Any advice for first time duck owner?

[C3321]

I just picked up my first batch of ducks! Three adorable day old Indian Runners. They came from Meyer and are hopping and peeping like crazy. Just looking for any advice from more experienced duck people. Are there any common mistakes or tips you could share? Anything you wish you knew the first time you raised ducks? Any and all advice is appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[Papaye]

Hi!


Cute ducklings... congratulations!!
Are they sexed...?

If ever you have a specific question, do ask it!


What I can already think to say... :


• 1 :

AT LEAST until you ducklings are grown up, they need to have an unlimited access to food and water - even at night!


• 2 :

NEVER let a duck have access to his food IF he doesn't have water to drink, because he then could choke on his food.


• 3 :

Be careful to use a big enough waterer : a duck needs to be able to plunge his entire head in his waterer, so to be able to clean his nostrils.

(There are reasons ducks' waterers are always so dirty...!!)


• 4 :

A duck needs water to swim, so his gland oil is stimulated enough to produce a sufficient amount of oil in order to keep his plumage waterproof!

(And a duck swimming regularly won't be infested by mites/lice!)


• 5 :

Watch over your ducklings very carefully IF you let them bath, and for the several first days, DO NOT let them bath/swim for more than 5 minutes per day : they don't produce oil for the time being, so they are at risk of waterlogging AND drowning.

(You actually can wait for your ducklings to be older to let them bath for the first time...
1-month-old would be fine, but even then, you will have to watch them - while they are bathing - for several days at least!)


• 6 :

A drake's - especially a young one's - libido is OUT OF CONTROL during mating season, making him particularly agressive then; and so : you need to think about a way to keep your drake(s) separated from your girl(s)... just in case!

A drake can indeed accidentally hurt - and even kill - a hen by continually mating with her...

...Just so you know :
It is advised to have at least 3 hens for 1 drake, but : 1 drake for 1 hen can actually work... so don't worry too much if you don't have enough girls for a boy. "Just" expect the worst, and monitor them carefully!
(I started with 2 drakes and 2 girls, and my ratio, though bad, still worked thankfully!)

 

[C3321]

Hi!


Cute ducklings... congratulations!!
Are they sexed...?

If ever you have a specific question, do ask it!


What I can already think to say... :


• 1 :

AT LEAST until you ducklings are grown up, they need to have an unlimited access to food and water - even at night!


• 2 :

NEVER let a duck have access to his food IF he doesn't have water to drink, because he then could choke on his food.


• 3 :

Be careful to use a big enough waterer : a duck needs to be able to plunge his entire head in his waterer, so to be able to clean his nostrils.

(There are reasons ducks' waterers are always so dirty...!!)


• 4 :

A duck needs water to swim, so his gland oil is stimulated enough to produce a sufficient amount of oil in order to keep his plumage waterproof!

(And a duck swimming regularly won't be infested by mites/lice!)


• 5 :

Watch over your ducklings very carefully IF you let them bath, and for the several first days, DO NOT let them bath/swim for more than 5 minutes per day : they don't produce oil for the time being, so they are at risk of waterlogging AND drowning.

(You actually can wait for your ducklings to be older to let them bath for the first time...
1-month-old would be fine, but even then, you will have to watch them - while they are bathing - for several days at least!)


• 6 :

A drake's - especially a young one's - libido is OUT OF CONTROL during mating season, making him particularly agressive then; and so : you need to think about a way to keep your drake(s) separated from your girl(s)... just in case!

A drake can indeed accidentally hurt - and even kill - a hen by continually mating with her...

...Just so you know :
It is advised to have at least 3 hens for 1 drake, but : 1 drake for 1 hen can actually work... so don't worry too much if you don't have enough girls for a boy. "Just" expect the worst, and monitor them carefully!
(I started with 2 drakes and 2 girls, and my ratio, though bad, still worked thankfully!)

Wow, thank you!! They are sexed, all females. This is awesome advice and makes me feel a bit more confident with these little birds!

 

[Papaye]

Wow, thank you!!

You are welcome!

They are sexed, all females.

So... you at least won't have to worry about the ratio!
Good for you!

This is awesome advice and makes me feel a bit more confident with these little birds!

I am happy to be of help.

Don't hesitate to ask questions if you have them, even if you think they are stupid or whatever...

Also : I would recommend to NOT use hay as bedding for waterfowl, because it is relatively easy to accidentally kill a bird - or even yourself, sadly - with it.
(Aspergillosis is not funny!)

...I don't count the number of people who contact me out of season to ask me for ducks, because they have accidentally killed theirs by using hay as bedding...
(These people are not even to blame, because hay is actually often recommended as ducks' bedding in my country...!)

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Ducks are so wonderful. Congratulations!

Papaye already gave you some great advice. I would add to make sure to supplement your ducks with niacin--you can use liquid B complex for this OR you can use fortified nutritional yeast mixed with their food.

I love the book "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks" by Dave Holderread and highly recommend all new duck owners read it.

Keep them in an enclosed shelter at all times, especially before they are fully grown--every predator out there will want to eat your ducks, and ducks have no way to defend themselves.

When they get a little bigger, you can give them (defrosted) frozen peas...my ducks love peas. Once you start feeding your ducklings anything other than grower/starter feed, you will need to provide them with chick grit.

Good luck with your cuties!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

The two kissing are so cute!!

If you want “social” ducks start now! I can always tell a difference with ducklings that were held/handled, fed from our hands and spent lots of time near us vs. ducklings we didn’t do that with as much. As adults the ones who we didn’t do that with won’t even eat out of my hands, the ones we did that with eat out of my hand, lay next to me and even follow me around.

The way to a ducks heart is through its stomach! Obviously like with anything else don’t give too many treats, they need to be eating their food so they get the proper nutrition but treats are ok in small quantities. Meal worms are great (I think there’s serving suggestions on most bags) or veggie scraps. Again, don’t over do the treats.

Have a treat call. If I can’t find my ducks or need them all in in a hurry I call “ladies!” and they all come running and get treats. Start that now as well, any time treats or veggie scraps are given use your call so they learn what that means.