Pekin Duck Club!

[The Howards]

HELP!!
My ducklings are 9 days old. They seem like they are getting shyer and wilder. When I try to hold them they try to get out and then I go to pick them up they run. What am I doing wrong?

I think every duckling goes through this stage. Ours certainly did. Their instincts are starting to kick in and even though you have been caring for them all along you are suddenly looking very large and dangerous to them. Grab ahold of them one at a time sit on the floor on your knees, tuck them between your knees and lean over them. Hug them and talk softly to them. They will probably shake and carry on but eventually they will calm. Do it as many times a day as you can. Eventually they will begin to relax more around you. Butter (our Pekin) got to this point and you could visably see her shaking. After a while of lovey, gooey words she would calm down. Give them treats in a group and individually when holding them. Treats are the great equalizer with every critter I think. We can grab anyone of them now, Oh they put up a token dash for it but they take a few steps and stop. Kinda like whats the use...I know she is gonna get me but she won't hurt me. Then they just sit easily on my lap and go when they are tired of all the lovin.
Not saying this is the only way to help....it is just what worked for us.

 

[The Howards]

Mojo or Jojo (my Pekins) layed there first egg today!

So excited! The kids finally got a to see (feel) the diffrence in chicken and duck eggs.

CONGRATS!! You will be delighted with the taste too. They are great in baked goods, I especially love to use ours for cornbread. I sell some of them too and a lady that buys only duck always uses them when she makes egg salad or cornbread because they are so pretty and bright yellow (compared to store eggs of course) and they taste better.
In case you didn't know......cause I had to look it up. Just cook it at a slightly lower temp than chicken eggs so they don't get rubbery and boil them a little longer (obviously since they are larger).

 

[stephanie c]

Update on quacky! His bumblefoot is much better. Took him to the vet and he said its not bad enough where he needs surgurey. He gave me medicine and while it is still puffy the scab is drying up and leaving the area soft so it's getting better! He's so chubby and cute. I love him so much. Thank you for your help everyone!

 

[chickery-do]

I've had a lot of catching up to do but it was very good reading! I don't agree w/ one poster who was very offensive in his posting. We were given words and we should use them wisely!
If there is anyone in my area (in the northern part only) who had a female(s) I would I would love to have em!

 

[chickensnewtome]

Update on quacky! His bumblefoot is much better. Took him to the vet and he said its not bad enough where he needs surgurey. He gave me medicine and while it is still puffy the scab is drying up and leaving the area soft so it's getting better! He's so chubby and cute. I love him so much. Thank you for your help everyone!

YAY QUACKY!!!! So glad he is better.

 

[Poultry Power]

I'm. Glad he's better is ic cute

 

[rainbowbluey]

Hi all I'm new hear ... 3 year I got my ducks didn't know what they were n now I have look looked them up I have 2 pekin duck n think both r males and also I have a female which I think is a female Muscovy duck ... Just wondering can pekin n Muscovy breed together thanks if anyone could help me it be good

 

[countrygirl74]

HELP!!
My ducklings are 9 days old. They seem like they are getting shyer and wilder. When I try to hold them they try to get out and then I go to pick them up they run. What am I doing wrong?

They will go through different stages... just be patient and keep working with them. TheHowards posted some good, detailed advice.

CaptainQwaq So... you don't have room for two ducks, yet want to trade for two (considerably larger) turkeys? I'm confused.

Chickensnewtome You do realize that Turkey's and Chickens require the same amount of space right.....On another note I hope you find a great home for the Ducks. It isn't their fault that you might have been an impulse buyer.

Not trying to butt in here....First...Judgements, bad language, or offensive behavior/suggestions should bot be made by anyone on here...to you or by you. So lets diffuse the situation if possible.

