New to Ducks....Advice Please....

[JekkaLynn]

The lightest duck is the mother.

These two are from a different light colored female.

 

[Quailsong]

That's wonderful, JekkaLynn!

When I hear of people getting their hopes up & things suddenly change (like the others giving away the birds, or the people deciding they want to keep the roo) I often think "Just wait a bit longer..." because it sometimes means something is going to come their way, it's just clearing some space for them.

I'm really happy to read you got a wonderful ducky family for your daughter & the rest of your family's enjoyment.

For a newbie to ducks (that's me, too!) I would say keep the food & water outside as much as possible. Ducks LOVE messes, and mud, and duck mud. So keeping the coop dry will make everyone happy in the end, esp the person who has to clean the coop!

 

[JekkaLynn]

The babies bedding and dry pellets are on a piece of wood and their water bowl for swimming in and their waterer is over a wire floor so spilled water drop through.

I am so glad we got these ducks. They are adorable and so calm. My daughter keeps trying to lure them into the kiddie pool and is sprinkling feed everywhere to make sure they don't get hungry.

 

[Gatsbysmum]

So cute! Glad everything worked out!

 

[JekkaLynn]

Hubby put the little babies in with Mamma Duck last night and now she wants to adopt them. So I am going to try putting them together every night and keeping them in the brooder during the day. Otherwise they wont get handled at all. Their pen is huge and them little ones are way too fast.

 

[JekkaLynn]

Turns out she doesn't want to adopt them. During the night they may be cute and fuzzy but in the light of day they are evil incarnate and must be destroyed. I managed to grab them before she hurt them but it was tense for a minute there.

 

[Gatsbysmum]

I am sorry to hear that. I hope they will eventually get to acclimate.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Turns out she doesn't want to adopt them. During the night they may be cute and fuzzy but in the light of day they are evil incarnate and must be destroyed. I managed to grab them before she hurt them but it was tense for a minute there.

I wouldn't put them with her at night either if she has shown aggression. Once the ducklings are 4-5 weeks old they will be able to get away faster and in the mean time keep them where everyone can see them but not touch and they will get use to each other.

 

[JekkaLynn]

I wouldn't put them with her at night either if she has shown aggression. Once the ducklings are 4-5 weeks old they will be able to get away faster and in the mean time keep them where everyone can see them but not touch and they will get use to each other.

Now that she has shown aggression we won't be putting them together till they are bigger.

 

[JekkaLynn]

Question: Do ducks dust bath like chickens or do they just...swim bath...