Ducklings have arrived!

[MerryMeridional]

5 Indian Runner ducklings have arrived! These are my first ducks ever. They are so active and funny already. I need to figure something out for the 4 warmer chicks they came with. One duckling looks to be crested! Are colored zip ties safe as IDs on their legs? Some other posts suggested that. I'd like to tell them apart.

 

[Table4Six]

Congrats! They are beautiful babies! You can use colored zip ties, but as the ducklings grow they will need to be cut off as they would no longer fit. When they are adults you can get them poultry leg bands.

 

[happy duck]

They are so cute!!!! Colored zip ties are good to ID them just make sure they are not to tight. Keep us updated as they grow....and congrats!!!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

5 Indian Runner ducklings have arrived! These are my first ducks ever. They are so active and funny already. I need to figure something out for the 4 warmer chicks they came with. One duckling looks to be crested! Are colored zip ties safe as IDs on their legs? Some other posts suggested that. I'd like to tell them apart.

Congratulations to the super cute ducklings!
Yes, colored zip-ties are fine! I finally used them for my spring-ducklings after trying several alternatives. Everything else requires a second person holding the duckling so that you have both hands free to open the leg-band or uncurl a spiral.
I also recommend weighing the ducklings daily, so that you can address issues early.
Have fun while it lasts! - Ducklings grow way too fast, so enjoy every minute and don't blink.

 

[MerryMeridional]

Congratulations to the super cute ducklings!
Yes, colored zip-ties are fine! I finally used them for my spring-ducklings after trying several alternatives. Everything else requires a second person holding the duckling so that you have both hands free to open the leg-band or uncurl a spiral.
I also recommend weighing the ducklings daily, so that you can address issues early.
Have fun while it lasts! - Ducklings grow way too fast, so enjoy every minute and don't blink.

Thanks for sharing your experience with banding! All the ones I saw for sale were for much tinier legs. I have lots of zip ties around, I'd rather not purchase anything.

Good idea with the weighing. I have a kitchen food scale that I'll use.

 

[MerryMeridional]

All the birdies love the fermented feed! And compared to their poop yesterday, it does seem better formed and less wet.
I think I found a new home for the warmer chicks which makes me so happy.

I had a heckuva time banding the legs with zip ties. It took some dexterity to do it with one hand while holding the duckling with the other hand. A few ties ended up coming off later on, but since it was the crested duckling and one other, I knew who was what color and replaced them. It's a fine line between not too tight and falling off. Their little feet have a big spread but are really skinny when all the toes are relaxed and limp together!

They are definitely getting better the more I handle them. They still run away from me in the brooder but even compared to yesterday, they are calmer once I have them in my hands. I may need that kiddie pool after all, for a little run around time. The second I let one run on the floor next to the brooder resulted in duck poop on the rug. Pure green, too. Thanks grow-gel!

The dogs are learning to coexist. Boy dog, who at one point lived off stray cats and chickens in Hawaii, totally ignores them. Girl dog, who is very trainable but high energy and smart, gives herself away with the . She listens to me though, and stops the predator stare when I tell her off. For the most part, they have tuned out the chirping and ignore the birds. Baby steps!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Little piggies so adorable!! Where did you get your Runners?

 

[MerryMeridional]

Little piggies so adorable!! Where did you get your Runners?

Ideal Poultry out of TX. The color variations at Metzer appealed to me, but I really like the look of the black ones, and Metzer's shipping was crazytown high. I think it cost $9 total to have these shipped from TX to OR with Ideal.

I can already tell they are fatter than when they shipped in! They really are little piggies! I put some finely chopped lettuce ends in there floating on some water yesterday afternoon and they munched a little but didn't seem to care much. Then I checked on them in the morning and it was all gone! I just put a little pile of finely chopped celery leaves&heads and some mashed up peas on another tray floating in a little water. All the peepers are sleeping so it hasn't been eaten yet but I bet it'll be gone in a snap, too, once they wake up and start munching again

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have chick grit down for them it’s important if feeding anything other than their feed to give them chick grit. Did you order sexed?

 

[MerryMeridional]

Do you have chick grit down for them it’s important if feeding anything other than their feed to give them chick grit. Did you order sexed?

OMG thank you for the reminder. I will pick up some chick grit in the AM, unless you think they need it ASAP, in which case I could make a run to the tractor supply right away.

Yes, they were sexed, so my runners are all girls. I may consider getting a male or additional ones in the future but wanted to start with a number within my means and space. They cut the lot sizes a lot smaller here than I'm used to. I used to live on an acre, but they measured this lot in square feet. No complaints though...we love this house and yard. It's amazing here