New to ducks!

[awkwardkale]

Hello! Just wanted to introduce myself and my ducks on this forum! I already posted on the introduction forum, but hopefully it’s ok to say hi over here as well? I’m a young adult with a passion for animals.

I have four Pekin ducks that are around seven weeks old. I’m brand new to duck keeping but I absolutely love them. They’re all so silly and have great personalities. They are a bit shy to me, even though I spent a ton of time with them when they were little (and still do). They’re very close to one another and have to make decisions as a group. They go get water and food and swim together. They will still follow me around, though. They like to try and untie my shoelaces when I sit outside reading haha. They are very curious and always want to know what’s going on

My mom and I had been thinking about getting ducks since the fall. We had chickens at our old house and were missing our backyard poultry. We both care for them, but I’m the one doing the majority of the care since my schedule is more flexible than hers. So I’m in charge of cleaning and all that! I’m trying to learn as much as possible. We researched them long before we got them, but there’s still a lot I don’t know.

Everythings good so far, they’re healthy and happy, and almost fully feathered. They can get around well, I don’t see any signs of niacin deficiency or angel wing. I’ve still got a lot to learn about duck keeping. The Pekins grew so fast, it was a bit of a race against time getting the duck house all set up. We severely underestimated how fast they were going to grow. It was honestly amazing to see such a little creature grow so fast. I knew they grew fast, but nothing could’ve prepared me for that haha. I blinked and the babies were six pound giants! The run and house got finished in more than enough time, though.

It accommodates them well, although it’s only for night time. They have the whole day to explore the yard. I’m going to paint the coop and make a cute little sign for it! They’re named after the mystery gang, so the mystery machine might be going on it somewhere!

We’re also adding more ventilation to the smaller section, but I’ll attach a picture of what it looks like right now. I posted another thread about this, but right now I’m trying to figure out the best system for bedding. I’m going to try the deep litter method. Here’s the link to what’s been going on with that: Deep litter too damp?

I’m also getting recommendations for the coop on that thread as well!

I find taking care of them really therapeutic, especially since it adds a routine to my day. It’s so much fun seeing them foraging and swimming! I also love how observant they are! They notice planes in the sky and if any of them are flying low (there’s an airport nearby) they run over to me to make sure everything’s ok haha. Theres great herons in my area—they always notice them flying overhead as well. There’s a spot in their area with tall grass, but they’ve squashed it down a bit. Oh well.

Anyways, super happy to be here and start the crazy duck lady chapter of my life (meaning the rest of my life).

What’s your favorite part about having ducks? How long have you been caring for them? What’s your favorite breed?

 

[DukesDucks]

Looks like a nice set up. Hard to tell from the picture how big it is, and if it is big enough once they are fully grown.
You don't mention if you know what sex they are and maybe they are too young to tell. I believe the best ratio is one drake to 4 females. You might have to make some decisions if you end up with say 3 drakes and 1 female.
I learned from experience to be careful about my relationship with my ducks. What is cute nibbling as a duckling can become painful biting as a adult. You need to be top duck.
If they are free-ranging all day, are you prepared for predators.

Reading that over it seems like a lot of negatives, and I don't mean it to be.

Enjoy your ducks. Mine make me laugh every day.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Congratulations on the ducks. I have a few breeds. Pekin , khaki , pekin x khaki and Swedish
I really don’t have a favourite breed but my pekin daisy was my first and will always be my favourite ( shhh don’t tell my other ducks )
I love everything about them
They get so excited to see me
Tails wagging and running clear across the yard
I could sit and watch them all day long

 

[awkwardkale]

Looks like a nice set up. Hard to tell from the picture how big it is, and if it is big enough once they are fully grown.
You don't mention if you know what sex they are and maybe they are too young to tell. I believe the best ratio is one drake to 4 females. You might have to make some decisions if you end up with say 3 drakes and 1 female.
I learned from experience to be careful about my relationship with my ducks. What is cute nibbling as a duckling can become painful biting as a adult. You need to be top duck.
If they are free-ranging all day, are you prepared for predators.

Reading that over it seems like a lot of negatives, and I don't mean it to be.

Enjoy your ducks. Mine make me laugh every day.

Hi! Yeah the picture is at a weird angle. But it’s very spacious. We made sure that each duck had more than the recommended square footage. It doesn’t look big in the picture, but I can actually fit all the way into that smaller part without any problems.

