1st time duck momma, many questions

[Cassiblu]

Niacin- Do you know the niacin content of their feed? All ducks need niacin, but how much depends on age. If your feed has under the recommended amount for ducklings I would supplement with extra niacin until full grown. If it has the correct amount you wouldn't need to supplement unless you saw signs of a deficiency.

Keeping the brooder dry- I buy the cooling racks that come with the baking sheet and set their water on it for ducklings. You want the kind with the mesh cross hatch that's at least 1/2" square or smaller. Do you have a picture of their waterer? I have found that an old milk or water jug with holes cut just big enough for them to get their heads in and out work great as waters. The water stays cleaner too and it's harder for them to tip them.
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Being moved outside- That depends on your daytime/evening temperatures and if you have the ability to run electric (even just an extension cord) to supplement heat if needed. Generally ducklings need to be kept at 90-95 degrees (I start them out at around 90) for the first week and then you bring it down around 5 degrees every week from there. So take their age in weeks, multiply by 5 and then subtract that from 90. It doesn't have to be exact temperatures, but it gives you a good estimate. If your outside temperatures maintain around the number you get you don't need to supplement with heat, but if outside is colder then you will need to have a heat source.

Coops- Check craigslist for coops. Anything pre-fab is garbage. On my local craigslist there are coops all of the time for cheap. Even people selling whole sheds in your price range.

Thank you so much! The feed has niacin but it doesn’t say the amount so I have been adding supplements since they were a day old. I’m in Florida so our temps are fine but drops a bit at night so I’m going to wait a few more weeks before relocating them outdoors. The baking pan… omg great idea! There’s nothing bad that can happen with it right? I know I had to choose large pine shavings as bedding for their feet safety. I don’t have a picture of the waterer, but it’s a self waterer made for them. It’s a clear plastic container with a red bottom dish that screws on, then I flip it over and as they drink, it refills up to the water line. I fill it 2 times a day. The feeder is the same but has separated holes to eat from and only needs to be filled once a day. as for craigslist… it was mentioned to me by another member also and I am definitely going to check it out. Thanks so much for all the advice.

 

[Cassiblu]

At this age, I wouldn't rule out 2 of the same sex just yet.
However, I had a large kiddie pool set up for 4 ducks and then took fencing around it to keep them in. When they figured out how to jump through that, I secured cardboard around the outer bottom 3rd.
Muscovy are very agile.
I kept water on top of a cookie sheet and also used containers with lids with just enough room for them to stick their heads in.
Enjoy them as they do grow fast and their antics are amusing.
Oh, and I revamped a playhouse for the ducks housing.

Thanks for your advice and yes, they are double in size already and growing much too fast. We think they are 1 male and 1 female because the size difference is quite noticeable.They don’t follow us or even come near us anymore and that upsets my 7 year old granddaughter since she has cuddled them for about 45 mins each day from a day old till 2 weeks old. Then they just stopped allowing her to hold them. I maybe should have given longer time periods to bond together but was concerned about their safety as well as the trail of poop they leave everywhere. We still enjoy watching them grow and explore.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Thanks for your advice and yes, they are double in size already and growing much too fast. We think they are 1 male and 1 female because the size difference is quite noticeable.They don’t follow us or even come near us anymore and that upsets my 7 year old granddaughter since she has cuddled them for about 45 mins each day from a day old till 2 weeks old. Then they just stopped allowing her to hold them. I maybe should have given longer time periods to bond together but was concerned about their safety as well as the trail of poop they leave everywhere. We still enjoy watching them grow and explore.

No, you did it fine! Ducks sometimes get like that, but when they get older, theyll be more calm tempermented

 

[sowNreap]

They don’t follow us or even come near us anymore and that upsets my 7 year old granddaughter since she has cuddled them for about 45 mins each day from a day old till 2 weeks old.

When it's time to feed them or treat time, you could try to get them to eat from your hand. Don't try to pet them. You can try that later as they become more used to being around you. That might or might not help.

I've got 2 out of 6 that are still little wary of me, one of those 2 will sometimes keep his distance but they ALL will eat from my hand, especially when I have treats.

 

[Cassiblu]

When it's time to feed them or treat time, you could try to get them to eat from your hand. Don't try to pet them. You can try that later as they become more used to being around you. That might or might not help.

