New ducklings advice 🐥

[katiee]

I have a few questions about our new babies.

I have a 2-day-old female duckling and a 1-day-old male duckling. They have slowly started to drink water. Both pooping and seem healthy.

The female chirps a LOT more than the male. Is that normal or could there be an issue (cold, hungry)?

The female has started to eat a little, but she choked and started foaming. Luckily, I got the food out and she is fine now. However, should I be making their food moist like a mash or soup for a week or two? It’s the starter crumble food.

Last night was the first night the female stayed out of the incubator.. kind of. We have a bin with shavings, water, a mirror, two stuffed animals, and a heat lamp. The male remained in the incubator since he was not 24 hours old yet. Anyway, the female would start chirping about every 15-20 mins and I would go and help her back to sleep. Then I decided to put her back in the incubator with her brother. I got up to check on them a couple of times and they were fine and sleeping.
Is it ok for them to sleep in the incubator at night for the first few nights or until they are satisfied in the brooder, IF they don’t seem happy in the brooder? I mean I’d like some sleep, too!
They both have been in the brooder today, but she still chirps a lot, even with brother in there with her.

The female seems a little more aggressive toward the male - pecking/pulling at his feet, wings, and tail. Is this normal and playful, or is she being mean? If so, how would I stop that?

TIA
This is the female under the heat lamp

 

[BelovedBirds]

I have a few questions about our new babies.

I have a 2-day-old female duckling and a 1-day-old male duckling. They have slowly started to drink water. Both pooping and seem healthy.

The female chirps a LOT more than the male. Is that normal or could there be an issue (cold, hungry)?

The female has started to eat a little, but she choked and started foaming. Luckily, I got the food out and she is fine now. However, should I be making their food moist like a mash or soup for a week or two? It’s the starter crumble food.

Last night was the first night the female stayed out of the incubator.. kind of. We have a bin with shavings, water, a mirror, two stuffed animals, and a heat lamp. The male remained in the incubator since he was not 24 hours old yet. Anyway, the female would start chirping about every 15-20 mins and I would go and help her back to sleep. Then I decided to put her back in the incubator with her brother. I got up to check on them a couple of times and they were fine and sleeping.
Is it ok for them to sleep in the incubator at night for the first few nights or until they are satisfied in the brooder, IF they don’t seem happy in the brooder? I mean I’d like some sleep, too!
They both have been in the brooder today, but she still chirps a lot, even with brother in there with her.

The female seems a little more aggressive toward the male - pecking/pulling at his feet, wings, and tail. Is this normal and playful, or is she being mean? If so, how would I stop that?

TIA View attachment 3321501
This is the female under the heat lamp

it could be that the female duckling has imprinted on you, does she calm down when you're near, or when you hold her? If it is due to being imprinted, she should adjust soon enough, it'll just be a bit of a transition, settling into brooder life with her brother without you always there.

Do you have a thermometer to check the temperature in the brooder, do they have a cool side where they can escape the heat lamp? If the temperature is good, and there is a cooler side for them incase they need to cool down, there's no reason to move them to the incubator at night--they should adjust to the brooder soon.

I would reccomend wetting their food, for the first few weeks. They seem to enjoy it more that way, and its much easier for them to eat. I actually still wet my girls food, and theyre adults, they just prefer it and it reduces waste.
Its important they have food 24/7, as well as water which they should never run out of.

The pecking is likely normal, they're still figuring eachother out. If she goes for his eyes, pulls his feathers, or seems to hurt him, you can very gently tap her back with your finger, acting like the mother hen to remind her to be nice.
I had to do this with mine when they were babies, except it was the younger sister that was being a little bossy boots!

Your babies are utterly adorable, good luck with them!!

 

[katiee]

it could be that the female duckling has imprinted on you, does she calm down when you're near, or when you hold her? If it is due to being imprinted, she should adjust soon enough, it'll just be a bit of a transition, settling into brooder life with her brother without you always there.

Do you have a thermometer to check the temperature in the brooder, do they have a cool side where they can escape the heat lamp? If the temperature is good, and there is a cooler side for them incase they need to cool down, there's no reason to move them to the incubator at night--they should adjust to the brooder soon.

I would reccomend wetting their food, for the first few weeks. They seem to enjoy it more that way, and its much easier for them to eat. I actually still wet my girls food, and theyre adults, they just prefer it and it reduces waste.
Its important they have food 24/7, as well as water which they should never run out of.

The pecking is likely normal, they're still figuring eachother out. If she goes for his eyes, pulls his feathers, or seems to hurt him, you can very gently tap her back with your finger, acting like the mother hen to remind her to be nice.
I had to do this with mine when they were babies, except it was the younger sister that was being a little bossy boots!

Your babies are utterly adorable, good luck with them!!

Thank you so much!! Very helpful and assuring

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I have never kept my ducklings in the incubator longer then 8 hours and it’s usually 4
I find they dry faster being away from the humid air in the bator
Some ducklings will be louder then others
I have had a little male be very vocal
I use chicken starter as I can’t get duck feed here and have not had one choke on feed yet
Make sure to add nutritional yeast 1 tbs to 1 cup feed till 10-12 weeks as most feed doesn’t provide enough niacin for ducklings. This will stop any niacin issues down the road
Some do wet the feed the first week but make sure you are putting fresh daily as it does mould when wet and that’s a big problem if they do eat mouldy feed
Make sure they have water deep enough to dunk their heads in and have it close enough they can eat then drink
I use margarine containers and cut holes in the lid for their heads but they can’t jump in and swim and get cold and wet

 

[CoriM]

I'm not sure if you have more ducks, but consider your ration - typically you want 4-6 females per male duck otherwise over-mating can occur and harm your females.