Muscovey ducklings!!!

[Codyw2277]

Hey y'all. I need tips on raising some muscovey ducklings. I have a male and a female muscovey, Donald and Daisy. well daisys eggs finally hatched yesterday and a have a total of 9 baby's.I need tips on how to raise them and tame them and get them used to humans. My current ducks used to come up to me all the Time but since daisy went broody he got anti-social so I thought I should start hand feeding them all on a daily basis to get them used to me. Could you guys give me as much information and tips as possible? I've never raised ducklings but I've had my two adults for a while. Also, their current nest/pen is a dog igloo and a fencing around it. It's rather decent sizes but the fence is small and I have an extention on the way. Any advice as far as bettering their home?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd not let daddy drake around the ducklings right off, you never know how they will act and some drakes have killed their own ducklings. I give my moms and ducklings a couple weeks where everyone can see each other but no one can get to the ducklings.

Are you going to take the ducklings away from the mama duck? I hope not. What I have found is spending time outside around them makes them less afraid and once they are around a week old they can have yummy mealworms which can really make them like you. I don't pick my ducks up and cuddle them But I do like that they will hang around with me and eat out of my hand.

Congrats on the ducklings!

 

[Codyw2277]

Daddy was curios about them at first. He started doing his dance whenever he seen them inside the pen. And I don't plan to. I've been handling them a tiny bit and such to.get them used to me. I started feeding them tiny pellets of bread feed and they seen to like it and started to warm up to me. I am concerned on mama taking them into the pond though. She tried twice to bring them under a tree and a bit of land that's right off the pond. I kinda prevented her from doing so. Id like her to keep them in the pen I have currently because Im expanding it so they have more room. They seen fine swimming with her but as I said I have my concerns. I'd rather her not go somewhere else other than the pen when sleeping, eating, ect so they understand that's their home. Also, when she took them out and about the both times, daddy didn't seem too interested in them nor did he try to go near them.

 

[Codyw2277]

Also, the bread inst the only thing they're eating. I have them on a scratch feed as well. I gave them the bread for a treat in small amounts

 

[BaJa]

hope your not taking them away from mom. she spent all those days on eggs, and when something hatches you take them away! give them treats and cuddle with them. they love mealworms. WELCOME TO BYC!!!

 

[Codyw2277]

I've started giving them little bits of bread to get used to me. Mama is still really defensive if they get to close to my hand when I'm tossing them food.

 

[BaJa]

sounds like a good mom. congrats!

 

[Codyw2277]

Yeah from what I've noticed she's great with them. I was a bit worried when she took them in the pond today, it only being their second day. But they did fantastic. I realized they could swim already whenever I walked out and seen a few of them piling up in their water dish lol. I'm super excited to have more ducks now! I'd just like to have these ducks more outgoing and friendly towards humans than the mom and dad. I've learned that food works the best to get them to warm up to you.

 

[Codyw2277]

Also, when will i be able to notice the differences in genders? I don't entirely want to vent check lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Vent sexing is for the experienced you can do serious harm if you don't know what your doing. Also scratch feed is not a good diet for ducklings or ducks actually it's okay for a treat once they get older but they need a good nutrient dense feed like an All Flock that is for all poultry Purina carries one called Flock raiser in crumble and both mom and dad will benefit from it. As for the pond if they were mine I'd be leery since I have seen so many over the years that have lost almost all the ducklings and gosling to snapping turtles it's just not worth it unless you know for sure you haven't any snapping turtles in your pond. Mom will not be able to protect them. Usually around 5 weeks on the drakes begin to out grow the females.