New Duckling Owner

[hidcheung]

I'm getting a female welsh harlequin and a golden 500 hybrid layer. I have some questions. Do you put the grit in a seprate bowl or mixed into the food? Can you walk the duck without a leash? Should food be available at all time? How should we prepare the area for the ducks to lay eggs? Any advice would be awesome. Thanks

 

[Madelennon]

How old are the ducks going to be when you get them?

 

[hidcheung]

How old are the ducks going to be when you get them?

1 day

 

[Icravepoultry]

Ducklings dont always follow you but you dont need a leash
I dont know about grit i dont think they need it
And yes food at all times
Mine lay eggs any and everywhere
(Under a wheelbarrow, under ramp to chicken coop, in nestbox, on the ground, in the pond once!!!)

 

[Orca5094]

They only need grit if you feed them anything other than their pellets (like greens, worms, etc), but if you want/need to use it you can either mix it with their food, or most seem to offer it to them in a separate little dish they can eat at will. Just keep an eye that neither of them is eating just grit. I read that somewhere on here recently that someone had a duckling that did that, which would not be good.

Ducklings naturally follow their mother figure, I've never had any problems having ducklings follow me automatically. Since you are getting them so young, it shouldn't be a problem. My current ducks are 8-9 months old and still follow me around the property like ducklings when I take them out to forage, all in a row.

Food and water should be available at all times, yes. And make sure they have water that is deep enough for them to clean their faces and clear out their nares in, but that has an opening small enough that they can't get their bodies into. Ducklings can get too wet and chill quickly, which can kill them. Old food containers with a lid work very well for duckling water, just cut a hole big enough for their heads to get through. The lid will prevent them from climbing in or tipping the water over.

 

[saulsberry]

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DucksForSale.cfm?CustID=3988917

I'm getting a female welsh harlequin and a golden 500 hybrid layer. I have some questions. Do you put the grit in a seprate bowl or mixed into the food? Can you walk the duck without a leash? Should food be available at all time? How should http://www.metzerfarms.com/DucksForSale.cfm?CustID=3988917we prepare the area for the ducks to lay eggs? Any advice would be awesome. Thanks

Because my ducklings consumed the pine shavings (lg flaked kind go figure) I added chick grit from TSC to their food at one month old. They also nibbled the blue plastic I lined the card board brooder with, and anything else they could fit in their teenie mouths so I put a separate bowl in of play sand (from the garden side of Home depot) from day one, in that they could free choice from as a form of grit.
Food and fresh clean water should be available at all times untill they are three months old. Then mine only have feed and water during the day.
If you are raising egg layers it good to limit their feed as they get older, so they don't get too heavy.
I used this sites recommendations since I ordered my ducklings from them.
(Link on top of post)

 

[hidcheung]

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They are two weeks old now

 

[Orca5094]

Adorable! ^-^