'm worried about the situation. Ive been trying to keep him outside more and actually fought a redtail hawk off him while standing right next to him.
I'm a cancer patient and Elmer has been a great comfort. We thought about getting another duck perhaps but we don't know anything about it. I thought maybe if we found a close place that would take him if he was happy there, as heartbreaking as it may be for us would be the best choice.
I don't know if you would be willing to meet him or even able to accept him into your family or have any advice for us.
I love wantage my parents live in westtown and we have even been looking to move to the area, and when I heard of you I wondered if this could be our solution. If we stay in our routine I fear his life will be in danger from the dogs or the hawks.
Sorry for the book I'm so broken about this.
If you can contact me I will be very grateful.
Thank you


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy , an AT&T LTE smartphone

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[KaleIAm]

Hi, I'm a little confused about the situation. Do you currently have ducks? If you don't, and you adopt this duck please consider getting another duck friend for him.

My experience with ducks is that they are a LOT of work, and also a lot of joy. My ducks are my adored pets, so my experience is much different from other members who keep ducks as livestock.

My mom asked me last week what it was like to have ducks and this is what I told her, "This is what you need to know about ducks: you'll spend the rest of their life cleaning up poop, giving them medicine, planning your life around their bedtime, and taking them for foraging adventures in the rain. Also you'll spend ALL your money on their medical expenses. But you'll love them so much you won't care."

 

[Elmer love]

Hi, I'm a little confused about the situation. Do you currently have ducks? If you don't, and you adopt this duck please consider getting another duck friend for him.

My experience with ducks is that they are a LOT of work, and also a lot of joy. My ducks are my adored pets, so my experience is much different from other members who keep ducks as livestock.

My mom asked me last week what it was like to have ducks and this is what I told her, "This is what you need to know about ducks: you'll spend the rest of their life cleaning up poop, giving them medicine, planning your life around their bedtime, and taking them for foraging adventures in the rain. Also you'll spend ALL your money on their medical expenses. But you'll love them so much you won't care."

hi, Yes I have 1 duck by accident lol

 

[KaleIAm]

hi, Yes I have 1 duck by accident lol

Lol, yes accidental ducks happen.

What gender is the duck you already have?

 

[Elmer love]

Lol, yes accidental ducks happen.

What gender is the duck you already have?

Im oretty sure he is a male hence the behavior... Im either going to have to find a home or try to get him outside permanently which is my question... if I can pull off getting him outside Id have to get another duck and I really dont know how much work that is...

 

[Trisseh]

I don’t find 2 any messier than 1... 12 (my current number) is definitely messier than 2 though! Haha. And some individuals are messier than others, same as in any species. Another drake would be your best bet, getting a single female isn’t a good idea as she’ll be the sole recipient of his affections, which isn’t fair to her. 2 boys with no ladies do very well. I would definitely get him a friend and get him settled in a secure house and pen if at all possible. Although there are a number of people on here that do keep ducks in the house almost 24/7, I am not one of them and can’t help you there. @Duck mommy 2019 you’ve got your kids in the house right?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I don’t find 2 any messier than 1... 12 (my current number) is definitely messier than 2 though! Haha. And some individuals are messier than others, same as in any species. Another drake would be your best bet, getting a single female isn’t a good idea as she’ll be the sole recipient of his affections, which isn’t fair to her. 2 boys with no ladies do very well. I would definitely get him a friend and get him settled in a secure house and pen if at all possible. Although there are a number of people on here that do keep ducks in the house almost 24/7, I am not one of them and can’t help you there. @Duck mommy 2019 you’ve got your kids in the house right?

yes mine sleep in at night and go out during the day! two drakes would be best, and a rescue if possible

 

[KaleIAm]

Im oretty sure he is a male hence the behavior... Im either going to have to find a home or try to get him outside permanently which is my question... if I can pull off getting him outside Id have to get another duck and I really dont know how much work that is...

