New Duck Mom!

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SilverBirds said:
Welcome to BYC! Thanks for joining us.
Finding a large dog house would be easy to convert into a duck coop. I'd recommend building a run attached to the coop in case there is an abundance of predators and you need to keep them locked up for a few days, if the weather is bad, or if you need to travel. Letting them out to roam daily can be fine, but you do risk them being taken by a predator.

Your ducklings behavior doesn't sound very different from the ducklings I or others have had. Very young ducklings can be social and cuddly but once they start to mature they like to have their own personal space. They may run up to greet you with happy chatter but shy away from any attempts at being petted or handled. Handfeeding and giving treats is probably the best way to bond with them and keep their trust.
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Thanks for the tips! Any suggestions for duck treats?
 
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Lacy Duckwing said:
:welcome:welcome:welcome

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! We're happy to have you here! :woot

How bad is your predator population in your area? Either way, you should ensure they have a predator proof coop to sleep in at night. If you don't have a lot of air predators, letting them free range during the day should be fine.

For getting them friendly, treats are always the best. If they don't like you picking them up, they may be viewing you as a predator, but if you’re always coming with treats, they'll see you as the giver of treats and 'mommy.'
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We have predators, but not many. I've never seen any predators in our neighborhood besides a couple cats- but I've heard of coyote spottings not far from us. I'm liking the idea of an enclosed run for them :) What would you suggest for duck treats?
 
Oh Duck said:
We have predators, but not many. I've never seen any predators in our neighborhood besides a couple cats- but I've heard of coyote spottings not far from us. I'm liking the idea of an enclosed run for them :) What would you suggest for duck treats?
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As far as duck treats, I don't know anymore. Ducks LOVE bread, but I've heard so much that it's bad for them (though I've never had any problems). I'd almost suggest mealworms and greens like lettuce and kale, but you might want to research it first. Sorry that I couldn't be more help on that. (I only raise chickens now.)
 
Oh Duck said:
Thanks for the tips! Any suggestions for duck treats?
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Mealworms, peas, and watermelon were always a hit with mine. Most greens and veggies are safe for ducks to eat but I would double check anything you give them. You can also feed them weeds and grass from your yard as long as it hasn't been treated with anything. Just make sure all treats are treats and fed sparingly.
 
Welcome to BYC! It's fun watching ducks grow ss they grow soo fast. Lol Ours will be 6 weeks tomorrow. We have predators where we live but our dog likes to lay out by the chicken coop and duck pen. Nothing comes around. We do lock both chickens and ducks up at night tho! Ours are still skidish around us also. We've given ours mealworms and some greens and they love them. Here they are in their pool.
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