Hello new duck owner from Bulverde, Texas

[SilverBirds]

@Honeybunny_3 is this your current setup? Or is it something they were just in temporarily.

 

[SilverBirds]

Now, my first question. I am getting up every 2 hours during the night to feed them and change their water because it's gross and smells, lol. Do I need to be doing this and if do for how long? How long can ducklings go without food or have messy water every night? I usually go to bed at midnight and get up around 8 am but right now I set my alarm for every 2 hours. Thanks I'm advance!

If they're making THAT big of a mess and eating and drinking that much, they're brooders must be way to small. Was the picture I quoted before what they are always in?

Ducklings don't need food at night, but they should have it during the day, and they need water 24/7, deep enough that they submerge their entire heads under so they can clean their eyes and nares. Also, what feed brand are you using?

I read online on Google that I can feed baby ducks lots of veggies. Can I give them canned veggies like peas, carrots, green beans, and corn? Or is the salt content from canned veggies too high for them? Also, I read they can eat Nori which is roasted seaweed with nothing else in it, is that true? I actually have some because my daugther makes sushi, but Im not giving them anything until I hear from you pros. I just give the fresh carrot, collard, and turnip greens, which I float in their water, and food from the store I bought them at. Do they need grit too? Lastly, I also read they eat minnows. Is this a must to feed them, and if so where do you buy minnows? Or do I need to go catch them? That I really don't want to do.

Their feed is meant to be a complete diet, so you don't have to feed them anything else. If you decide to feed treats, they'll need access to grit. Peas are a great source of niacin, which ducks need a lot of. They can also eat everything else you listed as well, but I'm not entirely sure if the canned stuff is safe. I typically stick to frozen or fresh.
Ducks can eat minnows, but I don't know of many people that give them some regularly, or any at all.

Thank you so much! I will try the paper plate. Thank you for that. I just bought a waterer today but it didn't work. The container I have them in is too small for the 5 qt. waterer I bought, which is the smallest I could find, and takes too much room. They climbed all over it and spilled all the water out and pooped in it, so that was a huge fail. I just cleaned it out. I have them in the largest Rubbermaid container I could buy but it's long and narrow so the waterer was too big in diameter. I will just continue to use the pan I have and continue to change it out frequently. I will try the cooling sheet when they can go outside. When can I put them outside for a few hours in the daytime when it's sunny out? Is over 75° good or is it too cold? I have them under a heat lamp but I think sometimes they get over heated and I turn it off. I'm in South Texas and it gets really hot here. Tomorrow we will be 80° so I was hoping I can put them outside for an hour or so to get some warm sun. When can they go for a swim in warm bath water so they can clean themselves. They are a mess right now from the waterer. Geeez. Thank you again so much for your help!!!

They can be outside now. By 2-3 weeks old, mine are off heat (when I'm brooding in the spring-summer months), and I usually kick them outside around the same age.

I let mine start swimming once they're 3 days old. Baths are kept short at first, maybe 5-10 minutes, and I'll slowly extend that time to 30-45 as they grow. Make sure the water is warm, not too deep, and make sure they are always supervised. Watch for them getting tired, and make sure you thoroughly dry them when you're done.

Do you already have their coop built?

 

[SilverBirds]

What brand of nutritional yeast do you buy and where did you get it please? I'm a brand new ducklings owner to 11 baby ducklings. Don't know the breed. TSC said they were mixed breeds and I'm guessing they are now about 2 weeks old. They didn't tell me anything about adding yeast to their diet. I don't want leg problems so if you can help me I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

I saw Duck Mommy responded to one of your other posts describing how to feed, where to buy it, and some other useful information. But as far as brand goes, it really doesn't matter that much. I've seen that Braggs is a popular choice. I've used Anthonys, Josh's Frogs, and Red Hill in the past as well. Just go with whatever you think is reasonably priced, conveniently located, and enough to feed your little army.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

If they're making THAT big of a mess and eating and drinking that much, they're brooders must be way to small. Was the picture I quoted before what they are always in?

Ducklings don't need food at night, but they should have it during the day, and they need water 24/7, deep enough that they submerge their entire heads under so they can clean their eyes and nares. Also, what feed brand are you using?

