First time with ducklings...help

[aprhardy]

Soooo apparently my addiction to chicks and chickens has spread to ducks and ducklings. I've always wanted ducks and yesterday they had some at the poultry show. I picked up 4 of them and brought them home. Cutest little things ever. But here is the problem.... I know nothing about ducks or how to raise them. I've got 8 2 week old chicks in the brooder box with 25 more arriving tomorrow. As for now I have them in with the 2 week olds bc they're relatively the same size. They're still under the heat lamp with the chicks and eat and drinking just fine. The guy says he though these ducklings were a few days old but that they run free around his pond, so no exact ages. I also know nothing about their breeds, 2 are supposed to be Crested? And the other 2 are Buff's??
Grrrr.... I wish I wasn't such an impulse buyer.

Anyone have any advice for a newbie with ducks??
Some do's and don'ts??
Once they're bigger, will they need to stay in our chicken coop? Or can they live on their own? We have a pond out behind our house, will they go there on their own?

 

[dumb_cluck]

DON'T feed the duckling chicken starter! Don't keep the chickens and ducks together. Ducklings need niacin which is in a "game bird starter" formula available at any feed store. Make SURE you mention DUCKS when purchasing.

Also, ducks need LOTS OF WATER. And because of this they are messy! (Not their fault, just nature)

ALWAYS give ducks plenty of water and food. If they are very young and the temps outside are below 80 degrees, keep them indoors until it warms up or invest in a heating lamp. (DO NOT OVERHEAT THEM!)

Good Luck and welcome~

 

[sonew123]

totally agree with dumb cluck

just make sure the waterer you are using is deep enough for them to submerge their whole beak into to be able to clean out their nostrils-
If you start to see angel wing on them-use a lower protein enriched feed-and start fedding them dark green veggies-peas-ground/shredded broccoli stems etc.. the angel wing will and should dissappear within a few days if you catch it on time-good luck

 

[aprhardy]

Oh my! They guy said I could feed them the medicated chick starter I'm giving my chickies. I've got them some water to play in as well as a separate waterer to make sure everyone has plenty of water. They're still in the brooder box with my chicks under a heat lamp (box is 6 ft by 4ft)

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
I would seriously seperate them out-you dont want your chicks getting dampened or wet and it will happen-the issue with Med feed is the coccidiostat in it-most medicated feeds have such a miniscule amount that shouldnt harm baby ducks-years ago it was a high ratio of the coccidiostat in it and it would kill ducklings-I fed all 6 of my ducks the medicated food because of how little % of meds it had in it and I had no issues-( IMO) I got that advice from long time duck raisers on here.

 

[skurfa]

Maybe I'm just dumb and lucky... Last year I raised 8 Mallards together with a dozen Rhode Island Reds, all on Chick Starter with no issues at all. I do own a restaurant and thus have a lot of waste greens I fed/feed them. Not sure of the Niacin content in these greens, but spinach, which the ducks LOVE, does seem to be one of the better natural sources for Niacin.
I currently have another 8 Mallards and 7 Khaki Campbells in a a large (4-8) brooder with a 25 mixed breed chicks. The Campbells are pretty big compared to the Mallards and chicks, but have shown no aggression to them, in fact the only aggression I have seen at all is from one or two particular chicks, and it isn't at all serious, I just need to watch them as they grow, maybe they will turn out to be roos.
The ducks do go through A LOT of water, so keep that in mind.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Quote:
Some times you got to get the info for yourself. Many places (unfortunately) are just trying to sell stuff and have NO IDEA what they are talking about. Again, keep posting here for better info!

 

[aprhardy]

Thank you all for your help/advice. At this time I am really considering if I am set up/capable of handling these little guys needs. I feel I'm more set up for the chicks right now. Maybe I should consider rehoming these and try again when I don't have a brood box full of chicks.

 

[Baralak]

Na.. you can do it... What everone here is not telling you is that you can feed them chick starter, just not the medicated.. All you have to do is sub their water with Niacin tablets you can get at any CVS, Walgreens, Walmart ect. I have 5 little (well getting bigger) duckies and even though I don't keep them with the chicks, I do have them in two Large tupperware bins until they were about 3 weeks old. I since went to TSC and got one of those Rabbit hutches for my 3 rouens since they are SOOO much larger than my other two ducklings. The other two are happy in the tupperware bin. PEAS.. OMG after about 2 weeks get them a bag of frozen green peas. Put some warm water in your bath tub (you don't have to wait 2 weeks for this part just the peas) and put your duckies in. Then drop peas around, it is a HOOT!

I have 1 of my rouens that have just started making a honking sound.. My little WH is the most friendliest of them all and she lets you hold her in your hand with almost NO resistance.

Don't get rid of them.. I love my chickens, but the ducklings are worth every little mess I have to clean up.

 

[aprhardy]

Thank you Baralak for the vote of confidence. I'm gonna give it a try and see how it goes!

I'm just not so sure about this right now. Feel like I'm on shaky ground, possibly bc this is new to me, but I hope to do the best for these ducklings and they grow up to be happy and healthy!