Hi I'm a newbie so a introduction (and I need some duck help!)

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Cruze

Cruze

Hatching
7 Years
Nov 4, 2012
2
0
7
Hi everyone, well I will just start off by introducing myself and my girls, I live in Melbourne Aust, Cruze is my name on horse forums as it's the name of my stallion, and I can remember it! I do animal rescue, so apart from the horses, cat, dogs etc, I of course have chickens, which has led me to being a lurker on here,
I have 6 ex battery hens, Tilly, and my 5 newer girls ruby, emerald (Em) sapphire,Di and topaz ( all named after Gems, I also have a broiler hen who is Sleek, ihad 4 but I've had to put the others down as there legs gave out. And 2 gorgeous back hens there a x breed they have white speckles on there wings named snow white and Cinder. They are very Broody girls.

What has led me here is I've just rescued two Pekin ducks,( ducklings) I've never had ducks they are 5 weeks old I was handed them to me in a fish tank some pullet grower was thrown at me and I got given some wheat which I was told to soak and told to feed them wheat bix ( it's a wheat cereal in a square ) . I've had a look on the duck pages here and found quite a list of foods to feed, but how old should they be before I introduce it? What else should baby ducks eat? What do I need to do? Will they mingle in the chicken coup when older ( they te inside at the moment or do they need there own duck house? ( they will be only locked up t night when older) I have given them a tub of water to drink and so they can dunk there heads. They can swim in the bath, ( with my supervision) until I get the pond built and I also ave a toddlers pool for them,

Sorry if I've asked questions that have been asked before it's 140am here and I haven't had a good look through past posts, as I'm just trying to get one quick answers for the new arrivals.
Also sorry for spelling etc I'm on my phone,

So off to check the new babies and my daughter ( there sleeping in my 3yer olds room! She had to have them in there.... So she tells us
 
Greetings from Kansas, Cruze, and
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! Happy you joined our community! I must admit, though I have a few ducks, I'm not an expert on the times to introduce what types of food. I think as long as they are fed a nutritionally adequate ration of proper food, they can be given supplemental things like the wheat cereal you mentioned. If they like it, they will eat it, if not, they won't. Again, just my opinion as I am not the best person to ask. I'm sure others will chime in, however. Best of luck to you, your ducks, and your chickens!!
 
and welcome to the flock from NC.
I have a few ducks and like redsoxs by no means an expert. I do know that giving them balanced feed is very important. without it they will have growth development issues. I think protein content is very important to prevent things like angel wing and such. Personally we fed our NON-medicated chick feed (prurina) till they were fully feathered out and ready to go into the pen with the chickens. Then we switched to a balanced fowl feed that had plenty of what both our chickens and ducks needed. Make sure you keep the pool clean with fresh water, poopy water is bad for them. I don't know about the wheat cereal thing but as i said i'm no expert so that is no surprise. Here is a link to our local cooperative extension that lists what the food should have at each stage. Check out the ducks section there are some VERY knowledgeable people on there.. especially Miss Lydia... and there are lots others she is just the first that comes to mind because i always see here on there, i bet they will be able to make some for sure good suggestions. Good luck- ducks are great critters and loads of fun.
 
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. Ducks require more Niacin than chicks so you might consider adding supplements. Many people house ducks with their chickens. However if you have a drake that starts breeding your hens then you will have to separate them.
 
Thanks every one, and thanks for the welcome :) the ducklings are doing well, I've put them in a little tyre pool, so there having a swim and eating lettuce which I tore up in there. I will say though, they can sleep outside from now on they are a little stinky, though there cage is probably dirty as I picked them up late last night and didn't want to disturb them when I got them home. they are currently outside in a old cubby house that I converted to a nursery for baby chickens etc, we are coming into summer down here though the nights are still cool, if there tucked up in a box with lots of straw bedding will that do? Or will they need a lamp?
 
Hello and welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us!
 

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