Hi! I'm new to ducks as well. I've had chickens for over a year & love them. Now I love ducks too! LOL! This is rather long, but I too have a lot questions! LOL!
We have 3 Pekin ducklings - They are 25 days old today. I ordered them from Murray McMurray Hatchery & they came to us as day-old ducklings. I ordered 4...1 male & 3 females, but 1 of the females didn't make it. McMurray refunded the cost of the 1 duckling. So, I would recommend them for purchasing ducklings or chicks.
Anyway, I've really enjoyed seeing all the pond/pool idea's everyone has posted pic's of. Right now our ducklings are running the backyard - not the entire backyard, just the part fenced off the chickens and garden. They have 2 storage totes & a standard 3-gallon chicken waterer...all of which has worked out very well. I was taking them to our larger 3,500 gallon pond in front, but then I read they can get duck botulism (among other things) from man-made ponds that weren't drained regularly. Algae = enemy. Oi vey. Now I'm working on a new idea for housing them, etc.
I'm currently looking into livestock tanks. Partly because they are a really heavy duty plastic, but mostly because they have the drain towards the bottom, which I believe will make it much more efficient to empty & refill as needed. From what I understand, this needs to be done a couple times per week!! I'm open to idea's...Anyone have any? LOL!
Here are my babies at just a few days old:
Donald at 1-week:
At 21 days old:
Donald & Daffy at 25 days:
Daisy, who is the biggest of the ducks, at 25 days:
It seems they grow
at least 3" every day!! I'm afraid I'm going to go outside after a couple hours & not recognize them at all!! LOL!
I had them on 'approved' medicated chick grower/starter for the 1st three weeks. You have to make sure it's safe for ducklings, as some of the chick starter/grower has a toxic type of medication. This particular brand, which we get from our local feedmill is safe. They've spent this past week eating a combination of the chick feed mixed with layer feed. I also supplement a couple times per week with my 'special'. It's our chickens eggs, shell & all, cooked with romaine lettuce & tomatoes. They don't always get eggs, but they get romaine & tomatoes every week.
I have what is essentially 3 coops inside 1 large one. I have my Layer Coop, which houses my power layers - eggs I sale mostly. These include Wyandotte's, Jersey Giant's, Brown Leghorn's, Rhode Island Red's, Easter Egger's & 5 'evil' production birds (Red Star/Sex Link & Black Star/Sex Link). I don't I would put the ducks in the Layer Coop. My 5 production hens might kill them. Like I mentioned, they're evil. They have murdered 2 juvenile Rhode Island Red's and 1 full grown Black Star. I would be having some chicken soup if they murdered my ducks too!!
I have my Polish Coop, which includes the Silkie's at the moment...we haven't finished everything completely. The Silkie's will be moved to their own part of the coop/yard sometime this fall when the weather gets a little more cooperative. It's way too dang hot at the moment!!
The ducklings are running around outside the chicken yards for now. They have a large dog crate (think Great Dane) they sleep in at night. I've draped a heavy-duty tarp over it. I have to pull everything out each morning & clean, clean, clean. I put fresh hay (we have a neighbor who sales it to us for the same price as straw - it's softer & smells better - LOL) on top of the plastic pullout crate bottom each day. I also change their water, 'clean' their feed & add more - You must NEVER let wet feed stay with the ducks. They are susceptible to all kinds of disease from moldy feed. I also dump their 'totes' of water each day & refill with fresh, clean water. They are seriously more work than chickens!! LOL! But, personally, I think they're worth it!!
I must admit, I'm intrigued by the idea of putting the ducks in with the chickens. How do you prevent cocci with the ducks?? They are
messy!! Right now, because Silkie's so easily get cocci, I feed one 3 qt. scoop of medicated chick feed per every three 3 qt. scoops of layer feed. I also have no bedding in the Polish/Silkie coop so I can remove any feces daily. They are on a wooden floor & have a large yard to be in all day long. What do you recommend for ducks? What if I were to put my ducks in with the Polish (once the Silkie's are moved)...with a wooden floor & no bedding so I can clean each day? The Polish are more interested in being up high & would have no use for being on the ground with the ducks.
I am looking for care info.
