From your past experience dos and don'ts raising and showing call ducks. 4h'er just starting out

[whisper237]

We are just starting out and are looking for your past experiences on the do's and don'ts for raising, showing calls. He has done 3 years of raising and showing chickens at the fair and did well.
We've been told to keep them on cement to keep them clean and I have seen some peoples coops off the ground. We have a brooder house with a fenced in area and do have a pool they will be able to use. And the ducklings would probably live in my laundry room till it got warm out for them, since winter is been late this year in MN. ha ha

Thanks for all the help..

 

[Amiga]

Hi! I don't show ducks, but I wanted to welcome you and say that in general (and you know this from chickens), happy ducks are healthy ducks are beautiful ducks!

Keeping them on concrete or wire is done. My concern would be you're possibly going to have more problems with bumble foot, as concrete and wire abrade feet, which increases the risk of infection.

If you're going to have them in an off-ground cage, put something over the wire.

Fresh vegetables (greens, peas, finely chopped cabbage) and fruits help round out a diet.

Fresh water to bath in keeps them healthy and happier.

Reasonable amount of protein helps feathers, and ducklings need three times the niacin that chicks do. They can sometimes need extra thiamine, too.

Now I hope a call duck shower chimes in soon.

 

[whisper237]

We kept our chickens out on grass and dirt and gave them a bath a week before the fair show. I figured we would probably do the same with the ducks. I like to leave them as natural in surroundings as possible. To me it makes a lot of sense and less stress and other issues.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Amiga]

Sounds like you have a good plan! Making clean bathing water available makes a big difference in health and appearance for ducks. Now, with ducks, you probably know, clean water is relative, and pristine water only lasts some number of seconds after the ducks discover it!

At a minimum ducks need water for thorough head washing to avoid eye, sinus and ear infections.

Enjoy your ducks!