I’m a beginner and I have questions

[Lyssa2004]

Hi everyone! I am about to get my own ducks in April and I am a beginner and I have a few questions, first though I would like to point out I am going to be raising two male drake Pekins and I have question concerning drakes.
1. I will be getting them as ducklings, I know they need non-medicated chick feed but what percentage and when should I change the percentage?

2. I have studied duck care for a year now and I am certain but just to be sure will two drakes raised together get along?

3. When are they old enough to be put outside and kept outside for good?

4. Will they stay in my yard and area? If so I will only be letting them out when I am outside as I live in a wooded area with hunters and coyotes

That is pretty much all, I may have more questions later but I have until April to be prepared!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. I would feed a ration specifically tailored for ducks. Drakes tend to be very hormone driven, and two may or may not get along. The more dominant may harass and try to breed the less dominant. They can be left outside in a secure pen/coop combination, and allowing supervised free ranging should work fine., Good luck when you get them.

 

[Lyssa2004]

Welcome to BYC. I would feed a ration specifically tailored for ducks. Drakes tend to be very hormone driven, and two may or may not get along. The more dominant may harass and try to breed the less dominant. They can be left outside in a secure pen/coop combination, and allowing supervised free ranging should work fine., Good luck when you get them.

Thanks so much! I don’t really understand what you mean about the food but should I get females instead? It’s not about their eggs as I can sell duck eggs but will females get along I heard they were more aggressive than males and will flirt with humans

 

[sourland]

Ducks, ducklings in particular need adequate Niacin in their diet. This is not always met through chicken feed although supplementation with Brewers yeast helps. In my opinion 2 females would be far less hassle than two drakes. Actually 3 is an even better number. That way when one dies (and eventually one will) two remain for company for one another.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Purina makes "Duck Pellets" and that will have everything your duck will need until they start laying. When they are tiny I would grind them up for them though.

 

[Lyssa2004]

Ducks, ducklings in particular need adequate Niacin in their diet. This is not always met through chicken feed although supplementation with Brewers yeast helps. In my opinion 2 females would be far less hassle than two drakes. Actually 3 is an even better number. That way when one dies (and eventually one will) two remain for company for one another.

Ok thanks about the food you were a big help but I will continue to do research thank you!

 

[Lyssa2004]

Purina makes "Duck Pellets" and that will have everything your duck will need until they start laying. When they are tiny I would grind them up for them though.

Thank you!!! I will definitely look at that so excited to have ducks!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thank you!!! I will definitely look at that so excited to have ducks!

another good thing to get would be B-complex liquid vitamins. This can be bought at Tractor Supply and this is what the bottle looks like. It's got lots of niacin in it which is very good for their legs as @sourland has told you.

 

[sylviethecochin]

1. I will be getting them as ducklings, I know they need non-medicated chick feed but what percentage and when should I change the percentage?

First myth of duck-keeping "they can't have medicated feed."

Back in the good ol' days, they couldn't. Now, most chick feeds are medicated with amprollium, and are completely safe for ducklings. Purina, Nutrena, and Dumor all use amprollium.

Protein percentage should be 22%+ for the first two weeks, and ~20% after that, until their first egg. Almost all brands of flock-raiser feed will meet this requirement.

Niacin, as said above, should be at least 55 ppm.

Read this. It's useful. https://www.metzerfarms.com/NutritionalRequirements.cfm

2. I have studied duck care for a year now and I am certain but just to be sure will two drakes raised together get along?

Maybe. Sometimes they do. Sometimes (almost always in the spring) people have needed to separate their drakes for fear of murder. Generally, there's less of a problem if both are the same size.

3. When are they old enough to be put outside and kept outside for good?

When they're hatched, if you live in Hawaii. What's your weather like?

4. Will they stay in my yard and area? If so I will only be letting them out when I am outside as I live in a wooded area with hunters and coyotes

Most ducks aren't fond of woods, and are very fond of a routine. I can's speak for yours though; individual behaviours may vary.

 

[Lyssa2004]

First myth of duck-keeping "they can't have medicated feed."

Back in the good ol' days, they couldn't. Now, most chick feeds are medicated with amprollium, and are completely safe for ducklings. Purina, Nutrena, and Dumor all use amprollium.

Protein percentage should be 22%+ for the first two weeks, and ~20% after that, until their first egg. Almost all brands of flock-raiser feed will meet this requirement.

Niacin, as said above, should be at least 55 ppm.

Read this. It's useful. https://www.metzerfarms.com/NutritionalRequirements.cfm



Maybe. Sometimes they do. Sometimes (almost always in the spring) people have needed to separate their drakes for fear of murder. Generally, there's less of a problem if both are the same size.


When they're hatched, if you live in Hawaii. What's your weather like?


Most ducks aren't fond of woods, and are very fond of a routine. I can's speak for yours though; individual behaviours may vary.

Thank you so much!!!!!! This is the most helpful thread I’ve seen(not that others aren’t this is just more informed) I live in South Carolina and it’s just into the 80s and 90s now and will stay like this so we get veryyyy warm weather