Pekin ducks wont eat! HELP

[Montana95]

On Tuesday (it's now 8pm Thursday March 3) I picked up 3 pekin ducks 2 females 1 male all a little over a year old from a very nice older gentleman down the road that was rehoming his birds due to battling cancer. I'm keeping them in the barn they have a stall with a window so the have sun I set up a little pool a nesting box food and water laid staw down I'm only keeping them in there a week because a snow storm delaid our duck house build. They are not eating that much only about a quarter of their feed is gone since they got here they did eat lettuce the first day and a little bit today and some frozen peas in their water. They haven't snuggled in their nesting boxes yet but they do swim in their pool and they are drinking water. What am I doing wrong? Why are they not eating like they should? When should I be worried? Are they just scared because it's a new place? Help I'm so sad to see them not eating!

 

[ruthhope]

You dont mention how much food you are offering the ducks. We feed 1 cupful pellets per pekin each morning and evening with the remains of the feed available day and night. Our drakes doesn't eat as much as the females -- one has been laying right through the winter and is always hungry.

What are you feeding yours? Is it the same food as the previous owner was feeding? When we have had to swap brands and preparations because our preferred is not available, our ducks may "go off their food" for a few days. But they get hungry and soon start eating the new food.

Otherwise they may just need to settle in with your routine and space a little longer. Ducks can have very strong preferences and not take kindly to change. But be patient, they will come round to you as their new owner.