I am new to ducks and have some questions

[Mum]

I'm new to ducks too and mine are now five weeks old. At four weeks they were already starting to pant in with the chicks so I moved them to their own coop without a heat lamp and they do great. Started them off with a smaller bowl (size one duck can fit in) and they now have a large kiddy pool and all four swim in it and are loving it. I put them outside when it was 30 degrees (it was very sunny and warmed up to 55 throughout the day) and they were fine. They sat in the sun until it warmed up and then they tried out the pool I put them back in their coop without their food/water (to help save on messes) and put them back outside at 7am. We put them to bed about 8:30pm. You should post some pictures of your babies BTW: I was amazed at how fast they grew too!

ETA: I forgot to mention I was amazed at how little feed they eat now that they have LOTS of grass and bugs to eat. They are GREAT foragers!

What breed are they?

 

[zooweemama]

How old are your duckies now? My first batch are 3 weeks old. They are HUGE! Just started to get their feathers (they look horrible lol poor sweet little things) and I had to move them into their coop because in the brooder they just panted with the light on- even on very very low. I turn the heat lamp on at night to stave off the chill but off during the day. On warm days I let them have a few minutes in a kiddie pool. But on the cool days (like today it's 60 and overcast) they just get to dip their heads in a bucket.

I'm about read to move them off starter feed and onto grower feed. My new batch of duckies were hatched on Monday so they are still indoors under the heat lamp being newbies.

 

[dandydoodle]

My duckies are about 2 weeks and absolutely huge. I have a really big brooder about 8 by 10 but, at the rate they are growing I am worried they are gonna outgrow it before I am allowed to take them out from under the light.

These are my first ducks and wow they sure make the brooder nasty. I took at all the bedding last weekend and replaced it with sand and made little pan things to set their water on with chicken wire on top. That is working great but, I didn't realize half the nasty in there is pee. The pans are working but, I don't know how to keep the pee down. I can't afford to change out sand every two days, any suggestions????

I am not sure what breed they are yet. They are a mix from a hatchery. I will have to post some pics and see if ya'll know what I have.

 

[Mum]

dandydoodle: ducks are reknown for being messy

You can begin weaning them off the light now; reduce it by one hour per day.

You could scoop out the droppings on a daily basis, although my preferred method is to give the brooder a thorough clean each morning: the cost of replacing their flooring outweighs the vets bills if I don't

In another week or two, depending on your climate, they are good for going outside anyway - just so long as they are in a predator proof run and cosy housing.

At two weeks, are you beginning to wean them off duck crumb and onto growers feed?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Mum, they are Pekin ducks...sorry for the long delay in answering you but they have been keeping me busy I also have Cayuga ducks now along with a few other breeds.