It is obvious that you want to help these ducks have/get a good home. From what I gather, you have chickens as well but these Pekins are fairly new additions. Congrats on rescuing them, too many people do dump them unfortunately. If do have enough room for turkeys and chickens then if you are of a mind to you could keep the ducks too. We have chickens and ducks that live happily in the same pen and house together. The housing can be the trickiest part of the situation, actually, not the water issue. Ducks in reality need enough water to dunk their heads in to wash out their nostrils and eyes. If you want to have a pool a small kiddie pool is sufficient or a cement mixing tub works wonderfully too. We use both. If you use small square buckets/bowls about 4 inches deep ( we find ours at a dollar store) then the ducks and chickens will use them. Truthfully the chickens jump up on the block steps around the pools and drink the water while the ducks swim. Mosquitos was a worry for us as well, here in NC and especially in our area, they are as big as cars. If you change the water everyday (which will be necessary for their health) then mosquito eggs should not have time to hatch.
As for food you do not have to use separate feed for ducks and chickens. We use a general flock feed. It has enough vitamins and nutrients for everyone. You just put out a bit extra crushed shell free choice and some niacin sprinkled on the food occasionally. As for housing if you already have a chicken house that does not allow for the ducks to live with them then a dog house with a door added for night time safety will work just as well. We used them for a long time till we expanded our entire flock and built a new barn.
The only other problem I can see from the posting is that one may be a male. Obvious problem if you don't want little ducklings running around. The other problem can come in with him becoming "enamored" with the chickens. He can possibly kill a hen trying to mount her. At the same time the same could happen if you end up with a tom turkey. So either way you will need to watch the flock for that possibility.
I hope you either find a good home for the 'little' ones or if you decide to keep them good luck with raising them. They really are a blast.

X2 - too much criticism instead of helping each other... sometimes we don't fully understand the post or the situation... thanks for posting!

Update on quacky! His bumblefoot is much better. Took him to the vet and he said its not bad enough where he needs surgurey. He gave me medicine and while it is still puffy the scab is drying up and leaving the area soft so it's getting better! He's so chubby and cute. I love him so much. Thank you for your help everyone!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Really? Thought the adequate space would include oh you know lake/pond/pool which I do not have room for with the Huge space I have dedicated to my hens/ hopefully Turkeys. I have kids and I don't want a mosquito factory. But since your all sooo incredibly judgmental and don't care they were rescued by me from my local park pond where they were dumped by their "impulsive buyer" and tried to give them to the feed store who wouldnt accept hence why I know how about how old they are and why I have food. I'll just kill em myself. Mmnnn dinner. Thanx A-holes. I'll post a pic of their heads. Go **** yourselves.

First off, judgement was not called for upon you, but the fact that you simply said 'we realized we don't have room for our ducks so would like to trade for 2 poults/ 2 chicks' *kinda* called for it... W/o prior knowledge, we simply are trying to do the best (and if that means being a bit straight forward and rude, then so be it) for the ducks... I you don't have room for ducks, you don't have room for hens and most certainly turkeys.
However, a small kiddie pool (4-10 inches, depending how gracious you are) is sufficient for ducks. Barely takes up room, you don't need a huge thing. The room it takes for a kiddie pool is just the room that'd take up if you had turkeys.
However, a 1 gal bucket suffices too. Ours ingore the pond and swim in the water buckets
Anywho, best of luck with your ducks, and be warned about what you say. I doubt someone flagged you, but if you react this way every time people jump in and judge because of vagueness and the possibility that some birds may be in danger, then you will be banned real quick

 

[Deleted member 94844]

Really? Thought the adequate space would include oh you know lake/pond/pool which I do not have room for with the Huge space I have dedicated to my hens/ hopefully Turkeys. I have kids and I don't want a mosquito factory. But since your all sooo incredibly judgmental and don't care they were rescued by me from my local park pond where they were dumped by their "impulsive buyer" and tried to give them to the feed store who wouldnt accept hence why I know how about how old they are and why I have food. I'll just kill em myself. Mmnnn dinner. Thanx A-holes. I'll post a pic of their heads. Go **** yourselves.

Just... wow.