Duck Questions

[rjohns39]

I agree with all of the info you've gotten so far. In your area look for game bird feed or turkey feed. I do start a little higher on the protein 24% for first 3 weeks, 18 for the next 5-10 weeks, then move them to a 16%. I give them brewers yeast free choice once a week along with grit and oyster shell. I use a sweeter heater in my brooder. No matter what you do your brooder is going to be a mess. I use pine shavings and the deep litter method and add litter a couple times per week. Ducks need to clean their bills regularly and they preen constantly. Keeping them dry is always a challenge. Mine come out of the brooder at 3 weeks then go into a portable shelter that moves frequently until they are 8 weeks, then they spend a couple weeks in the look/don't touch pen inside the pasture and then get to join the rest.

It's said twice here--but I'll say it again, make sure you don't end up with a big drake and little ducks or more than one drake with the numbers you're planning on. Right now you can get your brooder ready, as well as their shelter.

 

[Bridger Davis]

I bought mine from Premier1, you also might want to type in Mama heating pad on the search and see if you might like it.

They are going to make a mess in the sand I'd put sand then river rocks[they are round not sharp] help keep them from making a muddy mess.

one of 4 lol This one use to be my dh's Harley building.

Cool! Good tps thx!!

 

[Bridger Davis]

I agree with all of the info you've gotten so far. In your area look for game bird feed or turkey feed. I do start a little higher on the protein 24% for first 3 weeks, 18 for the next 5-10 weeks, then move them to a 16%. I give them brewers yeast free choice once a week along with grit and oyster shell. I use a sweeter heater in my brooder. No matter what you do your brooder is going to be a mess. I use pine shavings and the deep litter method and add litter a couple times per week. Ducks need to clean their bills regularly and they preen constantly. Keeping them dry is always a challenge. Mine come out of the brooder at 3 weeks then go into a portable shelter that moves frequently until they are 8 weeks, then they spend a couple weeks in the look/don't touch pen inside the pasture and then get to join the rest.

It's said twice here--but I'll say it again, make sure you don't end up with a big drake and little ducks or more than one drake with the numbers you're planning on. Right now you can get your brooder ready, as well as their shelter.

Thanks! I will not be getting Drake's. Just ducks... Thanks for the tips!!

 

[Bridger Davis]

So here's another question... I will be ordering my 6 ducks from a local feed store and I was wondering if I should get a vet? Is it worth the money for regular check-ups or should I only take them in if I find a problem? Thanks!

 

[rjohns39]

I'll leave it for others to reply. I don't have an avian vet near me, so I'm on my own.

 

[Duckworth]

So here's another question... I will be ordering my 6 ducks from a local feed store and I was wondering if I should get a vet? Is it worth the money for regular check-ups or should I only take them in if I find a problem? Thanks!

We special ordered Welsh Harlequins through our local feed store. They can be sexed by beak color with good accuracy within the first few days after hatch, so we chose from the allegedly all-female batch. But we weren't sure we really had ducks instead of drakes until they were much older.

You can order ducks, but can get some or all drakes instead. If they are not sexed accurately, you won't know it until they start showing gender-specific traits. Neither the feed store nor the hatchery is likely to guarantee accurate sexing and they almost certainly won't take them back if they get it wrong. So you may find yourself rehoming one or more drakes, despite your intention to buy only ducks. Just so you know what to expect . . .

 

[Bridger Davis]

We special ordered Welsh Harlequins through our local feed store. They can be sexed by beak color with good accuracy within the first few days after hatch, so we chose from the allegedly all-female batch. But we weren't sure we really had ducks instead of drakes until they were much older.

You can order ducks, but can get some or all drakes instead. If they are not sexed accurately, you won't know it until they start showing gender-specific traits. Neither the feed store nor the hatchery is likely to guarantee accurate sexing and they almost certainly won't take them back if they get it wrong. So you may find yourself rehoming one or more drakes, despite your intention to buy only ducks. Just so you know what to expect . . .

So what you're saying is... Even if my intention is to buy all ducks, don't be surprised when I end up having a couple of Drake's? That makes sense and if I had 6 giving away 1-2 wouldn't be such a bad thing. Unless...I wanted more ducklings..... lol! Do you think that if I accidentally got a Drake that I could successfully hatch ducklings? Let me know what you think!

 

[rjohns39]

I got 4 breeder drakes from @Ravynscroft and 25 alleged non-industrial rouens from McMurray, straight run. Out of that I got 13 drakes. I processed all of the mcmurray drakes and have hatched 40+ in the spring. Once they show their gender, we'll process the extra drakes, keeping the ducks for the breed pool.

 

[Duckworth]

So what you're saying is... Even if my intention is to buy all ducks, don't be surprised when I end up having a couple of Drake's? That makes sense and if I had 6 giving away 1-2 wouldn't be such a bad thing. Unless...I wanted more ducklings..... lol! Do you think that if I accidentally got a Drake that I could successfully hatch ducklings? Let me know what you think!

I have all ducks and no drakes, so I haven't tried to hatch any new ones. There are many people in this forum who have, though, so maybe one of them will answer. We have limits in our city ordinances, so getting more isn't an option without a permit.

 

[Bridger Davis]

Ok, and I was thinking, getting to the point of hatching ducklings take a lot of extra effort. I think I'll just stick with ducks...