New duckie mom

[darkwing96]

So, I recently obtained two mallard ducklings (they were sexed female). They do things all the time that scare me. I just wanted to know if they are healthy. I have no idea how old they are.
Both ducks feel really hot on their feet and underneath their breaks all the time. I don't know what's considered a fever in ducks, but occasionally one will be significantly hotter than the other.
They poop a lot! ! I can't tell how many bms is normal because sometimes they poop every five minutes and other times they'll go about 20 without pooping. And it's always different colors and consistency. It will smell terrible and be dark and liquidy, and then it will be light brown and solid, and then it will be brown and white. No clue.
They sometimes make little clicking sounds when they chirp or breath. It sounds like tapping underneath the sound of the chirps.
One duckling is slightly smaller than the other and it seems like she gets bullied (the other will be pushy about cuddling or nudge her away from food/water).
They do the duck equivalent of screaming when my SO or I walk away (you can hear the frantic peeps from the outside of my house).
I am not sure what temp to keep their space because they cuddle all the time, I heard they only do that when they're cold but it's always so hot in there).
They get dotted flakes of skin around their legs and feet some times.
Any advice would be much appreciated as I have come to the conclusion that I don't know what I'm doing. Thank you!

 

[dotknott]

Duck poop is as varied as things come. The white stuff I was told to equate to pee. Poop well it'll be dark brown, tan, green.. Basically is it likely to be found on your standard camouflage print? Well then it's in the spectrum of duck poop.

There are some bad poops (bloody obviously) but I've never looked at a ducks poop and thought it was abnormal enough to do research on duck poop.

Do you have a thermometer you can put in your brooder? They need 90°F for week 1, 85° week 2 etc.

 

[Ravynscroft]

If you have a pic and post it, we might be able to give a close guess to age...

Ducklings live to scare the beejeezus out of us, I think that is in their handbook, lol...

Body temps are higher than ours, thats why they feel so much warmer to the touch... bills and webs have lots of veins close to the surface as well... unless they are lethargic or listless, no need to worry there...

Ducks poop a LOT... they need constant access to water and drink lots and play lots in it so their poop tends to be more excess than chickens and runs a bigger spectrum... and it will change color depending on what they eat... unless it is bloody, foamy or bright yellow not too much to worry about there either...

Ducks imprint on people quite easily, and thats why they cry so much when you leave... once they get used to a routine of you going and coming back they should settle down...

Check brooder temp with a thermometer...

Flakes of skin on their legs and webs is quite normal... they were in an egg in liquid for a long time... dry air is different... plus as they grow the skin stretches and grows so old will flake off as the new skin comes in...

Also, what are you feeding them? Ducklings have a niacin deficiency so if it is chick starter they will need brewers yeast (NOT baking yeast) mixed into their food for the first 10 weeks of life...

I highly recommend getting a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks and also reading the sticky threads here in the duck forum...

 

[Amiga]

Ducks are not supposed to have medicated feed at all!!

With great respect to folks who hold to that approach, I would like to say that over the six and a half years I have been raising ducks, I have read numerous different opinions about that.

A while back, from what I have read, the medication used was not good for ducklings. Then they switched to amprolium, that is said to be okay.

Some of us would still rather not feed medicated, just based on the sense that if a duckling does not need the medication, why would we give it?

At the same time, if I were feeding ducklings and only had medicated chick starter, I think I would go with that until I could find an alternative.

Confusing, seems to me....

 

[darkwing96]

They aren't on a niacin supplement. I went to the store that sold them to me and they recommended medicated feed. I just got them weaned from it and they are back on that Purina flock starter. They seem to have a decent amount of energy most of the time, they love cuddling with my fiance and I and running around. I kept them inside for a few days to see if the dandelions they were eating was the reason for the poop. I don't think it was. They are growing a lot (they have almost tripled in size) and their big bird feathers are starting to come in. But the bigger one bites the little ones butt while they swim and I think shes breaking them off. The milk jug idea is a really good one. Are there any pictures to help me see what you mean? I'll start adding the apple cider vinegar, is there a time period for that or is it a fairly regular thing? Thank you guys so much, I am just really attached to my ducks and don't want to overlook a real problem or freak out over nothing.

 

[darkwing96]

If you have a pic and post it, we might be able to give a close guess to age...
This was taken yesterday.

Ducklings live to scare the beejeezus out of us, I think that is in their handbook, lol...

Body temps are higher than ours, thats why they feel so much warmer to the touch... bills and webs have lots of veins close to the surface as well... unless they are lethargic or listless, no need to worry there...

Ducks poop a LOT... they need constant access to water and drink lots and play lots in it so their poop tends to be more excess than chickens and runs a bigger spectrum... and it will change color depending on what they eat... unless it is bloody, foamy or bright yellow not too much to worry about there either...

Ducks imprint on people quite easily, and thats why they cry so much when you leave... once they get used to a routine of you going and coming back they should settle down...

Check brooder temp with a thermometer...

Flakes of skin on their legs and webs is quite normal... they were in an egg in liquid for a long time... dry air is different... plus as they grow the skin stretches and grows so old will flake off as the new skin comes in...

Also, what are you feeding them? Ducklings have a niacin deficiency so if it is chick starter they will need brewers yeast (NOT baking yeast) mixed into their food for the first 10 weeks of life...

I highly recommend getting a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks and also reading the sticky threads here in the duck forum...

 

[darkwing96]

I'm sorry, I've been having issues uploading pictures. We got them on the 12th, but this picture was taken yesterday. And I don't have a thermometer yet :/

 

[darkwing96]

They are eating a mix of half medicated and half unmedicated chick starter and occasionally some dandelions they find in the yard.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I'm sorry, I've been having issues uploading pictures. We got them on the 12th, but this picture was taken yesterday. And I don't have a thermometer yet :/

They're adorable!!!

And I would say they are right between 2 and 3 weeks old... don't see the little hedgehog phase starting yet, lol...

Don't give the medicated chick starter, they have no need of that... if you can't get brewers yeast, switch them over to Purina Flock Rasiser... the niacin deficiency can cause severe leg issues when older if their feed isn't changed...

 

[darkwing96]

What does the yellow or foamy mean?