Baby Ducks!!

[Olivekat07]

We just got our baby ducks!! They are so cute! So we ended up getting 2 and we Pekin ducks! So I know when they grow up and put them in the chicken coop I’ll have to buy a kiddie pool. What else will I have to buy? What is the difference between duck feed and chicken feed? Will I have to mix the duck feed in with the chicken feed? Thanks for your help!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How exciting Congratulations.

Here is some good info on raising and caring for ducklings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/

One thing your going to want to do is introduce your ducks and chickens slowly so they have time to get use to one another. Sometimes ducks and chickens don't do so well together in the same coop. So introducing slowly is very important. You'll not be putting the pool inside the pen with the chickens? it will get to be a soupy mess in no time and the chickens will not thrive in that environment best to have the pool outside of the pen that way you can move it around to keep the muck down.

Be sure to give your lil Pekins supplementation of niacin if using chick feed or are you feeding duck starter?

 

[chickens really]

We just got our baby ducks!! They are so cute! So we ended up getting 2 and we Pekin ducks! So I know when they grow up and put them in the chicken coop I’ll have to buy a kiddie pool. What else will I have to buy? What is the difference between duck feed and chicken feed? Will I have to mix the duck feed in with the chicken feed? Thanks for your help!!

Ducks require different feed than Chickens and are these Hen Ducks?..Pekin can be hard to raise if the feed is not correct.

 

[Olivekat07]

Ducks require different feed than Chickens and are these Hen Ducks?..Pekin can be hard to raise if the feed is not correct.

We bought the ducks from Tractor Supply Co-op so we don’t know if they are hens or Drakes

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducklings can eat chick starter it just has to be fortified with niacin since chick starter doesn't have enough.

What are you feeding them @Olivekat07

 

[Olivekat07]

How exciting Congratulations.

Here is some good info on raising and caring for ducklings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/

One thing your going to want to do is introduce your ducks and chickens slowly so they have time to get use to one another. Sometimes ducks and chickens don't do so well together in the same coop. So introducing slowly is very important. You'll not be putting the pool inside the pen with the chickens? it will get to be a soupy mess in no time and the chickens will not thrive in that environment best to have the pool outside of the pen that way you can move it around to keep the muck down.

Be sure to give your lil Pekins supplementation of niacin if using chick feed or are you feeding duck starter?

When we get our new run built (that is VERY VERY soon and big) we are going to have sand in it. And we plan to have a kiddie pool in it

 

[chickens really]

We bought the ducks from Tractor Supply Co-op so we don’t know if they are hens or Drakes

Okay ...Well if Drakes they might try to breed the Chickens once sexually active and a Drake has an actual appendage that can kill Chickens..

 

[Olivekat07]

Ducklings can eat chick starter it just has to be fortified with niacin since chick starter doesn't have enough.

What are you feeding them @Olivekat07

20% starter from the Co-op

 

[Olivekat07]

How can you tell if they are drakes or not when they are chicks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just be sure to pick up a form of niacin either plain niacin or Nutritional or Brewers yeast for them Pekins grow so fast they can develop leg lameness even bowlegs from not getting enough niacin in their diet.