I've got 2 out of 6 that are still little wary of me, one of those 2 will sometimes keep his distance but they ALL will eat from my hand, especially when I have treats.

Thank you. What are the best treats? Mine don’t seem to care for frozen peas or grapes. Only blueberries seem to interest them and even then, only a couple bites before they lose interest.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Mealworms are generally all poultry approved. Ducks go through phases of being more scared than normal and not wanting to interact. They like consistency as well and any changes will have them in a frenzy.

 

[sowNreap]

What are the best treats? Mine don’t seem to care for frozen peas or grapes.

My absolutely LOVE watermelon. But that might be getting hard to find this time of year. I actually froze some so I could give them some during winter. lol

Mine also go crazy for grapes but I guess, like people, ducks seem to have their different favs. I haven't tried peas yet I don't really eat them but keep meaning to buy some.

They do like mealworms but not as much as watermelon & grapes.

Mine are only so so about green squash and cucumbers. And barely tried green leaf lettuce before saying 'nah I don't like'.

They like consistency as well and any changes will have them in a frenzy.

Don't I know it! My flock seem to know when I come out the door around 1pm or so that it's snack time. Yes I'm bad, I give them snack every day.

They also know when I come out the door at dusk it's time for bed or dinner. Unfortunately most of what I read before I got my ducks was they should have food & water available at all times so not knowing any better in order to train them to go into the coop, I fed them. Now it's really hard to break that habit. I've been slowly cutting back on amount of food I lure them in with while trying to get them in habit of knowing late afternoon is actually dinner time. I want to get where I don't have to keep food or water in the bedroom overnight.

 

[Cassiblu]

My absolutely LOVE watermelon. But that might be getting hard to find this time of year. I actually froze some so I could give them some during winter. lol

Mine also go crazy for grapes but I guess, like people, ducks seem to have their different favs. I haven't tried peas yet I don't really eat them but keep meaning to buy some.

They do like mealworms but not as much as watermelon & grapes.

Mine are only so so about green squash and cucumbers. And barely tried green leaf lettuce before saying 'nah I don't like'.



Don't I know it! My flock seem to know when I come out the door around 1pm or so that it's snack time. Yes I'm bad, I give them snack every day.

They also know when I come out the door at dusk it's time for bed or dinner. Unfortunately most of what I read before I got my ducks was they should have food & water available at all times so not knowing any better in order to train them to go into the coop, I fed them. Now it's really hard to break that habit. I've been slowly cutting back on amount of food I lure them in with while trying to get them in habit of knowing late afternoon is actually dinner time. I want to get where I don't have to keep food or water in the bedroom overnight.

Ooh I heard about watermelon! I’ll grab a couple and freeze some too Thank you for the advice! We were told not to really give them lettuce but I might try broccoli heads chopped up. As for feeding schedules… mine are still young (4 weeks old) and I was also told to let them eat and drink as much as they want all the time, but at what age should we start to wean them onto a meal time only schedule? Hope I’m not too late to start too. They are still indoors so it doesn’t bother me either way, but once they are able to go out in a coop, I don’t want any trouble getting them in and out of it. Oh! Before I forget to ask again, what age can they go outside for the very first time? Isabella begs me to let her take them into the back yard for just a few mins because she read that they eat grass and bugs etc… she says her babies need their mother nature foods LOL (she makes us laugh). She is also determined to sit in the tub with her swimsuit on while they have their bath time. I said I’d have to look that up because I’m not sure it’s safe for her when they often poop in the water. Her solution is that she will take a shower as soon as they are done. My goodness we have sooo much to learn.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Thank you. What are the best treats? Mine don’t seem to care for frozen peas or grapes. Only blueberries seem to interest them and even then, only a couple bites before they lose interest.

I find happy hen pond treats work great! Also, dont oveffeed them with treats like that, then they can start to learn to ONLY come for treats, and that can make them be picky eaters, just limit it a bit

 

[Cassiblu]

We have only tried giving treats a couple times, but we don’t give anything regularly other then their daily feed. I was hoping the treats might work for training them to come when they see us. But if that’s a bad idea then I’m glad I found out now.