Couple of questions from a new duckling momma.....

[Kari]

Hi all.
My Scovies are now hatching...I have 15 ducklings at this point with more on the way.
People are now inquiring about buying my little web-footed bundles of cuteness...

Anyway, I know that I have to sell most of the babies, so my questions are, when can they leave their mommas?
Are they like baby chicks in the fact that the can leave momma right away? Or do they need to spend a week or more with their mommies?
And for those of you who sell them, do you have a minimum? Like six? Or do you sell people just two if they only want 2?

I've had Muscovies for over a year, but this is my first batch of babies, and I want to make sure that I am doing right by them!
Thanks for the info!

Kari

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Like chicks, they can be taken fm momma right away. Just be sure that the people taking them understand that they need to be brooded like chicks w/ heat lamp, food & water avail. 24/7. That said, I usually don't sell mine until they are a week old and prefer to wait two weeks before listing them for sale. It just allows momma Scovy time to mother her ducklings after all the work of sitting for 35 days. I like to watch them raising their ducklings, showing them the food and water, how to forage, what dangers to watch out for etc. Soooo cute!!

I sell two ducklings but I have seen some list minimums.

 

[Kari]

Thank you so much for the info, I appreciate it more than you know. It's heartbreaking thinking about selling the little cuties, but I have to be realistic!
Wonderful advice, as usual. Thank you.

 

[nissa_loves_cats]

Ducklings are normally sold as day-olds, by hatcheries anyway. I like to keep mine a day or two to make sure they are OK and aren't planning on dropping dead in their new homes. Financially I think it's a better deal to sell them before you have to put a lot of purchased feed into them.