New Pekings - a few questions

[Myra]

Hi-

We've got 2 pekins and 4 chicks which are now about 4 weeks old. We've been keeping them together (I think the chicks think the pekins are their mother hen!) and since we're about finished with their coop....

1.) Do ducks need food and water all night?
I'd like to keep the food & water outside in the fenced area in hopes of keeping inside of the coop dry.

If they need water all night then....help on ideas how to manage the water soaking inside the coop!

2.) Any special hints on feeding ducks - requirements, etc.

3.) ANy other hints would be really appreciated - I'm so new at this!!!!!!


Basically clueless!

Myra

 

[chixie]

I keep water available all the time for my ducks and chckens

 

[truecolorsloft]

We free-feed our ducks with a 50# hopper. We also give free access to water. For starters, we started our Pekins on gamebird feed(we were told non-medicated chick feed would work.)

 

[rytycatemom]

We have had pekins since Easter. Until they were full grown, around 2 months, they had access to food and water all the time. When I started letting them out of their pen so they could swim on the pond, I started feeding them twice a day with water available all day. When I did feed them, I blew a whistle and they learned it was time to eat and would come running. We lock them in a duck house at night to keep them safe from the predators in our area. They do not have food or water in their house, but first thing in the morning, they are ready for both. Good luck, Pekins are lots of fun to watch.

 

[truecolorsloft]

Our pigeons are whistle trained...I never thought of whistle training ducks. cool