Hi! I'm pretty new to duck raising too, but I've spent the last couple of months researching it, and I hope I can help you a bit. I'm also currently brooding two ducklings, so I can tell you a little about what to expect from young ducks.
I can tell you for sure that ducklings are absolutely adorable. They are also pretty messy. Ducks like water, and unless you set up your brooder just right, it's going to be really, really, messy. If you do go the route of trying out a couple, you can minimize mess by separating their water and food, first. Ducks do need water to properly digest their feed. Also, you can place their waterer on a raised platform with a grating on top to allow you to collect the water they inevitably splash everywhere - I suggest using a paint pan and bucket roller pan that fits inside it. We used a variation of hardware cloth and an old ice tray, and it's kept their bedding pretty fresh for several days. I've also seen others use chick feeders to keep ducklings from slinging water everywhere. From experience, you will need to change/replenish their water every day because it will get cloudy from their feed and they will drink a lot of it. And they can't dry out! I forgot to replenish their water one day before work, and the poor things were miserable when I got back to them.
I could go on, but because I'm still new I hesitate to really go further with what all I've read. I'd suggest the Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks because it's pretty much been my bible of duck raising. I can't tell you whether or not ducks are a good idea for you or not, but I can tell you that my husband and I really enjoy keeping them.
