New Arrivals! (pic intensive) - more on page 2

[WadeMD]

Just came in this morning... 11 ducklings from Metzer.

7 Runners: 2 black, 2 chocolate, 3 fawn and white (1 extra was in the box)
2 Black Swedish
2 Cayuga

Just uploaded a short peeper video too:

 

[Hattiegun]

Your soooo Lucky... I am still waiting, Ive wanted babies for 6months lol
and Im building a pen when OUR snow all melts... I want a pond just like
yours... plz keep updates!!!

 

[WadeMD]

How early can you start feeding green items to ducklings? eg, small bits of peas or lettuce?

I can't find an answer in any of my books and it would take ages to find something specific on here. Anyone have any insight?

 

[Amiga]

Hi!

I waited a week, had them on starter, gave them some gro-gel, let them get settled in. Then I chopped up a bok choy leaf (not the stem - too hard, so the stems are my treat) and put it in a shallow dish of tepid water. It was gone in seconds! A couple of days later I chopped the rest of the bok choy, set it out in a cake pan in half an inch of water, and again it was gone quickly!

They are into their third week, now, and one of my chores for the day is to obtain some greens for them. Holderread in Storey's Guide recommends grass before it joints, lettuce, chard, dandelion, endive and watercress. In the stickies Nettie has a list of treats and ages at which they are appropriate. I may try peas, but they will be chopped, too, until I am sure these girls won't choke on them.

(I dread the thought of duckie Heimlich.)

Greens are very good for them, I need to add duck greens to my grocery list, and when the garden is going, have a section for their greens. But once they are outside, they can find many greens on their own.

 

[WadeMD]

I totally missed that portion in the book... thanks for the heads-up.

As for greens, a portion of my garden will be for growing clover, lettuce and other treats specific to the ducks. I plan on letting 2-3 of them into the garden at a time to graze and eat bugs throughout the growing season (the sensitive veggies will be netted off).

They're currently down there sleeping off their first feeding glut! Its amazing that they just sorta.. fall over and sleep, plunk!

 

[Amiga]

Aren't they something?

 

[TennesseeTruly]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH too much cuteness!!!!!!!! I love them!!!!!

Laurie

 

[fisharescary]

Oooooh I just wanna hold them!

 

[Becky89*]

awe so adorable........I just want to hold one

 

[Dances with Ducks]

I love this time of year when everyone is getting new ducklings!!
And I will be hatching some soon too!! (I hope.)
My ducks decimated the clover growing in their pen.
I wish I could let them in the front yard where the clover is killing the grass!!
Big no no where I live.