Lots of questions!

[JulieNKC]

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[Amiga]

Hi!

Just to echo and emphasize that ducks are very susceptible to predators and need a shelter that will keep everything that might eat them or kill them for sport out of there.

They are ground nesters - so they don't need a roost.

Think about water management - how are you going to give them water overnight (which they will need at least part of the year since Georgia's nights can be quite warm and they need to be able to cool off a little) and avoid a swampy mess in their shelter?

(Hint: there are topics on the Duck Forum that cover this.)

Welcome to the threshold of Duckdom!

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I agree with the above post. Just a little note: the only air predators that will attack ducks on water are the Osprey and Bald (or the related Fish) Eagles.

 

[duckdad]

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Golden Eagles as well...

we just had a GE spend the day here at our pond and walk around and survey the dinner options...when he got ready he took a full grown pekin with ease. Then made attempts at MY birds in my pen, missed and made another grab at ducks on the water and missed. We managed to chase him off a short time later only because he got annoyed with us, not because he was afraid......
This is SE Tex

 

[Fleabuskitty]

Thanks! I will definitely be making a house for them, then. Does the rule about 2-4 feet of space in the (night time) coop for chickens apply to ducks, too?
JulieNKC - I like your idea about the feeder goldfish or minnows to distract the ducks - actually, we were planning on getting 50 or so goldfish to be in the pond, and they're cheap so that could work out.
Ducks and Banny hens - I don't worry about air predators. There are no Osprey or Eagles of any sort in my area, only Red-Tailed Hawks that aren't any bigger than my RIR rooster. I mainly worry about raccoons and possums in the woods behind our house.

 

[RAREROO]

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Be careful about those darn red tailed hawks too though, I had one kill a grown goose earlier this year.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Thanks! I will definitely be making a house for them, then. Does the rule about 2-4 feet of space in the (night time) coop for chickens apply to ducks, too? Ducks and Banny hens - I don't worry about air predators. There are no Osprey or Eagles of any sort in my area, only Red-Tailed Hawks that aren't any bigger than my RIR rooster. I mainly worry about raccoons and possums in the woods behind our house

Yes, the rule applies to ducks. and Yes, Red-tails, and most Meadowhawks for that matter, seem to care less about ducks than about us. It's the Goshawk clade and the Kestrels that cause the most trouble.​

 

[destinduck]

I could be wrong but the osprey is the only bird of prey that I have never seen eat anything BUT fish. We have lots of ospreys and they regularly perch in the big pines next to my avairies and dont even care about the spring ducklings. But now the redtails (the worse here)and the goshawks are another story

Thank God for covered pens.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

I'll be feeding the ducklings Purina or Dumor medicated starter/grower, which is what I use for my chicken chicks, but I don't know about the niacin. I googled it and found that it comes in a powder form for humans, and I also found this: http://www.jefferslivestock.com/product.asp?camid=LIV&pn=AB-P1 Would the "Avian Super Pack" work or should I get the stuff for people? The "Avian Super Pack" is for adding to drinking water. If you use the human powder supplement, do you put it in food or what? I don't know if any feed stores around here carry duck starter, I haven't seen it, though there are 3 feed stores so I'm sure I could find it somewhere.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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That looks like excellent stuff, I used Brewers yeast that I bought at the natural food store and sprinkled it on the feed. If you go with the Avian Super pak just keep a close eye on the legs making sure they are strong and straight. thats where ducklings start to have problems if they don't get enough nician.