- May 29, 2014
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I hope this helps those who are new to the duck world in being able to find straight forward answers without having to dig through a lot to find a little. Enjoy!
Home:
You'll need a plastic big bin or make something out of card board to keep your ducklings in for the first few weeks of their lives. If you are in an area with warmer weather, you won't really have to worry too much about them getting too cold (that is if your AC isn't on -50F j/k), but you do still need a heat lamp. It's important that the walls of the home are tall enough to where they can't jump out. Make sure there aren't little objects that they can choke on. *A plastic rubber-made bin works great because you can take it outside and spray it down to clean it. If you're using a cardboard box, be careful to not let it get wet as this could turn into a breeding ground for mold, bacteria etc...Tip: It's best to line the bottom with a trash bag and tape the bag to the walls. I'll upload a picture soon.*
Floor of the Home:
Many people use different things to line the floor. I've used everything from straw, saw dust pellets, pine shavings, newspaper (don't), to raked leaves from the yard. Personally whatever it is that you use, just make sure that it is not slippery and that you clean the home out daily. Even twice a day if needed. As they get older you WILL have to change it out daily if not more. Don't take short cuts on this as having them walking around and soaked in their poo and pee isn't healthy for the ducks. Yes it can be a chore, but once you get them outside it'll be a lot easier. Line the floor with newspaper then (whatever you choose to use "stuff") then newspaper then "stuff" then newspaper, then "stuff." That way you can just roll away the layer everyday. This is the only reason to use newspaper as a liner and not as the main flooring. Just make sure to put enough "stuff" so that it actually absorbs the droppings so that it doesn't run through all the layers. [Avoid anything slippery as this can lead to leg problems.] *Straw works great and is easy to find. Don't use hay as it is very 'dusty' and not healthy for their little lungs.*
Heat Lamp:
I'm also in a warm climate and I've had much success with even a 75 watt bulb. You'll see that a lot of places recommend 100 watts for a small amount of birds. However, you'll notice that they will hide in the shade, behind the water feeder etc....with a 100 watt bulb, assuming that it's warm where you will be keeping them. In this case a 75 watt bulb will suffice. A ceramic infrared heat bulb is a great choice. If not, a regular bulb will do...Make sure it is far enough up to where they can't peck at it. Obvious I know
Feed:
Make sure to give them Starter Feed (preferably organic). Call around your local area first to see if anyone carries it, if not this is an excellent choice, which I use personally for all my ducklings. Will you be eating the eggs down the road? If so, it's worth to not take any short cuts. Do not buy medicated feed for your ducks. Remember, you are what you eat. Cliche' but true. These are your children so ultimately the choice is yours. Just do the best you can.
Update: Upon tons of research, I've found and excellent Organic / Corn & Soy Free, feed for an amazing deal. I have switch to this for many reasons and not just because of cost, which isn't an issue anyway. Just make sure to supplement in Niacin!
Grit:
If you buy a starter feed (kit), then most of the time it'll come with grit that you add into the feed. Just follow the directions, it's easy. If not, just buy some in addition to the starter feed. Basically since ducks don't have teeth, grit helps break down the food. (digestion).
Diatomaceous Earth:
Destroys parasites to nasty unwanted fleas and alike. This stuff is amazing. I absolutely LOVE D.E. for what it does so well...NATURALLY AND CHEMICAL FREE! YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT AND WHAT THEY EAT. All my ducks (including me, yes I'm duck too
) take D.E. daily. I sprinkle it on top of their food (I feed them fermented mesh so the D.E. sticks/mixes well in the food) everyday. Read all about it here. It's very cheap and in my books an absolute MUST for you and your ducks. (ONLY BUY FOOD GRADE D.E. ONLY TAKE FOOD GRADE D.E. FOOD GRADE D.E. ONLY!)
Water:
Make sure that they have clean water at all times. Deep enough to where they can submerge their beaks to clear it out. Purchasing a water feeder is ideal. Like this one. Change the water out at least once a day. Use filtered water if you can. (I use my shower water since it has a filter on it. Good enough. Anythings better than tap water, which in most places are loaded with chlorine and other chemicals. If you're on well water, great.) Remember, you're ducks are domesticated ducks, not wild, so if you want the best for your ducks you have to think differently. (ex. Some people might say, ducks do this and that in the wild, so mine can too? Wrong, wrong, wrong. You might feed ducks bread in the wild, but feeding your pet duck bread/junk food will shorten their lives dramatically.)
