Questions!!!!!!!!!!, so many Questions!!!!!!

[NewDuckyMan]

I have decided on the breed of Khaki campbells after doing extensive research and am getting 3 babies in around 2 weeks.
When I choose them they will be 1 week old, at this age is there anyway I can sex them?, I read about vent sexing but I don't want to attempt it incase I hurt the ducklings, so is there anyway I can try and sex them?
also what is a good diet for them?, the breeder recommended Finishing/finisher pellets(can't remember which it was) for them, what do you guys think?(If you wish to recommend a duck pellet to me keep in mind I am in Australia and don't have access to half of the food varieties you guys have overseas)
Also what are some good fruits and vegetables to feed now and then? and how often can I give fruit and veges to the 3?
Will 2 male ducks fight if from the same batch and are brought up since that first come out of the egg?
I will be using a large dog kennel for them as shelter, what is the best bedding to use for them and how often do I change it?
How often do I need to change their pond water?
Sorry for all the questions guys and thanks in advance.

Travis

 

[Amiga]

Welcome to Duckdom! Good questions.

Take a look at this

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

and look through the stickies, too

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

This won't answer every one of your questions, but it will save you some time and give you loads of information without waiting for a forum member to find this thread.

Meanwhile,

I also don't want to try vent sexing, I don't know how and don't want to injure a duckling. Maybe someday. The next thing is to wait a few weeks. Ducks (girls) start to quack. Drakes (boys) don't, eventually they just mumble and whisper.

In the Where Am I Where Are You forum, you may be able to connect with others in Australia, maybe even NSW. They can point you to reliable sources of feed. If you use chick feed, add niacin (not no-flush or timed release) to the water - 100 mg per gallon (about 4 litres, right?). Or sprinkle brewer's yeast on the food.

The stickies has a list of treats and appropriate ages for treats.

Drakes don't usually start to fight until they are sexually mature and if there are ducks around. Just drakes tend to get along okay.

Security is vital!!! I cannot picture your kennel, but it may not be enough. Predators can grab through chain link. Something very sturdy with no larger than half inch openings especially for night time is best. Search the forum for "duck shelter" or similar phrases. Too many people have lost ducks. Please pay attention to this matter now, before you put them outside.

 

[NewDuckyMan]

Thank you for the links, info and the great advice!
I don't know how I will choose my 3 ducklings now!, they will be 1 week old when I choose them, what If I accidentally get 2 or more drakes!!!, really stressed now on what to do........
I didn't mention it but The kennel will be in a pen that they will go in during the night so security is not an issue.

 

[Amiga]

Okay, just be sure nothing can dig under, climb or fly in from the top, reach through and grab, or wedge its way through a gap.

 

[cosbackyard]

Unless you're buying "guaranteed" gender when you get the ducks there's pretty much no way to know. I recommend having a plan on re-homing ducks in case you get a bad mix. A bad mix in this case would be two drakes one female. Any other combination should work out okay. I have one KC drake and two females. They do just fine. Plus I get eggs!

I can't imagine what kind of predators you have out there. We have bears and foxes and the occasional mountain lion. None of them cause me too much trouble. What does, however, are raccoons. Their little hands can open doors and reach through small openings. They kill mercilessly and seemingly for sport. As a result I've had to build a pen they can't reach through, force through, dig under, climb over, or open with their hands.

 

[NewDuckyMan]

Yes, it is a secure enclosure.
We have wild dogs, dingos and foxes, the only one who dares to venture into the neighbourhood is foxes though.

 

[Carcajou]

and X2 to Amiga and cosbackyard. I too did much research before settling on Khakis. I have4 ducks and 1 drake and love 'em dearly. They are great foragers and great egg layers. I did, on my second go around, order sexed females from a hatchery. My first time I ended up with 8 drakes and 1 duck. Having the hatchery sex ducklings is really the only way to get want you want. As for feed, you can feed Purina Flockraiser or an equivalent their entire lives and as Amiga says, you should be able to connect with a fellow Aussie. Here is a link to Canberra Backyard Poultry who was a help to me in the early going: http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

Best of luck!

 

[NewDuckyMan]

Thank you for the advice, will have a chat to The canberra breeders