New at raising ducks and have questions!

[natyvidal]

Hi everyone! I am not new at raisin fowl; but yes at raising ducks. The specific breed That I’ve acquired are Cayuga and Ancona. All my birds free range! Are well cared for and are happy go lucky fowls. I like to provide as natural environment for them as possible.
Therefore, I want my ducks to enjoy the same when they get adapted to our setting. So here are my questions.

1. Can ducks really also free range and return to their shelter every night?
2. Can they be trained to use a duck coop and return to lay their eggs in their coop like layers?
3. I see them mucking in the mud and dirt with water. Don’t they get coccidiosis doing that and how bad does it affect them? Should I protect the ducklings from being in the ground? When very young?
4. I would like to give them a small pool to swim in. But, I keep wondering how will I keep it clean. They sure are messy, so I will have to empty it weekly to maintain. Kiddie pool sides is to high. Ideas of pools for ducks are welcomed.
5. I am feeding the juveniles and the ducklings “ all flock”. Is that the right nutrition for them? Especially the two week old ducklings?

My biggest concern is coccidiosis. Can ducks be treated as well as other birds for cocci?
Are they more vulnerable to it than other birds?

All information is welcomed since I want to incorporate my ducks to existing flock!

thank you ahead of time.

 

[animalcraker]

I’m not a Duck expert, my first year with them too, mine are 6-7wks but here’s what insight I have.
1) Mine are currently in a large run and go into their house on their own at dusk. Once they’re older I plan on letting free range while I’m outside with them. We have too many aerial predators to let them be out without supervision.
2) Yes. My ducks go back in their duck house on their own every night. They’ve only been out in the run for two weeks, but they’ve been getting better about going to bed and staying in bed every night. I started my manually catching and placing each one in the duck house each night. That only lasted a few days, because I figured out how to herd them into their house. Once one went in the rest followed. Now they all go in on their own once it gets dark and I just have to be quick closing the door before anyone escapes.
3) I haven’t been able to find a straight answer on Corrid being safe for ducks or not. But it is a vitamin B inhibitor which I imagine would not be good to give a developing duck. In general with all animals, as they get older they typically develop a resistance to coccida and don’t suffer from severe coccidosis unless they have severe underlying health issues.
4) Right now we’re using a mortar tub from Home Depot. It’s small enough that I can empty it daily and not worry too much about my water usage, but big enough that it can easily fit 3-4 birds at a time. I use any leftover dirty water on my plants.
5) I stared mine on I non-medicated chick starter and supplemented with Bvits until they were 4wks old. They are on Purina Duck Chow right now and I’m still giving Bvits as an added precaution, but I’m not sure they’re actually needed. It’s designed specifically for ducks of all ages and fortified with the correct niacin levels. I may change over to Nutrina All Flock once their full grown since it has a lower protein content.

BTW where did you get your Ancona? I wasn’t able to find a source to order them from. And how do they compare to you Cayuga?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Answering quickly as it is late ....

They can free range, but you have to train them to go in and lock them in a coop/duck house. They won't go in on their own. Keep them locked in the run for at least the first 2 weeks.

Corid is safe to use from what I've read. But, I've not had a duck get sick from digging in the mud, that's what ducks are designed to do.

As far as the pool, you can do a search here, there are lots of different ideas. I added a spout to a rubbermaid water tank and drain it out weekly or every few days, then scrub it with a little vinegar to tidy up before refilling. However, they love their kiddie pool. The duck water is great for watering plants, so I scoop the water out with a bucket and/or watering can and water my container gardens and flowers. Then, I push the side of the pool in just enough the rest of the water will gush out. And, finally empty out the rest by tipping the pool over. A little scrub brush and vinegar will clean it out. Just don't pour the vinegar water on anything you want to grow (like grass). I use the kiddie pool outside of the run and the water tank is inside the run.