Niacin:
To save writing a book (which I don't mind ) Here is a great link. Please read through it.
Play time:
Spend as much time with your ducklings as possible. Get them used to human contact and you'll be thankful later. The worst feeling is investing all this time into ducks (as pets) and having them scared of you. What fun is that? Talk to them, be gentle and they'll "learn" you. Ducks have a strong imprint, meaning that what they usually see first thing after hatching is what they will think is their mother. Even if they are a few days old that's okay, just get them used to you. They will learn your face and voice. Play, play, play and give it lots of love. They are amazing companions that will bring tons of joy to your life. Duck therapy.
Think ahead:
If your ducks will remain indoors, then you will need a duck diaper. Yes I know, funny but very practical. I hope this is not the case and that your ducks will be able to be outdoors. They will need a coop/pen well protected from predators. Just search the forums and you'll find tons of great examples of coops.
When can they swim?
Start small. Get a paint tray at your local hardware store or online. Those work great because they have a ramp for the ducklings to be able to get in and out with ease. I'd wait a week before letting them do this. Make sure you are there to supervise at ALL times. When they are 2 weeks, you can then put them into something they can actually paddle their feet in. Again, SUPERVISE at ALL times. Because baby ducks are not fully feathered their "fur" absorbs water. Until they are fully feathered, you'll need to watch them. SUPERVISE at ALLL times! Loosing a duckling from drowning is heartbreaking.
I'll add more periodically.....
Last Update: 6/14/14
*** Make sure to use the search feature on the forum. You can find tons of great info on here...I'm writing all this because I'm more than glad to help, but to also help those in the future who may search for this. The more info., the better eh? I also know how it feels to want straight forward and organized answers. Searching through and finding half poopoo answers can get frustrating & time consuming. We all have lives too and time is valuable, I completely understand. Also, keep in mind that real world experiences from real people (meaning those with experience) are IMO way more valuable than pure text book jargon. My advice: Listen to those on here as there are many knowledgeable folks with great advice that will save you lots of headaches. I value their input very much. ***
Home:
You'll need a plastic big bin or make something out of card board to keep your ducklings in for the first few weeks of their lives. If you are in an area with warmer weather, you won't really have to worry too much about them getting too cold (that is if your AC isn't on -50F j/k), but you do still need a heat lamp. It's important that the walls of the home are tall enough to where they can't jump out. Make sure there aren't little objects that they can choke on. *A plastic rubber-made bin works great because you can take it outside and spray it down to clean it. If you're using a cardboard box, be careful to not let it get wet as this could turn into a breeding ground for mold, bacteria etc...Tip: It's best to line the bottom with a trash bag and tape the bag to the walls. I'll upload a picture soon.*
Floor of the Home:
Many people use different things to line the floor. I've used everything from straw, saw dust pellets, pine shavings, newspaper (don't), to raked leaves from the yard. Personally whatever it is that you use, just make sure that it is not slippery and that you clean the home out daily. Even twice a day if needed. As they get older you WILL have to change it out daily if not more. Don't take short cuts on this as having them walking around and soaked in their poo and pee isn't healthy for the ducks. Yes it can be a chore, but once you get them outside it'll be a lot easier. Line the floor with newspaper then (whatever you choose to use "stuff") then newspaper then "stuff" then newspaper, then "stuff." That way you can just roll away the layer everyday. This is the only reason to use newspaper as a liner and not as the main flooring. Just make sure to put enough "stuff" so that it actually absorbs the droppings so that it doesn't run through all the layers. [Avoid anything slippery as this can lead to leg problems.] *Straw works great and is easy to find. Don't use hay as it is very 'dusty' and not healthy for their little lungs.*
Heat Lamp:
I'm also in a warm climate and I've had much success with even a 75 watt bulb. You'll see that a lot of places recommend 100 watts for a small amount of birds. However, you'll notice that they will hide in the shade, behind the water feeder etc....with a 100 watt bulb, assuming that it's warm where you will be keeping them. In this case a 75 watt bulb will suffice. A ceramic infrared heat bulb is a great choice. If not, a regular bulb will do...Make sure it is far enough up to where they can't peck at it. Obvious I know
Feed:
Make sure to give them Starter Feed (preferably organic). Call around your local area first to see if anyone carries it, if not this is an excellent choice, which I use personally for all my ducklings. Will you be eating the eggs down the road? If so, it's worth to not take any short cuts. Do not buy medicated feed for your ducks. Remember, you are what you eat. Cliche' but true. These are your children so ultimately the choice is yours. Just do the best you can.
