new to the duck/duckling world

[arnr1530]

i have never had pekin but everybody i know who owns them say they are so sweet, gentle and make wonderful mothers. good luck on them!

thank you very much i have younger children so having the right ones, and gentle giants persay makes it all the better

 

[Bailey1204]

thank you so much ... iam still unsure about a few things... i have read that you can put a small swimming dish/ bowl in the brooder with them and others say not to just give them swim time as you suggested til they are about 4 wks so they dont drown ? also if i get the unmedicated chick feed should i add the yeast every day to there food ? also, about how old will they be okay to go outside in their new coop? i was gonna put them with the chickens but ive decided against it ..... thank you

I don't think that you should put a swim bowl in. I give my ducks a swimming pool when they are 4 weeks old. Also, I would advise against using chick feed, use all flock or food specific to ducks, it's just easier-no supplimenting needed! If it is warm you can put them outside as soon as 2 weeks like I did, if it is colder I'd wait 6-8 wks. Once they are adults you can put them in with the chickens, just be super careful when they're babies as the chickens may try to attack and even kill the ducklings.

 

[Bailey1204]

You won't need a stuffed toy as long as they have other ducks. I did that once but only because I rescued a singleton from the wild.

 

[Bailey1204]

You can get as little as 2 but I would recommend getting at least a trio, I have 9 and it helped a lot when some of them dies b/c they still had each other. It also helps in winter to keep warm.

 

[arnr1530]

I don't think that you should put a swim bowl in. I give my ducks a swimming pool when they are 4 weeks old. Also, I would advise against using chick feed, use all flock or food specific to ducks, it's just easier-no supplimenting needed! If it is warm you can put them outside as soon as 2 weeks like I did, if it is colder I'd wait 6-8 wks. Once they are adults you can put them in with the chickens, just be super careful when they're babies as the chickens may try to attack and even kill the ducklings.

thank you so much, i think im just gonna keep them separate in their own coop and pen. and i will wait til they are 4 wks to put a little pool for them to swim in in the brooder,how often each day should i let them have a swim for the first few wks?

 

[Bailey1204]

When I had ducklings (90% survival rate) I gave them a short swim every day. I waited until they were 1 week old before the first one though. Start by giving them about 10-15 min swim them gradually work up to them being able to have free range over the swimming pool by 4-6 wks of age. Given the current date I highly advise you to have them out of the brooder before 4 weeks of age, especially if you are putting an actual pool in. Once they are 3 weeks old I used to put them outside for about an hour somewhat unsupervised and give them a 30 minute swim before going in. Usually by this age they are pretty waterproof and can get out by themselves. Like I said in my original reply, the are hardier and develop faster than chickens. Be extra sure you don't overheat them. After 2 weeks you probably won't even need a heat lamp. I'd say as soon as the weather is averaging 50-60 degrees F you can put them in the coop full time. Over heating id one of the number 1 causes of death in young ducks. Learn to 'read' the ducks, if they are huddling together make it warmer, if they are panting take the heat lamp away. Above all, just follow your instincts, I can tell you are a good person that wants the absolute best for your ducks so just do what you think is right. In my experience I've found that you can do all the research and ask all the questions in the world, but when it comes down to it you usually end up following your instincts and learning from your ducks. Seriously, ducks are really strong and don't die easily, the only duckling I had die was 1 and it was b/c it was a runt and sick when it was shipped to us.
Happy to Help,
Bailey1204

P.S. I am only 13

 

[TLWR]

My ducklings were swimming from day 2 (day 1 I let them chill out and settle in after their shipping), hatched babies were in water the day after hatching because they were gross.
Just make sure the water is warm. I give them something they can get on when they are tired of swimming and then scoop them out, towel dry and stick back in the brooder with the light on. Supervised swim time until they are old/big enough to be able to get in and out of the water on their own.

I use flock raiser for new ducklings and add niacin. You can use medicated food, but I'm not sure which medication is ok for ducklings, you'd have to look into that - but unmedicated chick feed is readily available as well.

You'll find it much easier to keep up with cleaning the brooder if you can stay on top of the water mess and keep it in check. There are several threads here with some options for how to deal with water - I usually raise it and put it over a pan with a grate of some sort over it so the splashes stay confined.

Heat - is like chickens - start around 90 and drop 5 degrees or so a week - give them a warm end at that temp and the rest of the brooder should be cooler. I brood outside (ducklings stink with food mixed with water!) and move their brooder into the yard when it is warm enough to do so for as long as it is nice out.

