Baby Ducks! - Questions!

[MrsKemmerlin]

Okay, so I tried not to get attached because I didn't want to add three more little babies... but of course that never works. So I now am the incredibly proud mommy to three little, and I mean little, babies!

And might I add, I'm in love! My friend went fishing over the weekend and found three baby ducks that someone had stuck in a cooler and left!

And there is no telling where they came from because there suppsedly weren't any grown ducks around! ..I'm still stunned that someone could be so cruel! But they are my little loves now, so it will be alright!

Questions though, I have chickens - I've heard they can get along great, but are ducks care pretty much the same as a baby chicks? These little guys I would guess aren't but a few days old... But I feel pretty confident with what I've been doing thus far, figured I'd ask anyways. They are in the brooder for now, chick starter is what I had so they are munching on that for now, they've got sand for grit, waterer, and a little dish with water in it that they are LOVING playing in! But I didn't know if there were any differences from one to the other?

I kind of feel they aren't having the easiest time eating the starter feed and aren't getting super full from it - any suggestions? Should they be on a different feed? I've been soaking a little bit of it and they gobble it up better that way, but back at work this week I don't want them the be hungry throughout the day when I'm not there to "doctor" it up.

Thanks in advance! And any little tidbits would be greatly appreciated!

...wish I would have remembered my camera today so I could post some pictures!

 

[DuckLover2399]

How could some one be so cruel? Also DO NOT feed them medicated chick starter. Flock raiser duck feed is what most hatcherys suggest.

 

[Speceider]

Also DO NOT feed them medicated chick starter.

This is incorrect. Feeding medicated starter is fine, as long as it's not an aresnic-based medication (I don't believe any current medications are arsenic-based.) Do add extra niacin because most chick starters are below the niacin needs of ducks.

Clint

 

[featherfinder]

You can still doctor it up for them before you leave lol. Just only leave them what they will eat while you are gone so that way the food is not wet constantly and can be changed when you get home. That is what i had to do with mine.

 

[Sparow]

We've found the brooding to be basically the same as with chicks...but ducklings will go through MUCH more water and will play in it so you'll need to change their bedding often as they get bigger. Happy to hear they are rescued! (aren't ducklings too cute?)

According to what I've read if you give them the chick food (higher in protein) they can sometimes have leg or wing muscle issues... we've used flock raiser and haven't had an issue.

 

[MrsKemmerlin]

DuckLover, what is your reasoning behind not feeding them the medicated chick starter? Would it not be the same concept as protecting the chicks with the medicated feed?

Speceider, with the niacin, would this be a forever and ever thing that they would have to have? I don't know how I would keep things seperate with the chickens and the ducks being together... even if there was a specific duck feed that I was giving them, the chickens would still have access - there's no way I would be able to regulate who ate what. Is the extra niacin bad for my chickens?

featherfinder, how are you keeping it so they are able to eat it but it's not complete mush by the end of the day? How long before yours had mastered eating it regular and dry?

 

[MrsKemmerlin]

Quote:
Cute is certainly an understatement!

And you started them out on the flock raiser? No starter at all? ...we are talking chicken flock raiser, right?

 

[dianaross77]

Flock raiser is for multiple species turkeys, ducks, chickens... That's what I'm feeding my chickens and ducks. It's just easier to only have to buy one kind of feed.

 

[MrsKemmerlin]

Just to make sure I am getting this straight: Chick starter isn't needed, just put them on the flock raiser so the extra protein doesn't cause muscle problems.
Will I still need to add the niacin that was previously mentioned? If so, how long will they need to be on it?

What will I do when they move outside and my hens are on laying pellets? Are they able to eat these? Do they require them to lay as well?

..sorry for all the questions

 

[dianaross77]

My chick starter/grower was 20% protein and so is my flock raiser. Who knows what the difference is. The extra calcium in layer feed is supposed to be bad for males. So some people chose to feed flock raiser and offer a feeder of oyster shell for the laying birds. They'll eat it when they need it and the others will leave it alone.