No, we don’t know, unfortunately.. They’re still too little. We took a risk with that. I’ll keep that ratio in mind! Luckily we have a friend that will take a duck or two if we have only one hen or something like that.

Thank you for the heads up! I’ll be careful.

And I am prepared for predators. Our dog stays outside for the majority of the time. He’s pretty big. (We have the ducks securely fenced off from him). He doesn’t even like robins to be in the yard. We don’t let him or the ducks stay out if we’re going to be gone for more than a few hours, so they’re never left unsupervised. It’s tough, because free ranging is always a risk, but I think it’s worth it since the birds get to explore.

And no it’s ok! I appreciate it since I know you have the ducks best interest in mind!

 

[awkwardkale]

Congratulations on the ducks. I have a few breeds. Pekin , khaki , pekin x khaki and Swedish
I really don’t have a favourite breed but my pekin daisy was my first and will always be my favourite ( shhh don’t tell my other ducks )
I love everything about them
They get so excited to see me
Tails wagging and running clear across the yard
I could sit and watch them all day long

Thank you! Daisy is such a cute name for a duck! Mine run towards me too whenever I walk over they’re so silly

 

[ducksndaisies]

Hi there and welcome! I am also a young adult living with my family and caring for ducks. We used to have four ducks, two Anconas and two Khaki Campbells, but one passed away last year. These ducks are our first experience with any pets outside of dogs or cats and we have found caring for them so rewarding. Ducks are such hilarious, cute animals and while they take some extra care, they are worth it!

Our ducks are a few years old, but have remained shy despite all of the time we spend with them. They have truly formed a little flock that relies each other. While there are times I wish they were a bit more affectionate with me, I know they are getting comfort from each other that a human just can’t provide. And what you mention about blinking and them doubling in size is so true! Looking back, I wish I had taken way more pictures of them as babies. The changes from day to day were so magical to see.

For our litter management, we use straw. In the summer, we do a full change of litter once a week, transitioning the old indoor enclosure straw to the outdoor enclosure and taking the old outdoor enclosure straw to a compost heap. In the winter we have found the deep litter method very helpful in keeping the indoor area insulated. But we definitely check the litter each day to make sure it isn’t too damp. As I’m sure your research told you, ducks have very sensitive respiratory systems. Since they, unlike chickens, require a constant water source, they tend to create moist environments that breed mold. I’d do regular checks of the moisture level of the straw both indoor and outdoor. If it seems like it is becoming too damp, change it and/or reevaluate your methods. But it sounds like you guys are doing great so far!

I hope caring for your ducks continues to be fulfilling and that you (and your family) have so much fun with your new friends!

 

[awkwardkale]

Hi there and welcome! I am also a young adult living with my family and caring for ducks. We used to have four ducks, two Anconas and two Khaki Campbells, but one passed away last year. These ducks are our first experience with any pets outside of dogs or cats and we have found caring for them so rewarding. Ducks are such hilarious, cute animals and while they take some extra care, they are worth it!

Our ducks are a few years old, but have remained shy despite all of the time we spend with them. They have truly formed a little flock that relies each other. While there are times I wish they were a bit more affectionate with me, I know they are getting comfort from each other that a human just can’t provide. And what you mention about blinking and them doubling in size is so true! Looking back, I wish I had taken way more pictures of them as babies. The changes from day to day were so magical to see.

For our litter management, we use straw. In the summer, we do a full change of litter once a week, transitioning the old indoor enclosure straw to the outdoor enclosure and taking the old outdoor enclosure straw to a compost heap. In the winter we have found the deep litter method very helpful in keeping the indoor area insulated. But we definitely check the litter each day to make sure it isn’t too damp. As I’m sure your research told you, ducks have very sensitive respiratory systems. Since they, unlike chickens, require a constant water source, they tend to create moist environments that breed mold. I’d do regular checks of the moisture level of the straw both indoor and outdoor. If it seems like it is becoming too damp, change it and/or reevaluate your methods. But it sounds like you guys are doing great so far!

I hope caring for your ducks continues to be fulfilling and that you (and your family) have so much fun with your new friends!

Hi! It’s nice to meet you! I’m sorry you lost a duck last year. They are truly wonderful little animals and that must’ve been difficult for you.