 

[arnr1530]

When I had ducklings (90% survival rate) I gave them a short swim every day. I waited until they were 1 week old before the first one though. Start by giving them about 10-15 min swim them gradually work up to them being able to have free range over the swimming pool by 4-6 wks of age. Given the current date I highly advise you to have them out of the brooder before 4 weeks of age, especially if you are putting an actual pool in. Once they are 3 weeks old I used to put them outside for about an hour somewhat unsupervised and give them a 30 minute swim before going in. Usually by this age they are pretty waterproof and can get out by themselves. Like I said in my original reply, the are hardier and develop faster than chickens. Be extra sure you don't overheat them. After 2 weeks you probably won't even need a heat lamp. I'd say as soon as the weather is averaging 50-60 degrees F you can put them in the coop full time. Over heating id one of the number 1 causes of death in young ducks. Learn to 'read' the ducks, if they are huddling together make it warmer, if they are panting take the heat lamp away. Above all, just follow your instincts, I can tell you are a good person that wants the absolute best for your ducks so just do what you think is right. In my experience I've found that you can do all the research and ask all the questions in the world, but when it comes down to it you usually end up following your instincts and learning from your ducks. Seriously, ducks are really strong and don't die easily, the only duckling I had die was 1 and it was b/c it was a runt and sick when it was shipped to us.
Happy to Help,
Bailey1204

P.S. I am only 13

thank you very much for all your help it has been very helpful.... and super informational especially for your age. i love all my animals im the crazy chicken lady now ill just add some ducks lol

 

[arnr1530]

My ducklings were swimming from day 2 (day 1 I let them chill out and settle in after their shipping), hatched babies were in water the day after hatching because they were gross.
Just make sure the water is warm. I give them something they can get on when they are tired of swimming and then scoop them out, towel dry and stick back in the brooder with the light on. Supervised swim time until they are old/big enough to be able to get in and out of the water on their own.

I use flock raiser for new ducklings and add niacin. You can use medicated food, but I'm not sure which medication is ok for ducklings, you'd have to look into that - but unmedicated chick feed is readily available as well.

You'll find it much easier to keep up with cleaning the brooder if you can stay on top of the water mess and keep it in check. There are several threads here with some options for how to deal with water - I usually raise it and put it over a pan with a grate of some sort over it so the splashes stay confined.

Heat - is like chickens - start around 90 and drop 5 degrees or so a week - give them a warm end at that temp and the rest of the brooder should be cooler. I brood outside (ducklings stink with food mixed with water!) and move their brooder into the yard when it is warm enough to do so for as long as it is nice out.

thank you very much i live in north carolina so it will be a few wks before the days are warm enough to be outside .... but as soon as its a higher nice day ill let them out for a little i was just really trying not to go wrong, i know they are similar but different from chickens and i have been raising them for 4 yrs. thank you so much for you help

 

[LadyIsadora]

Congratulations on getting ducks! I love them way more than chickens. They are heartier, less prone to sickness & mites. Less damaging on the pasture, yard area. Easier to build for (no perches or poop boards or dust baths or all the other stuff that goes into chickens. I think they are way cuter and mine lay almost every day---huge eggs ;-) I hope you grow to love them as much as I do.
That said, no one could have prepared me for the poop. The sheer amount of it, The enthusiasm with which it leaves the body, The smell, the WET of it
Also I was not prepared for what they do with water. I believe it is their mission to spread it all over the world, this is why their poop is so watery, My baby ducklings in the brooder would go through gallons of water every day. They dont drink as much as they play. and it is A LOT. I tried so many different waterers and water set-ups to try to cut down or control the splashes and keep the brooder clean and dry, it was hopeless, they went outside in a coop after two weeks. I built a drainage system set on an expanded metal grate that their water is on in their outside pen. This worked for me, many people choose not to put food and water in their coops at all (letting them outside to eat all day) You probably already know that you cannot offer food to ducks without water EVER. They need water with food.
I know some people put pools in their duck coops, One or two did so very sucessfully. They have very big coops and an expensive drainage and filtration system. I would never do it nor would I recommend it. Hard to clean (and it must be done often) more chance of drowning problems (think toddlers around a pool unsupervised) freezing in the winter, all around MESSY MESSY MESSY.
You can put them in the water early as you like. mine took sink or bathtub swims in the first week of life. They were swimming, supervised, for short periods of time, several times a day, by the time they were a week old. You really need to watch them closely for chilling even after they are well feathered out. I had one incident where the dogs had knocked over the ramp for them to get out and they got so chilled I thought I was going to loose a few. That said, it is very important they can easily get in and out of any water they are exposed to. I do have a huge pond for my babies in the opposite corner of the yard, they love it and I built shelves into it so they can get in and out easily, as well as any littles that may come along some year. Sometimes they just like to hang out on the shelf instead of swimming.

Some of the best advice I got when I first got ducks it to add Raw, organic Apple cider Vinegar to their water. This builds their immune system, builds the good bacteria in their gut, helps them process the vitamins in their food more efficiently just so much benefit. I added 1 or 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. And they love the taste.
I also fed mine fermented feed which does basically the same thing. There are some great (really long) threads on this forum about fermented feed.
Second best was adding nutritional yeast to their feed. I had a few ducklings I am certain this saved.

The only duckling I ever lost was one in the first set of ducks I got. Im sure it was due to the brooder being too hot. I think I cooked the poor guy. I learned not to follow recommendations after that, I follow the duck behavior. A bit cool is better than too hot.

Personally I suggest getting 3 or 4 ducks ;-) they will be happier and still quite managable.