First time Ducky Daddy

[earltheman]

Also the shavings you find in Wal Mart for hamsters and that type of animal are more than likely "cedar shavings", DO NOT USE CEDAR SHAVINGS with your ducklings, it contains chemicals from the cedar tree, that can irritate their skin. Use ONLY pine shavings for ducklings.

The shavings I got are labeled as pine shavings, and claim to be "toxin free". (They also carried stuff labeled as cedar shavings.) I am considering switching to the larger pine shavings in the farm supply store, but it really does look like it would be not as comfortable for the duckies. They don't seemed to be as interested in eating the shavings as they were at the start, but I'm still keeping an eye on them. I'm gonna stick with what I have until I empty the bag, maybe another week or so, then I will decide if to switch to the other stuff.

 

[earltheman]

Today was the ducklings' 2 week birthday. They definitely don't look like little balls of fuzz anymore, they look like 3 somewhat small (but still fuzzy) ducks. Since it was a fairly warm day, my wife and kids took the 3 girls out for their first foray into the backyard. I was at work so I missed the fun, however my wife was kind enough to take lots of pics. Apparently, the ducklings enjoyed themselves.

 

[rubberduckies]

Awwww. So cute. I bet they loved being outside. Mine haven't had a chance to go outside yet. It's still too cold here. I can't wait for it to get a little warmer.

 

[earltheman]

The duckies played out in the sun again today. They must really be liking it -- this time it was harder to catch them when it was time to come inside.

 

[HouseMouseHens]

The duckies played out in the sun again today. They must really be liking it -- this time it was harder to catch them when it was time to come inside.

Ohh they are getting so big! I can't wait to get my babies next month. Seeing all these ducklings is KILLING me! Btw, where in WA are you? We lived in Olympia for a long time before we moved down to Portland.

 

[feathersweet]

All the information comes fast - enjoy! Savor the little peeps! Yes, they grow fast (I got my first 4 ducks 6 weeks ago) - but it is not like a deadline at work. You can savor their waddles ...as you plan "next" for their space.

Feeding starter mash? Make sure you get the breakdown of what the protein percentage is - and too, if needed you need to supplement it with some niacin (typically needed for ducks when feeding chix starter mash).

Enjoy the wonder ...and know you have a flock of web-footed fans! Keep us posted.

 

[earltheman]

All the information comes fast - enjoy! Savor the little peeps! Yes, they grow fast (I got my first 4 ducks 6 weeks ago) - but it is not like a deadline at work. You can savor their waddles ...as you plan "next" for their space.

Feeding starter mash? Make sure you get the breakdown of what the protein percentage is - and too, if needed you need to supplement it with some niacin (typically needed for ducks when feeding chix starter mash).

Enjoy the wonder ...and know you have a flock of web-footed fans! Keep us posted.

Thanks! So far, I've been feeding them a mixture of Purina "Flock Raiser" crumbles and Manna Pro "Gamebird/Showbird Complete" crumbles. The Purina has 20% protein, the Manna Pro has 24%, so I give them a mix of approximately 1 part Manna Pro and 3 parts Purina, which nets out at around 21% protein. And I have been supplementing their water with Niacin, 100mg per gallon.

 

[feathersweet]

you are doing fabulous - great research. Amazing how they capture our attention, isn't it! Great pictures. How about that diving action. Those peeps and drinking sounds. Enjoy!!

 

[earltheman]

Today is day 17 of my duckling experience. My 3 adopted “girls”, Holly, Dora, and Olivia, are now 18 days old. They are growing so quickly, it’s almost unreal. They are several times larger than the little balls of fluff that came in the mail just 2 weeks ago. Plus little feathers are starting to come out, mainly on their backs just above the wings. They haven’t started to quack yet, but their peeps have got louder and slightly deeper.

They’ve become quite social - they don’t really like to be held, but they beg for attention. If I come up to the kennel and talk to them for awhile, they come as close as they can to listen and talk back to me, then they complain loudly when I walk away.



They love to go for walks in the back yard. They follow me around like little puppies, insisting on staying within 2 or 3 feet of me at all times.






I give them several treats that they like – bits of green beans, asparagus, green pepper, and peas. But their absolute favorite treat is grapes. I cut each grape into 6 or 8 tiny pieces, and they totally love it! When I feed them grapes in my hand, it almost seems as if they try to lick my hands clean.

They now eat so much that it takes them only about 4 hours to totally empty the little food dish that I’ve been using. Yesterday I went out and bought this poultry feeder, which the farm supply store folks said would work for my ducklings.

However, I ended up taking it back because of one small flaw. Because of the way the ducklings eat, and because they are so messy, they inevitably end up getting water into their food dish. That made the food at the bottom “cake up”, thus plugging the holes and keeping food from the reservoir from flowing down into the dish. I know I could just use a larger open dish, similar to the one I use now, but I am hoping to find something designed so that the ducks can’t walk through it and poop all in their food. I will be searching tomorrow again for another food dish.

The ducklings have also been going through their water more quickly, so I just today switched out their waterer to a gallon-sized plastic orange juice jug with a hole cut in 2 sides. So far, that seems to be working pretty well.


Since the duckies are bigger and are eating and drinking more, that means they are also pooping more. A lot more. When I first moved them into the brooder/kennel, I was removing poop from their bedding about once a day, and cleaning out the feeder/waterer tub station once every other day. Now I have to remove poop from their bedding at least 3 times a day (sometimes I do it 4 times). And once a day I do a full cleaning where I remove poop from the bedding, add new fresh bedding, and also clean out their feeder/waterer station. At this rate, I am not sure I will be able to keep up with them after another week or 2 of growth.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining at all. I love these little ducklings, and I am loving having ducklings. It is already proving to be a rewarding experience, and I am only in my 3rd week of being a ducky parent!

I'll leave you with this "Pied Piper" pic my wife took of me, pretending to lead the ducklings with my flute. (Actually my son's recorder.)


I know, I am just having too much fun! I’ll continue to keep you posted.

 

[gryeyes]