An all flock feed is all I use because I have ducks and chickens. I've used different brands and have never had an issue. For ducklings, I add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to their feed (it doesn't hurt the older ducks either) and I keep oyster and egg shell available at all times for my layers.

I also like Storey's guide to Ducks. It's a great book to read.

 

[CluckerFamily]

My ducklings were loving making the dirt in their pen into mud so I added sand. Since then, no mud and the sand drains the water wonderfully.
I have a 59” kiddie pool in the duck run for them. I built a ramp for them that leads up to the pool, the ramp is framed with bricks and then filled with dirt and sand. I use a pond pump to pump the water out of the pond weekly, it works great and it is cheap.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hi everyone! I am not new at raisin fowl; but yes at raising ducks. The specific breed That I’ve acquired are Cayuga and Ancona. All my birds free range! Are well cared for and are happy go lucky fowls. I like to provide as natural environment for them as possible.
Therefore, I want my ducks to enjoy the same when they get adapted to our setting. So here are my questions.

1. Can ducks really also free range and return to their shelter every night?
2. Can they be trained to use a duck coop and return to lay their eggs in their coop like layers?
3. I see them mucking in the mud and dirt with water. Don’t they get coccidiosis doing that and how bad does it affect them? Should I protect the ducklings from being in the ground? When very young?
4. I would like to give them a small pool to swim in. But, I keep wondering how will I keep it clean. They sure are messy, so I will have to empty it weekly to maintain. Kiddie pool sides is to high. Ideas of pools for ducks are welcomed.
5. I am feeding the juveniles and the ducklings “ all flock”. Is that the right nutrition for them? Especially the two week old ducklings?

My biggest concern is coccidiosis. Can ducks be treated as well as other birds for cocci?
Are they more vulnerable to it than other birds?

All information is welcomed since I want to incorporate my ducks to existing flock!

thank you ahead of time.

1. Yes they can. I have pekins, you can see them in the signature below. They all free range. They all come back to the coop at night. Take sleep on the ground, so they sleep under it.

2. Mindful of straw in plastic milk crates. That's where they lay most of their eggs. Ducks that free-range are really really stupid dr. Ducks that don't free-range are even more stupid. However ducks that free-range have much more property under which to dig a little hole leave an egg and promptly forget it exists.

3. You can't keep ducks from playing in the mud. It's not possible. Cocci is just something you have to accept the possibility of. Thankfully, it has not been an issue for me, yet. But it's present in the environment everywhere.

4. At least for my pekins, a kiddie pool is not too high. My hatchlings are in it at 4 weeks and able to get in and out on their own. My full grown are using a I don't know 60000 gallon pond we dug. On the other hand, you have to be willing to pick up and dumped out the kiddie pools every 2 or 3 days. Once a week is not going to cut it. Yes you're stupid Ducks, I think I mentioned above, we'll have to lie swim in green green water. They will come out stained by it, and act like it's the greatest thing ever. You may not be able to control Cocci in your environment, but you can avoid algae-covered Birds.

5. All Flock is a great choice.

 

[Maddog_photog]

Hi everyone! I am not new at raisin fowl; but yes at raising ducks. The specific breed That I’ve acquired are Cayuga and Ancona. All my birds free range! Are well cared for and are happy go lucky fowls. I like to provide as natural environment for them as possible.
Therefore, I want my ducks to enjoy the same when they get adapted to our setting. So here are my questions.

1. Can ducks really also free range and return to their shelter every night?
2. Can they be trained to use a duck coop and return to lay their eggs in their coop like layers?
3. I see them mucking in the mud and dirt with water. Don’t they get coccidiosis doing that and how bad does it affect them? Should I protect the ducklings from being in the ground? When very young?
4. I would like to give them a small pool to swim in. But, I keep wondering how will I keep it clean. They sure are messy, so I will have to empty it weekly to maintain. Kiddie pool sides is to high. Ideas of pools for ducks are welcomed.
5. I am feeding the juveniles and the ducklings “ all flock”. Is that the right nutrition for them? Especially the two week old ducklings?

