New duck owner

[MrsGray1211]

Hi friends! I’m new to the duck forum. We have 8 hens and a rooster and decided we’d like to add ducks to our flock.
I am looking for suggestions as a first time duck owner.
I just ordered four female Khaki Campbell ducklings from McMurray hatchery. We have a large kennel for them to roost in, and a pool for them to swim. Will the ducklings need to be kept inside for the first few weeks as we did with our chicks?
Do you have any suggestions for me as a first time duck owner? Anything you’d wished someone told you your first time? They ducklings won’t ship until early April so I have plenty of time to purchase supplies. What do I need??
TIA!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

We love our ducks and I’m sure you will too! Khaki campbells are great! They’re friendly and great layers. Most ducks don’t roost like chickens do, khakis won’t so that’s not something you’ll really need. They’ll just need some type of shelter to keep out of the elements and safe from predators. And you’ll definitely need that pool!

Yes ducks will need to be inside for the first few weeks just like your chicks did. I can’t really think of anything else you’d need that you wouldn’t already have for your chickens.

Something I didn’t know about ducks is they are sooooooooo messy! Especially if there’s water or mud involved. But they’re so fun and can have quite the personality. We’ve got a couple sassy ones and they’re the best!

 

[MrsGray1211]

We love our ducks and I’m sure you will too! Khaki campbells are great! They’re friendly and great layers. Most ducks don’t roost like chickens do, khakis won’t so that’s not something you’ll really need. They’ll just need some type of shelter to keep out of the elements and safe from predators. And you’ll definitely need that pool!

Yes ducks will need to be inside for the first few weeks just like your chicks did. I can’t really think of anything else you’d need that you wouldn’t already have for your chickens.

Something I didn’t know about ducks is they are sooooooooo messy! Especially if there’s water or mud involved. But they’re so fun and can have quite the personality. We’ve got a couple sassy ones and they’re the best!

Thank you!

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Also, you need waterfowl starter. You can't feed them chick food not enough niacin. They grow much faster than chicks and will be ready for the outdoors by 4 weeks.

 

[indianaducks]

Yep, keep them inside like you did with chicks. Feed them duckling food or something similar. They are SUPER messy inside... and even once they move outside. But I wouldn't trade my ducks for anything. Be prepared to change their brooder very frequently and they go through water like crazy. It goes everywhere.

 

[MrsGray1211]

Thank you all so much! We have a large outdoor kennel for them to use as night shelter (wrapped in chicken wire and predator-proof) but plan to allow them to free range our fenced backyard during the day. For their shelter, do they prefer just pine shavings or hay for the ground and that’s what they sleep in? Or what do you suggest I provide for them to sleep comfortably? Since they are so messy, will I plan on cleaning the bedding daily?

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Thank you all so much! We have a large outdoor kennel for them to use as night shelter (wrapped in chicken wire and predator-proof) but plan to allow them to free range our fenced backyard during the day. For their shelter, do they prefer just pine shavings or hay for the ground and that’s what they sleep in? Or what do you suggest I provide for them to sleep comfortably? Since they are so messy, will I plan on cleaning the bedding daily?

In their shelter I use pine shavings. I do not provide food or water inside the shelter, just in the run, which they have access to 24/7. That keeps the shelter mess way down and it doesn’t need to be cleaned daily.

 

[indianaducks]

In their shelter I use pine shavings. I do not provide food or water inside the shelter, just in the run, which they have access to 24/7. That keeps the shelter mess way down and it doesn’t need to be cleaned daily.

I agree, I don't provide food or water in their shelter.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Things I did learn was if you are using chicken starter make sure to start switching by 3 weeks to grower
I left mine on starter as I didn’t know and my boy got angel wing. The vet told me this was due to not switching him in time
Also add nutritional Yeast 1 tbs to 1 cup of feed until they are 10 weeks. I sprinkle a little on my adults feed as well just not as much as the babies get.
You can keep them on grower feed till they start to lay eggs then switch to layer , mix the two or stay on grower but make sure they get calcium either crushed egg shells , oyster shells ect
My girl gets 1/4 grower to 3/4 layer plus I have a bowl of crushed oyster shells and she eats them a lot
Many say the angel wing can be a gene passed down but my breeder has never had a duck with angel wing and I just hatched 5 babies 8 weeks ago from my drake and all 5 babies have perfect wings no issues
I will take the fault for not researching enough about ducks before I got mine
Also babies need access to food and water 24/7 so some say don’t keep food and water in the sleeping area but as babies they need it !
I set up my pen with puppy pads for the first few weeks as I started with wood chips and my one little guy got a piece stuck in his nose for 5 days. Thankfully they grow and it eventually came out. We did baths twice a day water dish deep enough to dunk their heads
I set up my area with a tarp on the bottom and separated the feed/ water area so they had a small path to walk through this helped keep their other area dry
I also use bigger dishes under the water dish to help catch the water mess
They are messy but Well worth it
Also if giving them any treats besides regular feed they need chick grit in a separate bowl
Good luck and enjoy
My drake is a khaki and I just love him
My hen is a Pekin and now I have 5 mixed babies

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Things I did learn was if you are using chicken starter make sure to start switching by 3 weeks to grower
I left mine on starter as I didn’t know and my boy got angel wing. The vet told me this was due to not switching him in time
Also add nutritional Yeast 1 tbs to 1 cup of feed until they are 10 weeks. I sprinkle a little on my adults feed as well just not as much as the babies get.
You can keep them on grower feed till they start to lay eggs then switch to layer , mix the two or stay on grower but make sure they get calcium either crushed egg shells , oyster shells ect
My girl gets 1/4 grower to 3/4 layer plus I have a bowl of crushed oyster shells and she eats them a lot
Many say the angel wing can be a gene passed down but my breeder has never had a duck with angel wing and I just hatched 5 babies 8 weeks ago from my drake and all 5 babies have perfect wings no issues
I will take the fault for not researching enough about ducks before I got mine
Also babies need access to food and water 24/7 so some say don’t keep food and water in the sleeping area but as babies they need it !
I set up my pen with puppy pads for the first few weeks as I started with wood chips and my one little guy got a piece stuck in his nose for 5 days. Thankfully they grow and it eventually came out. We did baths twice a day water dish deep enough to dunk their heads
I set up my area with a tarp on the bottom and separated the feed/ water area so they had a small path to walk through this helped keep their other area dry
I also use bigger dishes under the water dish to help catch the water mess
They are messy but Well worth it
Also if giving them any treats besides regular feed they need chick grit in a separate bowl
Good luck and enjoy
My drake is a khaki and I just love him
My hen is a Pekin and now I have 5 mixed babies

This is my set up so you can see the area with food and water has no shavings and they can get to it anytime but it keeps the mess down for me
Don’t mind the poo mess as I had to prove to one of my friends my ducks really do poo and make a mess cause every picture she sees it’s spotless. As you can see they are in the house as it’s winter here and to cold for ducklings to be outside
So I’m constantly cleaning so my basement doesn’t smell like a barn lol
Yes mom and dad have their own room in the basement too. We got to -40 this year and I worried it was to cold out for them
They have a kid pool set up in my laundry room they bath in twice a day
It has a drain attached and drains into my floor drain
I know not everyone can do this set up but it’s what works for these very spoiled ducks