I Need First Timer Tips!!

[katiemichelle4]

So i’m getting 3 female indian runner ducklings and i only ever owned pekin drakes. Any difference between male and female any thing I have to look after. How does the whole laying thing go? When will they lay eggs and what should i do with them, how often is it? When do the eggs actually have little ducks in them haha I’m brand new to getting hens boys were so easy !please give me all your tips!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your going to love your lil Runners they are such cool ducks.

The girls will probably start laying around 5 months old then you'll need to make sure to set out Oyster shell to help with the amount of calcium they need to produce nice hard egg shells.
What feed are you going to start them out on? Most here would rec An All Flock Purina makes a good one Purina Flock Raiser, crumble that way they can stay on 1 feed all their lives. Or Layer but don't start layer till they are just beginning to lay.
What to do with them well you can eat them bake with them or give them away up to you but not until the egg is fertilized by a drake and brooded upon will a duckling begin to grow in the eggs.

Here is some basic info on duckling carehttps://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/
this will show you a great homemade waterer and also talk about supplementing niacin for your ducklings if not feeding a water fowl feed.