Duckling Dilemma

[kristineinks]

I went to the feedstore again this morning to buy some things & noticed they had new ducklings in (I bought 5 Pekins + 1 unknown there last week), including two all brown ones. Being too cute to ignore, I knew I had to buy them, so I asked the lady there if it'd be okay to put them in the brooder with the other ducks & she said yes, but to keep an eye on them.

Well when I got them home, I realized that they're maybe 1/3 of the size of the other ducks. Mass panic ensued when I added them to the brooder & they both got trampled a number of times before I could get them out. I put them in a brooder by themselves but they've been chirping loudly non-stop ever since (an hour ago). They don't seem very happy at all.

Problem #2 is that they jump like little fleas (they can easily jump out of the brooder) & run faster than I've ever seen any duck run! Anytime I go near the brooder, they jump out & take off running full-speed in different directions. I've never seen anything like it! Any suggestions on what I can do? After getting trampled by the big ducks, one of them couldn't walk for a few minutes, which had me truly panicked.

Lastly, can anyone ID them? I think the one w/o the crest is a blue runner, but the other I'm unsure of:

Thanks!

Kristine

 

[Deanw]

My wife picked up 2 (what she was told were hen mallards) but after looking at ducklings online, they are definately not mallards, I think they are Pekins. But they chirped loudly for quite sometime, I would just give them alittle time they will eventually quiet down. We put them in a wooden box that is 2'x3' by approx 16" deep, with a lid covered with wire mesh so they can't jump out. Hopefully this will help some.

Dean



I have learned one thing though ducklings smell ten times worse than baby chics, and make ten times the mess.

 

[kristineinks]

I don't think these two are Pekins because they look nothing like the Pekins I have. I have baby chicks too, that I had to put back into the duck brooder temporarily (we'll be fencing an area tomorrow for the older ducks to go outside), so as an experiment, I tried adding the 2 baby ducks to the brooder with all the ducks & chickens (thinking they might not get as easily trampled with the chicks in there). They loved it in that they got quiet & acted very happy, however, the large ducks picked on them, as did the chicks, so I had to remove them, put chicken wire over their brooder, and now they're back to their VERY unhappy chirping.

And DeanW, you're SO right about the smell! I can't wait to get these ducks outside because it is just AWFUL! The chicks are much better in that sense...

Kristine

 

[helmstead]

Try wire mesh or similar over your brooder. They're just unhappy for some reason - too cold, too hungry, too stressed and telling you about it. Check to make sure they have the right temp, food & water and if so...call 'em loudmouths and walk away :-D.

I'm only familiar with blue swede babies, so can't help with an ID.

 

[Mike_Winters]

look like a crested and non crested Khaki

 

[tnokie]

the older babys so they won't trample these. After a few days I would think they would be use to everybody and stay out of the way better.

 

[Picco]

You have a khaki Campbell and a crested (possible fawn runner?) duckling. I have raised ducks for several years and I think I can help you out. The little guys would do best in a brooder all to themselves... the bigger ducks could injure them. The best brooder in my experience is a plastic storage tote with a lightbulb for heat. Ducks are messy creatures and a good way to make thme less messy is to place the waterer on a raised platform. I make mine using 2X4s, make a frame about 1' X 1' and staple hardware clothe over this. This will help but the brooder will still need to be cleaned atleast once a day. Your ducks seem unhappy when separated because they are "herd" animals and are trying to keep in vocal contact with the others. If you put the different brooders in different rooms out of ear shot their cries should stop after a while. To prevent their escape place a screen over the brooder. Also to help confort them place a stuffed animal that they can huddle under in the brooder... sounds weird but it works, just remember the stuffed animal will never smell the same lol.

 

[kristineinks]

How exciting! This is totally silly, but I really, really wanted Khaki Campbells (we share the last name, LOL), so I'd be thrilled to have at least one. This evening, I put the new ducks back into the brooder with the "big ducks" & chickens, and everyone seems to be co-existing fairly peacefully now. The new ducks had adequate heat, water & food but would NOT stop chirping in agony until I put them in with the others.

The older ducks still have their moments of picking on the others (the problem is mainly with two of the bigger ducks, who seem, in particular, to enjoy grabbing the chicks by the tail feathers or a wing & refusing to let go!). Since I'm moving the older ducks outside tomorrow, I think they'll probably be okay. I will definitely make a raised frame for the water (thank you Picco!), because I can't stand the filth going on with it right now!

 

[SheriAnn]

Hi, I am curious as to what feed store you found your ducks at. I would like to have some crested ducks but our local Tractor Supply is not selling them this year unless you order them and I just don't want that many.

Thanks,
Sheri

 

[kristineinks]

Sheri,

I bought them at Atwoods.

Kristine