I have no idea what I am doing

[WVduckchick]

Thanks! Makes sense. So do I understand correctly that ducks do not settle and stay put at night like chickens? Do they nap in shorter periods throughout the day & night? They must see better at night than chickens?

Is the little house just for nesting then?

Well, the log house was supposed to be where they were to sleep at night. They went inside their "temporary" home every night, but when I moved them to the boat yard, I had to force them into the log house for the first few nights and locked them in. Then they got smart and realized if they got in the water, I couldn't fish them out (without hurting them or me, or traumatizing us all either!) So now they stay out. The white thing in the pics was an old awning, over a window. They lay under/in it a lot now, and I suspect they will lay their eggs there, when its time. I will likely use the log house for broodys, since I have yet to see any of them go in it again.

My big ducks are a couple years old now. They have a fenced area in the yard, but I open it when its dry and they roam the yard. I have a couple motion lights and also one big dusk to dawn light. I can look out at any hour of the night and see them chasing bugs. Or sleeping.

Thank u! there is only one duckling! xx the pics are when she was 2 days old till she's 22 days old xx

Oh, I realized it was the same one. She is a cutie! I just meant they, as in all ducklings, are adorable!

 

[Dearchery]

I have raised mallards for about five years. They are great. I love the fact that once October November hit something makes them fly away I have successfully released on my mallards into the wild all with leg bands. The two I got this year for some reason I don't think they're going to leave LOL

 

[biophiliac]

I have raised mallards for about five years. They are great. I love the fact that once October November hit something makes them fly away I have successfully released on my mallards into the wild all with leg bands. The two I got this year for some reason I don't think they're going to leave LOL

 

[Dearchery]

Thank u! there is only one duckling! xx the pics are when she was 2 days old till she's 22 days old xx

Get a large Tupperware container get nonmedicated chicken/duck feed crumbles. Make sure it is non-medicated get a heat lamp a white light approximately 250
Keep him inside for a few weeks occasionally let him go in the tub or the sink but don't keep him in long without the mother around he does not produce but oil's that will keep him dry hey Doc can die by downing they get waterlogged

 

[biophiliac]

Good morning are you sure it was a mallard 100%

Does his avatar look like 100% Mallard? That is 'Lucky'.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I will have to make a video of the first bath and share here

Soooo, where's the video??

I've been doing some house shopping and really like this. Although it says it is a chicken house will this be ok? It says it is good for up to 4 and I was thinking of getting one or two more ducks for lucky to live with. I like that there is a large outside area and it's protected for when I can't be around to let them run around the yard

you'll need a different ladder for them, it will need to be more like a slide, maybe some grip tape on it too

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@Steven Mazzo

http://www.sewsammi.com/

 

[Tlmcq]

Thanks! Makes sense. So do I understand correctly that ducks do not settle and stay put at night like chickens? Do they nap in shorter periods throughout the day & night? They must see better at night than chickens?

Is the little house just for nesting then?

My ducks go right in there house and stay there all night. They are a bit later to go in than my chickens but even if I don't shut it up they still stay in at night. I do lock them up just in case a pesky coon comes lurking but a couple of times I've ran out panicking at midnight realizing I forgotten to lock them up and there they are all huddled in the house safe n sound. So now I just wait til it's almost dark and go shut both chickens and duck doors til morning. When my ducks hear me coming they start calling for me to open up. This also helps to collect duck eggs since they will lay them about anywhere...Lol. But they usually lay them by 10 or 10:30a.m. so I can collect easily cuz they're inside the coop. No need to pretend it's Easter and go on an egg hunt...lol

 

[Dearchery]

Ducks will wake up very early and fly just before dark usually back to water. If they have a pen, than they will go into pen. You usually will not hear from them until the morning

 

[GiggleOinkQuack]

I used socks with pantyliners for our Cayuga ducklings! Worked like a charm! I cannot find any of the pics now but I'd actually found the idea here! https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/made-my-own-duck-diaper-directions-added.563787/ I cut out the heel of the sock(target's dollar section, the toddler/kids socks!) and then cut out a little from top of sock and it worked like a charm!!! They grow SOOO fast that buying an expensive solution for them was silly to me. The socks look like this.. (i uploaded photo) and where I am pointing is where their lil tails/butts go! Their wings were always free, heads through top..hope this makes sense, try to look at the thread i linked it had someone wih a photo of their duck in the sock diaper like mine!! I'm mad I cannot find a pic of my girls in their diapers lol