My biggest concern is coccidiosis. Can ducks be treated as well as other birds for cocci?
Are they more vulnerable to it than other birds?

All information is welcomed since I want to incorporate my ducks to existing flock!

thank you ahead of time.

1) It may take awhile, but with a little routine established it is possible to get them to return to their shelter every night. With my ducks, I propped open their night boxes with a wood plank, retrieved a bowl of water filled with lettuce, bok choy, and peas. Having placed it on the straw in the box, I retrieved said ducks and put them in, closing the night box while they chomped away at their goodies. after awhile, I would have my ducks quacking and yelling at me from beneath the propped housing, impatiently waiting for their goodies. It was glorious and easy and I regret having not recorded the impatient duckies.

2) This I do not know.

3) My ducks mucked around in mud each and every opportunity they got. I haven't heard of ducks getting sick rummaging away in the wet earth as God intended, but maybe someone else has more insight?

4) I used kiddie pools for my ducks, and I emptied them with a sump pump, which lowered the water level low enough for me to manually scoop most of what remained, and dumped the rest into the grass. A little hose down washed it and filled it up again.

5) I fed my ducklings a starter feed with added Niacin via *Brewer's Yeast* This is vital, and I cannot stress the yeast enough so I will type it out again: Add Brewer's Yeast to the feed at a rate of 2 TBSP Brewer's Yeast per cup of feed.

This is the feed I used until.. Maybe 5 months old..? I don't remember, but then I switched to Purina Duck Chow.

Starter Feed:
https://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Peck...ck+starter+feed+organic&qid=1623991657&sr=8-5

Purina Duck Chow:
https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Duck-...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

 

[Maddog_photog]

1) It may take awhile, but with a little routine established it is possible to get them to return to their shelter every night. With my ducks, I propped open their night boxes with a wood plank, retrieved a bowl of water filled with lettuce, bok choy, and peas. Having placed it on the straw in the box, I retrieved said ducks and put them in, closing the night box while they chomped away at their goodies. after awhile, I would have my ducks quacking and yelling at me from beneath the propped housing, impatiently waiting for their goodies. It was glorious and easy and I regret having not recorded the impatient duckies.

2) This I do not know.

3) My ducks mucked around in mud each and every opportunity they got. I haven't heard of ducks getting sick rummaging away in the wet earth as God intended, but maybe someone else has more insight?

4) I used kiddie pools for my ducks, and I emptied them with a sump pump, which lowered the water level low enough for me to manually scoop most of what remained, and dumped the rest into the grass. A little hose down washed it and filled it up again.

5) I fed my ducklings a starter feed with added Niacin via *Brewer's Yeast* This is vital, and I cannot stress the yeast enough so I will type it out again: Add Brewer's Yeast to the feed at a rate of 2 TBSP Brewer's Yeast per cup of feed.

This is the feed I used until.. Maybe 5 months old..? I don't remember, but then I switched to Purina Duck Chow.

Starter Feed:
https://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Peck...ck+starter+feed+organic&qid=1623991657&sr=8-5

Purina Duck Chow:
https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Duck-...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Added: Ducklings, especially very young ones, have a tendency to drown pretty easily without mommy duck around. A natural oil produced by adult ducks keeps the ducks buoyant, ducklings don't have this yet. In nature, the ducklings receive this oil through contact with mom's feathers. With no mama duck around, the ducklings soft floof absorbs water causing them to drown if not careful. I would allow them supervised access to shallow water for a limited time as ducklings can also get very cold quickly.
A paint roller filled with water worked well for me and my ducklings.

