New Duck Owner - Introducing Quacker, Beaker, Waddles and Pecker

[rlmitchell]

Hi everyone:

I posted for the first time a week or so ago. Am brand new to ducklings and was doing some research prior to bring my babies home. We brought the home 2 days ago and they are the CUTEST little things! I know now what everyone means about them being MESSY!!! 3 crate cleanings per day so far! But so worth it.

I still have a few questions for you experienced duck owners:

1. I have heard mixed reports on whether or not it is a good idea to handle the ducklings. They are 5 days old (supposedly, although I have had a few people comment that they look older?). I want them to be my pets and want to bond with them, but I have heard some people say I should NOT be handling them! HELP!

2. My cocker spaniel. A sweet little dog who has never been around birds and certainly has never been used as a bird dog, despite the history of her breeding purpose. She watching the ducklings in their crate constantly and if the cat comes into the living room (where the ducks are currently being housed in the corner), she will run the cat out of the room and won't let him anywhere near them. I can't help but wonder if she is protecting her "meal" or if she is just loving and being protective of the ducks (she IS a sweet dog but something tells me I might be overrating her in this case).

3. The gentleman at the Feed & Seed store where I bought the ducklings gave me a bag of poultry feed that he insisted was all they needed, but I have heard so many people comment about how they may need "brewers yeast" added to their diets. Thoughts???

When I first was considering ducklings, I thought I would let them free range and not bother with an outside run for them (we have an 8-acre yard and a natural pond). My plan was to put them into their home-made duck condo only at night. I think we've decided to build a 12x10 chainlink fence for days when we are working. When we're home, they can roam freely around the yard. I'm too attached to them already and can't run ANY risk of something happening to my babies.

Rhonda

 

[shicks0211]

So sweet..i'd say 5 days is probably accurate. Handle them as much as you can, the more you handle them the friendlier they'll be..now that being said..they'll go through a stage where they'll run from you like the devil just out of the blue. It will pass. Ducks as a rule don't like to be held really so as they age you'd do better to give them food from your hand..just sit quietly with them and get them to trust you. I'd never trust the dog alone with the ducks. Some people on here have dogs that don't hurt the ducks..mine on the other hand are not like that..my husky has killed one of my ducklings and a cygnet. she watches them in their pen like a hawk. I feed mine chick starter crumbles so i really haven't ever added niacin, although some say they do to keep from having week legs. Once they get 6 weeks old or so you can swich to pellets. Or if you have flock raiser you don't have to switch at all. I free range mine once they get fully feathered, but i do occasionally lose one to an otter or other predator, they do come into the yard and eat from my hand..they all come running when they see my car. You'll enjoy them..and if you're like me, the next addiction is to get a little incubator and hatch your own and they'll imprint on you like you're their mommy..or maybe that's just crazy me. Lol..your ducks are adorable by the way.

 

[Amiga]

Hi, Rhonda,

Darling littles!

Some handling is good, in my opinion. If you want them as pets, they need to be comfortable with your touch. None of my runners likes being held off the ground, but they all tolerate some touches and a few like pets and cuddles.

They may go through the "you are an axe murderer" stage in a few weeks. Don't be discouraged.

Patience, time, treats, time, patience, treats, time . . . . that's pretty much the recipe.

Take a look at Marwan's posts about his two ducks, you can see some pet duck dynamics, there. There are many others.

A practical benefit of the ducks being accustomed to your touch is when they are ill or injured and need examinations and treatments. It is much more difficult for my adopted buffs to deal with needing to be handled than it is for my runners. For the latter, it's an annoyance. For the buffs, I think their short lives flash before their eyes. So long term, I think it reduces stress. For all of us.

The dog, well, instincts are strong in dogs. Don't leave them alone together. She may feel a number of things toward the ducklings all at once. They may stir maternal instincts and prey instincts all at once.

Okay, exactly what poultry feed did they sell you? Babies need starter crumbles, and if it's chick starter, then they would do better, based on what I have seen time and again on this forum, with added niacin in their diet.

I followed Holderread's model of brooding ducklings, and that includes a little chopped rolled oats (not instant) in with their feed, a tiny sprinkling of chick-sized grit at least the first few weeks till they get outdoors and can get into some soil for themselves.

Congratulations, and again, welcome!

 

[rlmitchell]

Thank you for the advice and the comments. Yeah, they are pretty darn adorable! The thought of hatching eggs has already crossed my mind Going into this, I told my husband it would be an inexpensive project and that it wouldn't eat up a ton of my time, but....I'm already thinking of bigger houses, bigger runs, and perhaps eventually trying another breed as well! Midlife crisis perhaps? I suppose there could be worse things!

 

[rlmitchell]

They gave me Blue Seal "Poultry Feed" "Complete Nutrition for Multiple Poultry Species". The thing that threw me is that it doesn't say anything about "starter" on the bag!

 

[Amiga]

Do you have a way of keeping that bag in a sealed container in a cool dry place? I would hold off on it for two or three weeks and then start mixing it in little by little with crumbles to change them up on their diet.

Do you have an alternative store for crumbles? Tough when the feed store clerk says, "this is your only choice." And when starting out, it's really tough. At this point, I can take a deep breath and smile and say, "no, they need crumbles. If you don't have it I need to buy elsewhere." But we don't have ducklings right now. Enjoy yours! And keep in touch.

If you are in a tight spot, you could get by with putting the pellets in a blender or moistening the food (need to remove it after 8 hours or so to prevent mold), and adding niacin to their water at 100mg per gallon (capsules, plain niacin, not no-flush or timed release). Or sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of brewer's yeast on their food once a day.

 

[rlmitchell]

Yes, there is an alternative store. I think I will go there today and see I can find. They only had 2 choices of food at the Feed & Seed. As a new duck owner, I just kind of relied on what they told me to buy. Right now, their food is kept in the house so I can save this bag for later without any problem.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Amiga]

Yes, there is an alternative store. I think I will go there today and see I can find. They only had 2 choices of food at the Feed & Seed. As a new duck owner, I just kind of relied on what they told me to buy. Right now, their food is kept in the house so I can save this bag for later without any problem.

Thanks for your help!

Well, it is reasonable to rely on the folks at the store. That said, there are a number of folks who feed layer to ducklings. It's better than not feeding them, and in many cases maybe it's not the worst thing. I like to follow Storey's Guide advice, and it makes sense to go with the starter crumbles that are supposed to be formulated for optimal nutrition for littles.

 

[Carcajou]

rlmitchell and good luck with your new ducklings! You will become quite attached to them.

 

[wildsam]

Hi and welcome! I too am a new duck owner but I did hatch my little mixlings (I guess they're Rouen) from eggs already after having hatched several pheasants last year. Then I got 2 pekins last week at the feed store and am now happy!
Just need to figure out some names for my new babies and make my littlest one grow somehow. Wonder what type of vitamins to give him? And have to go and get brewers yeast tomorrow too. Don't want anyone to get sick or behind!
And if u look at some of my pictures at my profile you see how adorable their first swim in our yard was on Saturday!
Have lots of fun and handle them often. My bigger Pekin is loudly complaining tho so I keep calling her screamer! Lol