Ok, I think I understand now. You've got one male inside.

So, I'm with @Trisseh, I would get him a male friend or two because I also feel it isn't kind for one female duck to be the recipient of that much male attention. Female ducks can be injured or killed by males. Since people are rehoming males quite often finding one to adopt probably won't be hard - depending on your location.

You'd have to build a secure predator proof sleeping area and run for them. If you only have 2 or 3 it won't need to be that big. I like having a larger space for my ducks, but that's up to you. How much you can afford and how much time/effort you have for building.

You'll have to let them out of their coop every morning at light and put them back every evening at sunset.

You'll have to give them fresh water and fresh duck food everyday.

You'll have to give them swimming water a few times weekly.

You'll have to scrub their food bowls, water buckets, and swimming pools at least weekly.

You'll have to clean out their coop and give them fresh bedding at least weekly, maybe more.

You'll have to provide them with medical care if they get sick or injured.

I also take my ducks for foraging walks most days. They come when I call and follow me around. Not everyone does this, but my ducks and I both get a lot of enrichment and joy from this activity. I can't tolerate leaving them in their aviary all day.

It is a lot of work. I can't take a vacation anymore. I've had to turn down jobs because I have to be home before sunset to put my ducks to bed. But it's got to be less work to have 2 ducks outside than 1 duck inside! It's ok if it is too much stress for you. Sometimes it feels like to much for me, too.

 

[Elmer love]

I don’t find 2 any messier than 1... 12 (my current number) is definitely messier than 2 though! Haha. And some individuals are messier than others, same as in any species. Another drake would be your best bet, getting a single female isn’t a good idea as she’ll be the sole recipient of his affections, which isn’t fair to her. 2 boys with no ladies do very well. I would definitely get him a friend and get him settled in a secure house and pen if at all possible. Although there are a number of people on here that do keep ducks in the house almost 24/7, I am not one of them and can’t help you there. @Duck mommy 2019 you’ve got your kids in the house right?

thank you so much, would the other drake have to be about the same age..? He is currently mainly in the house I would say sleeps etc.. but goes out at his leisure then quacks at the doors to come in lol. Its too messy and too dangerous, someone had said he may be too domesticated to go outside fulltime.. ugh. I really want to keep him I gotta lot of thinking to do.

 

[Trisseh]

thank you so much, would the other drake have to be about the same age..? He is currently mainly in the house I would say sleeps etc.. but goes out at his leisure then quacks at the doors to come in lol. Its too messy and too dangerous, someone had said he may be too domesticated to go outside fulltime.. ugh. I really want to keep him I gotta lot of thinking to do.

Definitely better to get one that’s similar in size; this doesn’t always have to be age related, but sometimes it helps if they’re closer in age. 2 of my drakes were introduced at 12 weeks and 4 weeks, and they’re very bonded now. The size difference was huge when they first got to know each other, but that changed quickly as the little one grew, and both were young enough they got along fine. I wouldn’t get one *too* much smaller than him only because sometimes the older boys can be bullies; but if you’re willing and able to work them through it, most of them seem to figure it out with minimal damage done.

I’m not sure what your climate is like there, but large temperature swings are worse than gradual changes, so if you have a lot of variation it would be best that they either stay out full time, or stay in unless it’s warm for them to be out.

Are you home and able to supervise if they’re outside during the day, since he goes out now? Nothing to say they can’t have a similar setup to Duck Mommy 2019’s where they go out during the day and come in at night, unless as mentioned you’ve got a lot of temp swings.

they’re easier to deal with the messiness if they’re outside though. Depending on your setup, you may only need a secure house for them to sleep in, if you’re usually home and he has a relatively secure yard he stays in. It would be handy to have a run attached so you can put them in there if you need to go somewhere, as well. Repurposed dog houses, sheds, playhouses, etc all can be adapted for use as poultry housing, so depending on what you have available to you...