I am new to taking care of ducks and i am scared that ill screw up and my two duckling will suffer or not be healthy because of my screw up

[danielduckwolf]

I have not a lot of choice for bedding and was using newspaper and I asked my mom if it was okay they were nibbling on it. she said yes. but like I don't wanna lose my two ducks. they literally are the only reason I'm alive they love on me and just help me when I'm depressed. I've never owned a duck and the last time my mom did was in the 50s on a farm and they were outside ducks. I really dont wanna screw it up. my mom gave them to me last Sunday when I was super depressed because i had learned that my two closest friends that I let live in my moms and my trailer. trashed the place broke the celling and stole all my prized items that I held deep in my heart. then blamed my mom when we found 25 gallon jugs of piss in the bathroom that was also trashed. so i felt alone and betrayed and the ducks just coming into my life made me feel so much better and if i lose my babies i dont know if i could live with it. please help i know i went off on a tangent i just.... they are why I'm not wanting to die.

i want to know how to give them the best life

 

[topochico225]

Newspaper can cause splay leg in chicks and ducks because it's very slippery. Try towels, puppy pee pads, or paper towels.

 

[danielduckwolf]

Newspaper can cause splay leg in chicks and ducks because it's very slippery. Try towels, puppy pee pads, or paper towels.

i have been using puppy pea pads but ducks are like poop factories. and i have 4 severely disabled siblings that need what we call chucks (puppy pads for humans) and so it takes alot of them to distribute between 2 ducks and 4 kids and we are running out so fast

 

[Ratchnick]

Blue shop towels work or wood shavings.

 

[danielduckwolf]

Blue shop towels work or wood shavings.

okay currently I cant get any because we are in a huge snow storm. but i will check them out

 

[Joy Jonsdotter]

Pine Shavings are relatively cheap and easy to buy in large quantities. You can find them at Tractor Supply, or amazon or Walmart in the pet section. You won't have to change them as much either. Also if they make a mess of their water it helps to put it up on a block (not higher than their back though). Good luck!

 

[KaleIAm]

I just used regular towels for my ducklings. It was a lot of laundry, but it worked well.

 

[danielduckwolf]

I just used regular towels for my ducklings. It was a lot of laundry, but it worked well.

and i have unlimited towels because of my large family.

 

[danielduckwolf]

Pine Shavings are relatively cheap and easy to buy in large quantities. You can find them at Tractor Supply, or amazon or Walmart in the pet section. You won't have to change them as much either. Also if they make a mess of their water it helps to put it up on a block (not higher than their back though). Good luck!

Okay! thanks for the advice we will make a stop at tractor supply after the snow storm

 

[Sheepheart]

When your able to get out wood shaving style bedding is the best, absorbs some of the moisture and easier to clean( also pretty in expensive)

ducks do love making a mess with water so having it to where they can’t crawl in it helps with that. Also with their water make sure that it’s deep enough they can rinse out their nostrils!

you’ll want to make sure they are getting enough niacin in their feed to. Duckling starter or all flock feed should provide them with enough, you can feed chick starter but you’ll have to buy some sort of niacin supplement, which, cost wise, your usually better off to get duckling feed or all flock.

And some fun info for later down the road, if your ducklings are female they will have louder quacks, kinda sound like laughing sometimes, and if they are male they should develop some curly tail feathers. And depending on the breed they may have color differences.