New Ducklings! New to Ducks!!!

[SGM]

I almost feel like a kid with a new pet. I have a bunch of questions!

How do you handle yours to make them friendly. Mine are extremely skittish. Course they've only had interactions with people so far where they're grabbed and stuck here and there so who can blame them.

Would today be too soon to let them go for a swim after the extremely long week they've had? They were shipped Monday from the hatchery and got there just yesterday afternoon. We bought them only a couple hours after they arrived.

I cleaned out their brooder this morning since all the paper towels were wet. I added a board for them to climb up on and sit under the heat lamp to sleep. Keep them off the wet paper towels which I know are inevitably going to stay wet. LOL

They're the coolest things to watch. They already play in the waterer and its so cute watching them splash and look for food in the waterer.

 

[SGM]

Quote:
I showed my hubby your picture and he said, "those are beautiful". I told him that's what ours are and he was so surprised ours would be so beautiful! Yay!

 

[vfem]

Oh so very very cute!!!!! My little pekin duckling has made me remember why I'm not going to do ducklings again for a while. They get soooooooooooooo big soooooooooooooooo fast!!!

I got her all fuzzy and akward at 2 wks old... now she's a monthly and half way feathered out and as big as my silkie hens.

And you think our kids grow up too fast!

 

[ChickBond 007]

Quote:
To make them friendly, handle them but mostly, treat them. They love chopped lettuce or little peas floating in water. You might smash the peas a little in the beginning. Want to have a whole lot of fun? put a minnow in the baby pool in a month or two.... you'll laugh hysterically.

One of mine, the lightest hen, is 1/2 appleyard and 1/2 mallard so that's why she is a lighter color. Mine were brooded in that baby pool in the picture, and although they now have an outside pen, they are big babies and line up at the garage door at night wanting to sleep in the baby pool. They waddle in, jump into their pool giving the feeder call (duck-a-duck-a-duck-a) awaiting a treat from me. At 5:30 am, they give the "highball" call (QWWAAACCK-QUack-quack-quack) to await me for their morning lettuce and grain before free ranging for the day.
You'll have fun.

 

[SGM]

I think we might have to play with them today. I just can't see me leaving them in there the whole day without playing! I really want to let them play in water but they're so shy right now, I don't know if they'll do it in front of us or not.

I sure would love to see it though!

 

[Luvducks]

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Just finished cleaning and watching my 3 week olds play. I am using shavings for the bottem but was in PetSmart yesterday and bought a box of Sham wow towels. I am going to put these under the sahvings so I can ring them out. They can be changed and washed out. Of course I will have to hand wash them because they will have shavings stuck to them but such is life. Worth a try! They splash Everywhere and I do not want them to get sick.

 

[SGM]

Hannah (7) and I just took the ducklings for their first swim. We used a cardboard box that is probably 5' long and 2.5' wide and put a paint roller tray that we bought at Wal-Mart yesterday in there with water. They were very timid at first. Running to a corner and hiding. I subtly guided them into the pool and once all of them were in it and had settled a minute, we started seeing one or two dipping their heads and flapping wings. Finally the group was all doing it. They did this for a while and had settled down again. I think its still that we're so new to them and all. I think the more swims they go on the more they'll realize its all for play and will really have a time. I can't wait! It was cool watching them. I've dried them off some with paper towels and put them back in the brooder. Ducks are too cool!

 

[Luvducks]

Sounds like Fun. Ducks are COOL!