Help me care for my new call ducks (and look at these pictures).

[mycutekitties]

Since we have chickens the duck world is new to us. I have some questions.
1. Do they need a water dish and something to swim in? or do they drink what they swim in?
2. I put a log in their area thinking they need a purch like chickens do. Do they need the log in there?
3. Do they need a larger area to swim in?
4. Is there anything I can do to help them get comfortable with us? They freak when we go in their cage and my kids want to play with them. They are my daughters 4-H project but she can't catch them (they were born this spring so they are young).
This is their cage:

the cuties

Thanks for your help!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

The enclosure size is fine for them, asis the pool for swimming. We also use the cement mixing pans for the calls to swim in. You need to put a top on that pen though. Call ducks can fly very well, plus they are literally sitting ducks for predators with it being open on top. Even locked in the pet carrier a coon can reach in and will pull them out the opening bit by bit.

They are in a new home, new surroundings and are young. The more time spent with them the better they will get. Don't corner them or stand over them. It is best to go in and sit down and offer treats. Peas, feed, chopped greens so they see you and your daughter as a good thing, not big, tall scary creatures.

Building them a small duck house that they can be closed in at night to stay safe and dry would work very well in that pen. If you plan to let the hen sit and hatch eggs, you will need to add hardware cloth around the bottom of the chain link so the ducklings don't walk right out the openings.

They may or may not use the log. We have large half logs laying near the pools for our large ducks and they sometimes will sit on one. The calls I can't say I have ever seen them use one.

Very pretty ducks, enjoy them.

Shellie

 

[mycutekitties]

Thank you! We will be putting a top on it today when my husband gets home. Thanks for all the wonderful advice!

 

[easttxchick]

That's a beautiful pair of Grays you got there.

I would also cover the bottom of the enclosure. They are so vulnerable to digging predators like dogs, coyotes, etc. in a pen like that.
Congrats on your new ducks!

 

[tritty74]

love the ducks!