I definitely feel that their care is rewarding! It gives me something to do and I just enjoy watching them do their own thing haha.

Ah, well it’s good to know I’m not alone. If they see me walking towards them (if I don’t have food) they all start waddling away from me! I’ve found if I crouch down they don’t get as spooked. I too am really thankful that they’re all close to one another! I’m really hoping I won’t have to break them up if I have too many drakes or something. More than one is definitely quacking loudly, so I have hope!

Thank you for the information! That’s a good system. I’m trying out deep litter at the moment, but if I can’t get things to work out I’ll probably switch to that. They do create a lot of moisture! Today I added some stuff to hopefully dry out the bedding a bit. Also to get more air in the bedding. The good news is there is no ammonia smell. I also grabbed as much of the damp stuff as I could and threw it in the compost bin. Since we have one, composting outside the coop is definitely an option! My mom just really had her heart set on a deep litter method inside the coop.

It sounds like you have a great system so I might just have to steal it thank you!

In the outdoor enclosure, do you have any issue with flies/maggots getting into any poop/wet straw when you spread it on the ground? Bugs love my area

I really appreciate the advice! and the ducks are very popular with my family! Raising them and getting the coop built has been a great project for my mom and I!

 

[spiceholler]

I'm also new to duck ownership. We've been free ranging chickens for about 4 years and are lucky to have minimal predator intervention. We did learn the hard way and lost one of our 4 ducklings that were sunning in an outdoor temporary pen. (migrating hawk). So needless to say we've been rethinking our setup for ducks, but we do want to dig a small pond for them. (currently they are still spending days in kiddie pools with a little bit of supervised creek time in the evenings).

We have heard about troubles with drakes and chickens and at first we thought it may have been an issue with keeping both fowl in close quarters.

We've been trialing letting the ducks integrate a little bit with the chickens and they seem like they get along; however i did see the drake heading towards one of the hens. it wasn't like he was aggressive, it was more amorous. OOPS. so needless to say we're going to proceed with caution.

In some ways chickens are so easy and ducks seem to be a little more work. I had this dream of a serene pond with my ducks in it, but with the hawk (who has now moved along) and the potential chicken danger, I'm a little bit more nervous about the situation.

 

[awkwardkale]

I'm also new to duck ownership. We've been free ranging chickens for about 4 years and are lucky to have minimal predator intervention. We did learn the hard way and lost one of our 4 ducklings that were sunning in an outdoor temporary pen. (migrating hawk). So needless to say we've been rethinking our setup for ducks, but we do want to dig a small pond for them. (currently they are still spending days in kiddie pools with a little bit of supervised creek time in the evenings).

We have heard about troubles with drakes and chickens and at first we thought it may have been an issue with keeping both fowl in close quarters.

We've been trialing letting the ducks integrate a little bit with the chickens and they seem like they get along; however i did see the drake heading towards one of the hens. it wasn't like he was aggressive, it was more amorous. OOPS. so needless to say we're going to proceed with caution.

In some ways chickens are so easy and ducks seem to be a little more work. I had this dream of a serene pond with my ducks in it, but with the hawk (who has now moved along) and the potential chicken danger, I'm a little bit more nervous about the situation.

Hello!

I’m sorry about the duckling. Yeah mine have a baby pool too right now. But the plan is to make a pond for them as well.

I only have ducks right now, but I can definitely see how trying to integrate them with the chickens would be difficult. I hope everything works out. They’re a lot different than chickens! A lot messier I’ve found a good system to keep things nice and clean, but maintaining a clean space for them is a bit more demanding than it was with chickens.

Also! My ducks are now old enough to sex by their voices, and we have one Drake and three hens. He is starting to get his Drake curl in. I’ve been monitoring them very closely, and so far so good. Fred is polite and seems to monitor the surroundings while the ladies swim. He also lets them eat and drink first before going to get stuff for himself. He backs up the line when they are exploring the outdoors as well

Im hoping that he won’t be too hard on the hens when he gets hormonal, since they’re all still young. We might add another hen if that’s the case, but the four we have now are super close to one another that I worry an outsider would get bullied.

I’m sorry about your bad dream! I’ve had nightmares about my ducks getting eaten or sick and it’s genuinely upsetting :c But I think in both of our cases, that just shows how much our flocks are on our minds at any given time and also that we care about them