 

[natyvidal]

I’m not a Duck expert, my first year with them too, mine are 6-7wks but here’s what insight I have.
1) Mine are currently in a large run and go into their house on their own at dusk. Once they’re older I plan on letting free range while I’m outside with them. We have too many aerial predators to let them be out without supervision.
2) Yes. My ducks go back in their duck house on their own every night. They’ve only been out in the run for two weeks, but they’ve been getting better about going to bed and staying in bed every night. I started my manually catching and placing each one in the duck house each night. That only lasted a few days, because I figured out how to herd them into their house. Once one went in the rest followed. Now they all go in on their own once it gets dark and I just have to be quick closing the door before anyone escapes.
3) I haven’t been able to find a straight answer on Corrid being safe for ducks or not. But it is a vitamin B inhibitor which I imagine would not be good to give a developing duck. In general with all animals, as they get older they typically develop a resistance to coccida and don’t suffer from severe coccidosis unless they have severe underlying health issues.
4) Right now we’re using a mortar tub from Home Depot. It’s small enough that I can empty it daily and not worry too much about my water usage, but big enough that it can easily fit 3-4 birds at a time. I use any leftover dirty water on my plants.
5) I stared mine on I non-medicated chick starter and supplemented with Bvits until they were 4wks old. They are on Purina Duck Chow right now and I’m still giving Bvits as an added precaution, but I’m not sure they’re actually needed. It’s designed specifically for ducks of all ages and fortified with the correct niacin levels. I may change over to Nutrina All Flock once their full grown since it has a lower protein content.

BTW where did you get your Ancona? I wasn’t able to find a source to order them from. And how do they compare to you Cayuga?

thank you for your information. I got the Ancona from a local breeder and the Cayuga also. The place is just around the corner from me and she is government certified. We live in Dade City Florida

 

[Duckiiess]

I have a mix of 20 cayugas, rouens, and khakis. My ducks are only about 2 months old, so not laying yet, but they've been outside for about a month and return to their coop every night on their own. They very rarely get separated, much preferring all to stay together whether in the yard or in the pond.
I've read that most eggs get laid in the morning, so when they start laying they'll stay in their coop a little later before being let out for the day, not sure how accurate this is though.
Is digging a pond an option? If not, an adult duck can get in and out of a kiddie pool with no problem, the water will just get dirty quick.
I've heard good things about the all flock, and will likely use that next time for ducklings. My ducks are currently on the purina duck pellets, which I find they waste less of than the crumbles, I don't think ducklings could eat it well though. They went onto the pellets at a month old.

 

[blackforestbirds]

1. Yes they can. I have pekins, you can see them in the signature below. They all free range. They all come back to the coop at night. Take sleep on the ground, so they sleep under it.

2. Mindful of straw in plastic milk crates. That's where they lay most of their eggs. Ducks that free-range are really really stupid dr. Ducks that don't free-range are even more stupid. However ducks that free-range have much more property under which to dig a little hole leave an egg and promptly forget it exists.

3. You can't keep ducks from playing in the mud. It's not possible. Cocci is just something you have to accept the possibility of. Thankfully, it has not been an issue for me, yet. But it's present in the environment everywhere.

4. At least for my pekins, a kiddie pool is not too high. My hatchlings are in it at 4 weeks and able to get in and out on their own. My full grown are using a I don't know 60000 gallon pond we dug. On the other hand, you have to be willing to pick up and dumped out the kiddie pools every 2 or 3 days. Once a week is not going to cut it. Yes you're stupid Ducks, I think I mentioned above, we'll have to lie swim in green green water. They will come out stained by it, and act like it's the greatest thing ever. You may not be able to control Cocci in your environment, but you can avoid algae-covered Birds.

5. All Flock is a great choice.

My ducks are hella smart! I adopted 2 female muscovies 3 months ago, we guess they were about 6 months old at the time. They come when they're called, they clearly know the meaning of several words like go home, swimming pool, jump, treat and slug. Oh, and "squirrel" ... I regularly encourage them to chase off the obese squirrel that sucks down their food. They knock on the door when they want some attention. If I don't answer the front door right away, they walk around the deck to the other side of the house and tap on my sliding glass doors.