OH MY Word!!!

[wyo-helpmeet]

I am SO in for a divorce!!!!!

Went to pick up 30 meats, 6 layers, 3 poults & walked out with those 39 birds, that ^^^ AND 2 free silkies.

I'm in big trouble, yup.....

Yeah, yeah I know-

Off to learn how to care for the duckie now.

 

[wyo-helpmeet]

OK, I need links!! I checked the index, but it's not for raising babies. How soon do I put them in water? Can I raise them with chicks? Oh good grief, I am a SUCKER!!!

 

[chickboss]

LMBO

Okay, some people keep them in with chicks, but ducklings are messy with a capital M, and will outgrow them quickly. I have chicks and ducks the same age, about 3 weeks, and the ducklings are double if not triple their size. I prefer to keep them seperate. Chick starter is fine. There are issues with some of the medications that can be in medicated chick feed however, so you will want to check. Alot of people just prefer flat out to not give them medicated chick feed, so do some reasearch and see where you land. Flock Raiser can be used, and it is non-medicated as well as most organic starters. If you need a list of safe medications in medicated feeds, let me know, I have it in a book. Ducklings need more Niacin than chicks, and this is very important. Many people use Brewer's Yeast in their food, but others will add a Niacin tablet to the water. This should get you by for the first couple of weeks. Protien requirements change as they get older in the hopes that lowering the protien will stop the condition called Angle Wing. Some don't think it is a protien issue at all, but genetic, so again, more reasearch to see how you personally feel. Get Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. It is jammed packed with info. Hope this helps!

Oh, and don't let them in water quite yet. I would give them a week, and then make sure the water is warm, and that they are at least towel dried and put under their heat lamp. Ducklings raised without a momma duck do not have the protective oils that keep ducklings "dry" even when wet, so they can get quite chilled.

Congratulations, you will love them!

 

[wyo-helpmeet]

Thank you!!!

The kids LOVE how he walks

Can he drink out of a rabbit waterer? The bottles? I have that set up since I have 3 poults in there, and a friend has my other waterer (one is in with momma broody & her chicks). I read through the Encyclopedia of Country Living & got a little bit of an idea. We're really excited, just nervous. I typically start with one new animal at a time (chickens, then rabbits, and then turkeys), but this one got thrown into the mix with the turkeys, LOL.

She said he was a Khaki, but he doesn't look like the pics of khakis on the web. Do you know what he is? Mallard, maybe?

 

[Kim65]

If you've never had waterfowl before, you are really in for a treat

I love my chickens and turkey but those ducklings (and geese) are very special.

They will destroy their water with food and mud and probably poop fifty times a day. I use a half gallon cat or dog waterer, it's deep enough so they can dip their whole bill in the water (important for them to keep their nostrils clear) and as they play in the water, they don't run out as fast and it is semi-fresh. I still refilled it twice a day, and when they started in to three times a day, outside they went.

 

[Amiga]

Do some searches on duckling brooder and feed and you will probably turn up loads of things.

Also, new duckling as keywords will turn up some things.

Here is a brooder discussion we had a while back:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3731287

Ducklings - some of the points I keep seeing are these: they need three times the niacin that chicks do, some kinds of medicated feed are not good for them, they can have a swim in shallow water (up to their bellies) that is warm (like 90 F) and need to be dried off and in a warm brooder a.s.a.p. after bathing to avoid chills. They are a challenge when it comes to keeping their water managed. They need it 24/7 for the first six weeks or so, but their bills and the way they eat and drink mean that they splash quite a bit. So waterers need to be set up where they won't totally soak the bedding. They need about 20% protein the first two weeks, then about 18% for the next two to four weeks or so, then about 16% until they are laying or until cold weather, when 18% is better again. Temperatures recommended by Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks are 90F the first week, dropping about five degrees a week until they are okay with the temperature of their environment.

They are funny and sweet, and need company. Many get along with chickens, that depends on the particular ducks and chickens. People often put chickens' water up where the ducks cannot get it and muddy it. They will muddy it with their food or with soil, whatever they need to rinse out of their mouths.

 

[chickboss]

Quote:
LOL, Nope, definantly not a Kahki! That's one of my Kahkis in my avatar. Silly farm supply people.

I have heard of people teaching ducks to drink out of rabbit waterers, but I agree with pp's, they really should have something to submerge their heads in to keep nostriles clean.

Kim65~ Only 50? I thought for sure it was more like 100!

 

[wyo-helpmeet]

If I use something shallow, are my poults going to drown? LOL..... Maybe I should brood the poults by themselves. I know the chicks are less likely to drown themselves & I keep reading that ducks are not loners, so I'd rather keep the chicks & duckling together, rather than the poults & duckling. I'm thinking mallard according tothe pics on google.

 

[chickboss]

I was thinking you may want to run back to the farm supply store and get him/her a friend, LOL, you could pick up the D. papers on your way home since that may cinch it.

I thought Mallard to, but I think there are a couple of breeds that look like that as babies. Could be wrong though. I know nothing about poults, but when my ducklings are really tiny, sometimes, depending on the base size, I can get away with the standard plastic chick waterer.

 

[kysilkies]

He's precious!!!!!!!!!!

You're like the rest of us, we started with 2 silkies this time last year and said that was it, we now have 27 silkies, 4 ducks and 30 more eggs in bator...