Grit:
If you buy a starter feed (kit), then most of the time it'll come with grit that you add into the feed. Just follow the directions, it's easy. If not, just buy some in addition to the starter feed. Basically since ducks don't have teeth, grit helps break down the food. (digestion).
Diatomaceous Earth:
Destroys parasites to nasty unwanted fleas and alike. This stuff is amazing. I absolutely LOVE D.E. for what it does so well...NATURALLY AND CHEMICAL FREE! YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT AND WHAT THEY EAT. All my ducks (including me, yes I'm duck too
) take D.E. daily. I sprinkle it on top of their food (I feed them fermented mesh so the D.E. sticks/mixes well in the food) everyday. Read all about it here. It's very cheap and in my books an absolute MUST for you and your ducks. (ONLY BUY FOOD GRADE D.E. ONLY TAKE FOOD GRADE D.E. FOOD GRADE D.E. ONLY!)Water:
Make sure that they have clean water at all times. Deep enough to where they can submerge their beaks to clear it out. Purchasing a water feeder is ideal. Like this one. Change the water out at least once a day. Use filtered water if you can. (I use my shower water since it has a filter on it. Good enough. Anythings better than tap water, which in most places are loaded with chlorine and other chemicals. If you're on well water, great.) Remember, you're ducks are domesticated ducks, not wild, so if you want the best for your ducks you have to think differently. (ex. Some people might say, ducks do this and that in the wild, so mine can too? Wrong, wrong, wrong. You might feed ducks bread in the wild, but feeding your pet duck bread/junk food will shorten their lives dramatically.)
Niacin:
To save writing a book (which I don't mind
) Here is a great link. Please read through it.Play time:
Spend as much time with your ducklings as possible. Get them used to human contact and you'll be thankful later. The worst feeling is investing all this time into ducks (as pets) and having them scared of you. What fun is that? Talk to them, be gentle and they'll "learn" you. Ducks have a strong imprint, meaning that what they usually see first thing after hatching is what they will think is their mother. Even if they are a few days old that's okay, just get them used to you. They will learn your face and voice. Play, play, play and give it lots of love. They are amazing companions that will bring tons of joy to your life. Duck therapy.
Think ahead:
If your ducks will remain indoors, then you will need a duck diaper. Yes I know, funny but very practical. I hope this is not the case and that your ducks will be able to be outdoors. They will need a coop/pen well protected from predators. Just search the forums and you'll find tons of great examples of coops.
When can they swim?
Start small. Get a paint tray at your local hardware store or online. Those work great because they have a ramp for the ducklings to be able to get in and out with ease. I'd wait a week before letting them do this. Make sure you are there to supervise at ALL times. When they are 2 weeks, you can then put them into something they can actually paddle their feet in. Again, SUPERVISE at ALL times. Because baby ducks are not fully feathered their "fur" absorbs water. Until they are fully feathered, you'll need to watch them. SUPERVISE at ALLL times! Loosing a duckling from drowning is heartbreaking.
I'll add more periodically.....
Last Update: 6/14/14
*** Make sure to use the search feature on the forum. You can find tons of great info on here...I'm writing all this because I'm more than glad to help, but to also help those in the future who may search for this. The more info., the better eh? I also know how it feels to want straight forward and organized answers. Searching through and finding half poopoo answers can get frustrating & time consuming. We all have lives too and time is valuable, I completely understand. Also, keep in mind that real world experiences from real people (meaning those with experience) are IMO way more valuable than pure text book jargon. My advice: Listen to those on here as there are many knowledgeable folks with great advice that will save you lots of headaches. I value their input very much. ***
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