Their feed is meant to be a complete diet, so you don't have to feed them anything else. If you decide to feed treats, they'll need access to grit. Peas are a great source of niacin, which ducks need a lot of. They can also eat everything else you listed as well, but I'm not entirely sure if the canned stuff is safe. I typically stick to frozen or fresh.
Ducks can eat minnows, but I don't know of many people that give them some regularly, or any at all.

They can be outside now. By 2-3 weeks old, mine are off heat (when I'm brooding in the spring-summer months), and I usually kick them outside around the same age.

I let mine start swimming once they're 3 days old. Baths are kept short at first, maybe 5-10 minutes, and I'll slowly extend that time to 30-45 as they grow. Make sure the water is warm, not too deep, and make sure they are always supervised. Watch for them getting tired, and make sure you thoroughly dry them when you're done.

Do you already have their coop built?

Thank you so much for the reply. That container is not the one they are usually in. I have them in another thst is about a foot longer but the width is the same. TSC told me that the container was the right size when I bought them. I put them in the same set up they had in the store. The food they sold me is Dumor 20% Chick Starter Grower but it doesn't have any vitamin content listed on the bag. I have no idea if the niacin content is enough and now that concerns me. I ordered 2 different brands of brewer's yeast and 2 different nutritional yeast last night on Amazon Prime. It will come in tomorrow. I also will go and get grit.

I have been chopping up carrot, turnip and collard greens in tiny, tiny pieces like it said on Google and floating them in their water to eat. They love it. They have grown now 4 times their size when I got them a week and 1/2 ago. I'm stunned at their growth. They literally grew overnight. My son built an outdoor area to contain them in out of cinderblock until the coop comes in, but it's only for them to use if I'm outside. I ordered the coop from TSC. It should be in in the next few days I hope. I also am thinking about buying a large wire cage they have online at TSC to put a pond in it for them to use as I think the coop will be too small when they are bigger, but at the rate they are growing I think the coop now is too small and it hasn't been delivered yet. Really, these babies are growing unbelievably fast to me. Any recommendations for a wire walkin cage would be appreciated because the coop will be a temporary place. I have 3 ponds on my property but they are all open and we have skunks, Raccoons, mountain lions, coyotes, owls hawks, foxes and so much more that will kill them so I need something extra fortified to protect my babies. I'm thinking too of getting 2 geese because I read they will protect my ducks but I can't find any. I did find turkeys yesterday, lol. Thank you for your help.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you so much for the reply. That container is not the one they are usually in. I have them in another thst is about a foot longer but the width is the same. TSC told me that the container was the right size 2 when I bought them. I put them in the same set up they had. The food they sold me is Dumor 20% Chick Starter Grower but it doesn't have any vitamin content listed on the bag. I have no idea if the niacin content is enough and now that concerns me. I ordered 2 different brands of brewer's yeast and 2 different nutritional yeast last night on Amazon Prime. It will come in tomorrow. I also will go and get grit.

I have been chopping up carrot, turnip and collard greens in tiny, tiny pieces like it said on Google and floating them in their water to eat. They love it. They have grown now 4 times their size when I got them a week and 1/2 ago. I'm stunned at their growth. They literally grew overnight. My son built an outdoor area to contain them in out of cinderblock until the coop comes in, but it's only for them to use if I'm outside. I ordered the coop from TSC. It should be in in the next few days I hope. I also am thinking about buying a large wire cage they have online at TSC to put a pond in it for them to use as I think the coop will be too small when they are bigger, but at the rate they are growing I think the coop now is too small and it hasn't been delivered yet. Really, these babies are growing unbelievably fast to me. Any recommendations for a wore cage would be appreciated because the coop will be a temporary place. I have 3 ponds on my property but they are all open and we have skunks, Raccoons, mountain lions, coyotes, owls hawks, foxes and so much more that will kill them so I need something extra fortified to protect my babies. I'm thinking too of getting 2 geese because I read they will protect my ducks but I can't find any. I did find turkeys yesterday, lol. Thank you for your help.

