Am I doing it right?

[needlessjunk]

So I'm paranoid that I'm not doing everything "right". My 4 1/2 week old pekins are in their house now. Yay! Anyway I switched them to pellet grower/finisher 15% DuMOR from TSC. I read that they need lower protein at this age. They were on Purina flock raiser. I have also been adding niacin to their water but usually every other day since I tend to forget. They free range my yard for a few hours and then are locked up in a secured run when let the dogs out or when I am going to leave. They have a pool in there too that they love and spend most of the in there. Anyway the one that is feathering in quicker seems to be having droopy wings. She/he will tuck them up but they just slide down. Is that normal? Is there anything else I should or shouldn't be doing? They do get treats too.

Also any tips on how to get them to be friendlier? I spend as much time as I can with them but with 2 kids we all know how well that goes. I have a 1 1/2 year old so slow movement aren't understood so it's very slow going. I can catch them and do try to hold each one a least once a day but I don't know if that really is helping or hurting trying to tame them. They were 2 weeks old when we got them.

 

[Amiga]

Even my friendliest, lovey-ducks, do not like being picked up, so I would say just set up a nice place for yourself as close to them as you can, bring peas or other nutritious treats, a book or your musical instrument, and spend a little quality time with them. Sing to them, talk, roll some peas their way. And be patient. Some ducks are just a little standoffish anyway, but most of them, if you raise them, and they know you bring the food, will warm up at least to the point of sitting down or standing near you.

Romy is one of the prettiest ducks in the world, and I would love to pick her up and just cuddle her! But she would not enjoy that. So I content myself with talking to her. She loves a good conversation and will stand nearby, staring straight at me, talking with me, for several minutes at a time.

From what I understand of what you wrote, that is normal. The wings start getting just a little heavier and the muscles take time to adjust.