2019 Spring Ducklings are here!

[Miss Lydia]

Not from this angle get a pic from behind

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Not from this angle get a pic from behind

Easier said than done… Convince a duckling to sit still. Might be easier to teach a cat how to swim!

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I don think so. Too early and I never had this issue with any ducklings. Are you feeding flock raiser? And my cat swims well, just very unhappy about it.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I don think so. Too early and I never had this issue with any ducklings. Are you feeding flock raiser? And my cat swims well, just very unhappy about it.

I remember as a boy, i tried to throw our tomcat into my kiddie-pool, just a foot of water, he went down and bounced right back out, barely wet…
Until today i have fed them Duckling Starter with 22% protein, but i have started to mix that with Meatbird-Crumbles, 18% protein. Plus they will get a lot of greens, Iceberg salad, Zuccini-squash, sweet-potato and i'm growing wheat-fodder.
What i have observed is that the White-Layers are pulling their little wings close to their bodies, then when relaxing they slip down until they rest on the floor or on their legs. Maybe i am over-protective, i am a helicopter duck-dad…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Update on the ducklings progress:
We have the first three-quarter pounder! White Layer Green jumped up to 340 grams, that's 0.79 lbs.

Buff Orpington Violet and Magpie Blue are still worrying me a bit, they gain weight really slowly. Maybe tomorrow they get some me-time with a bag of meal-worms.

 

[WVduckchick]

They look so cute! - And tiny! What kind of colors do your call ducks have?

Well, my girls are a gray, a silver, and 2 lilacs. The boys are dusky gray, pastel, and dusky pastel. So a real mish-mash of colors.

I remember as a boy, i tried to throw our tomcat into my kiddie-pool, just a foot of water, he went down and bounced right back out, barely wet…
Until today i have fed them Duckling Starter with 22% protein, but i have started to mix that with Meatbird-Crumbles, 18% protein. Plus they will get a lot of greens, Iceberg salad, Zuccini-squash, sweet-potato and i'm growing wheat-fodder.
What i have observed is that the White-Layers are pulling their little wings close to their bodies, then when relaxing they slip down until they rest on the floor or on their legs. Maybe i am over-protective, i am a helicopter duck-dad…

This is my favorite post about angel wing.

Angel wing shows up when the first set of flight feathers starts to grow out, no matter the age... it is all depeendent on when each particular duck is growing out their primaries... that being said, primaries are very heavy pinfeathers that ducklings aren't used to and need to build up the set of muscles used to keep them in place and tucked in properly, so many times they stick out a bit before they learn how to keep them folded... and the tips need to reach a certain length before they will even catch properly when they fold them up...

If it self corrects, then it's just 'growing pains' and akwardness from new, heavy feathers... true angel wing *does not* self correct, it always needs to be corrected... but wrapping when unsure if it is angel wing or not does not hurt them and many wrap *just in case*...

I do suggest waiting just a bit longer before deciding to wrap or not, just because the pin feathers are still short and messing with them can be a bit sore for them... and if they get broke, they *can* bleed rather badly... I prefer a good bit of the feathers to extend out first, plus it gives more to tuck in properly for correct growth...

After much research and personal, hands on experience, it does seem more likely that angel wing is more likely a hereditary issue more than a too much protein issue... and can be more common in Calls than other breeds just due to the extremes Calls tend to be bred for...

They do still need a proper, balanced diet though... and too high of protein is not recommended... a good average is 20%, but slightly higher or lower (+/-2%) is fine... they do have higher Niacin requirements than chicks though, so chick starter should be supplemented with brewers yeast mixed in or Vitamin B complex added to their water...

Or switch to a good feed with her Niacin content like Purina Flock Raiser... that can be fed from hatch to lay and is formulated at higher amounts of Niacin... I still keep brewers yeast on hand though as occasional mess ups in formula and feed production have happened...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Well, my girls are a gray, a silver, and 2 lilacs. The boys are dusky gray, pastel, and dusky pastel. So a real mish-mash of colors.
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This is my favorite post about angel wing.

Love the blue on the wing-tips of the girls! Maybe i can convince my wife for some more duckies…

@Ravynscroft said: Angel wing shows up when the first set of flight feathers starts to grow out, no matter the age...

Is it possible that the White Layers have started to grow their flight feathers at an age of just two weeks? They have some weird looking spots on their little wingies and this morning i am sure i heart a »honk« from somebody. At what age do get ducklings their adult voices? That is all way to early i think!

 

[WVduckchick]

Love the blue on the wing-tips of the girls! Maybe i can convince my wife for some more duckies…

@Ravynscroft said: Angel wing shows up when the first set of flight feathers starts to grow out, no matter the age...

Is it possible that the White Layers have started to grow their flight feathers at an age of just two weeks? They have some weird looking spots on their little wingies and this morning i am sure i heart a »honk« from somebody. At what age do get ducklings their adult voices? That is all way to early i think!

Flight feathers grow at different rates. I wouldn’t even guess on your breeds. I think voices normally come in 6-8 weeks. Drake feathers are more like 12-14 weeks.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Flight feathers grow at different rates. I wouldn’t even guess on your breeds. I think voices normally come in 6-8 weeks. Drake feathers are more like 12-14 weeks.

Yes, that was my experience last year with the runner ducks, but the White Layers are weird! They move like giants through the other ducklings. Maybe i can snatch a picture of one of them in comparison to a Magpie or a Buff.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Ha. Thanks for proving my theory about Metzers vs Ideal. I know it is still early but all my Metzers were dinosaurs compared to my little Ideals. Again not a complaint about either, love them both. I just find the difference interesting.