I have a black mallard duck baby! help

[sonew123]

Ok-First off-thank you so much to the mods for making these forums separate! next--I have a black mallard baby pipping. Never had ducks-didn't expect this one at all-but very happy and we want to keep it-first-how do I tell the sex-what should I feed it-anything special I need to NOT feed it-or have to feed it-can it live with all it's chickie bro's and sis's that hatched a few days ago?-will he fly away? We have a pond we live on and would love to see him enjoy his life-I would NOT put him out there until he is way past the age and size for fish food! ANy help would be greatly appreciated!!! thank you! Ill post pictures tonight-hopefully when I get home it's out of the egg drying off!

 

[KattyKillFish]

don't panic! if you've raised chickens before it should be a sinch, right?

i need to know these things too. so i'll be watching this post!

 

[LauraSBale]

it the same as chicks, you need have water and feed for the baby, you can use chick started w/ no antibiotic, there water needs to be close to the feed, thats how they wash down their food, they can start swimming about a week old in a small tub, just enough for them to dunk their heads, but keep and eye on them they can drown, and make sure when you take the baby out that it goes in nice dry warm area, they do need heat light,. just like baby chicks,

you really cant tell the sex until they get older,

Good luck

 

[sonew123]

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Thank you! I hate to keep him in the bator to dry after it hatches because it's nasty filthy and smelly-I dont want it getting some sort of whatever from bacteria growing in it? I feel bad enough the poor thing is breathing in the fumes until it hatches out fully!

 

[KellyHM]

Once you put them on wire or the ground they can live with the chickens. Until then you shouldn't keep them together, only b/c the ducks are so messy with their water...they play in it and spill it everywhere. I almost lost a whole batch of chicks and quail b/c I had a duck that spilled the water & the chicks got chilled despite their heat lamp.

 

[sonew123]

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I was definately making a separate brooder for it-that makes 5 brooders! I'm so dead ahaha-love it though! Shouldn't be any problem getting along with the chickens huh? I figure by the time they are old enough and the weather is consistantly warm they'll be outside and I can keep a small little pond in their pen? For the duck and for the chickens to play with-can ducks get real attached like follow you around and want to be loved and such? I can't wait!

 

[Barnyard]

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I agree!!

 

[Barnyard]

Quote:
I was definately making a separate brooder for it-that makes 5 brooders! I'm so dead ahaha-love it though! Shouldn't be any problem getting along with the chickens huh? I figure by the time they are old enough and the weather is consistantly warm they'll be outside and I can keep a small little pond in their pen? For the duck and for the chickens to play with-can ducks get real attached like follow you around and want to be loved and such? I can't wait!

HAHA.... you just wait.... I have 13 ducks that come running everytime I open my backdoor, but if I try to touch one.... they haul butt the other way!! No I do not have them in a pen they are free ranging in the back yard with some of the chickens that free range.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
I was definately making a separate brooder for it-that makes 5 brooders! I'm so dead ahaha-love it though! Shouldn't be any problem getting along with the chickens huh? I figure by the time they are old enough and the weather is consistantly warm they'll be outside and I can keep a small little pond in their pen? For the duck and for the chickens to play with-can ducks get real attached like follow you around and want to be loved and such? I can't wait!

HAHA.... you just wait.... I have 13 ducks that come running everytime I open my backdoor, but if I try to touch one.... they haul butt the other way!! No I do not have them in a pen they are free ranging in the back yard with some of the chickens that free range.

Are they begging for food at the back door>?? I hope mine doesn't run away from me-it won't have a playmate though :-( I don't want to get it one until I find out the sex of it...

 

[DiVon80]

OOH! I love my ducks!

I just do not keep them with my chicks. Tell us more about the Blk. Mallard? Usually w/ mallards they are really easy to sex- their colors are different. But a black one not sure. When they are grown the males generally have 1 feather by the tail that curlsup. I have had swedish for a long time got down to 1 male and got a few unknown babies. 2 are solid black and 2 I thought they were swedish but may be something different too much yellow/white. May be the magpies.