If you aren't inclined to build, consider a large chain link kennel. Cover it with hardware cloth top to bottom, even the roof. The door will require some reinforcement too, to keep things from squeezing through. You can build or place a coop inside the kennel and still have eating areas and a small pool. Another thing to think about is your male: female ratio. Too many males per females is dangerous, so make a plan for a second area to separate them if needed.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

I saw Duck Mommy responded to one of your other posts describing how to feed, where to buy it, and some other useful information. But as far as brand goes, it really doesn't matter that much. I've seen that Braggs is a popular choice. I've used Anthonys, Josh's Frogs, and Red Hill in the past as well. Just go with whatever you think is reasonably priced, conveniently located, and enough to feed your little army.

I will go read Duck mommy's reply I have read it yet. I bought

I saw Duck Mommy responded to one of your other posts describing how to feed, where to buy it, and some other useful information. But as far as brand goes, it really doesn't matter that much. I've seen that Braggs is a popular choice. I've used Anthonys, Josh's Frogs, and Red Hill in the past as well. Just go with whatever you think is reasonably priced, conveniently located, and enough to feed your little army.

I bought "Bob's Red Hill" and "Now" nutritional yeast on Amazon early this morning as those 2 were the links that were on the thread that I read and really got me worried. Bob's is higher in niacin so I will use that first on their food. I bought 2 different brands of Brewer's yeast too and I bought both off the links that were posted on the thread. As you can tell I have no idea what I'm doing, but I can give the Brewer's yeast to my 4 dogs for flea prevention which we have a huge problem with in South Texas; that is as if I don't need to give it to the ducklings. The thread didn't say which to give them or if I have to give k8nds of yeast so I bought 4 different kinds and spent $250 on the yeasts alone.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

I saw Duck Mommy responded to one of your other posts describing how to feed, where to buy it, and some other useful information. But as far as brand goes, it really doesn't matter that much. I've seen that Braggs is a popular choice. I've used Anthonys, Josh's Frogs, and Red Hill in the past as well. Just go with whatever you think is reasonably priced, conveniently located, and enough to feed your little army.

If you aren't inclined to build, consider a large chain link kennel. Cover it with hardware cloth top to bottom, even the roof. The door will require some reinforcement too, to keep things from squeezing through. You can build or place a coop inside the kennel and still have eating areas and a small pool. Another thing to think about is your male: female ratio. Too many males per females is dangerous, so make a plan for a second area to separate them if needed.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

Oh wow, I didn't know about the ratio, what should it be? I have no idea what sex they are yet. How do I tell? I have no idea of the breed either because TSC didn't know. They told me they are a mix of breeds. Is that OK? Or do I need to be concerned? I bought all the ducklings they had so I can't go buy more of a certain breed.

As for the pen. I'm considering this at TSC. A chain links holes are too big and my 22vyear old son said he is worried about snakes getting them too so I found this but they have so many others I van choose I just want something safe to put them in 24/7. I read on Google that they don't go in coops at night like chickens. We use to have chickens in a coop years and years ago but something got in there and killed 18 of them in one night. Nothing will be going in that coop for a while until I can secure it a lot more and it's built with 2 x4's drilled into a concrete wall so I'm still trying to figure out what got in there and killed them, bad memory. I'm starting from scratch for the ducks. That coop can't fit a pond anyway and it's long and narrow for chickens. This is what I'm considering. This is what my son built when I'm outside with them until the coop comes in. It is completely covered with wire when they are in it so nothing can get in. They got in the water for the first time about 5 days ago for a quick warm bath but haven't been in it since as the weather has been cold and rainy. Today will be nice so I will put them in there today and watch them. I still have them in the house under a heat lamp but they do seem to get too hot so I turn it off. Thanks so much for your help too!

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rugged-ranch-walk-in-pen-1180262

 

[Honeybunny_3]

@Honeybunny_3 is this your current setup? Or is it something they were just in temporarily.

That is what they are temporarily in, but the set up is about a foot longer and a few inches wider. A heat lamp is above it and water and food is on one side. I did read Mommy ducks replybabout feeding so I understand what I need to do and go buy the things I need. Do I need a bigger one? I bought the biggest TSC had at the time.

 

[Honeybunny_3]

@Honeybunny_3 is this your current setup? Or is it something they were just in temporarily.

The pic is the one I put them in because I use it when I'm changing out the other set up I bought. I change it out 3 times a day and put them in the one in the pic when I'm cleaning the set up out They are only in this one 10 minutes tops.