Shipping ducklings...

[ducklover15]

Has anyone ever shipped ducklings before?

I'm having a super hard time finding people in Michigan who want Mallard ducklings, but there's no way I can keep any of them... And on top of it my hen suddenly decided to go broody so she could be adding 5 or 6 eggs to the 17 I have in the incubator and the 3 hatched ducklings.

What would be a safer age to ship the ducklings? I was thinking a week maybe. I don't want to be shipping day old ducklings.

What kind of box do I use to ship ducklings? And what company should I use? UPS?

Thanks for any info!

 

[rainplace]

don't quote me on this, but i think it's a bit late to be shipping ducklings, it's too hot. i also think day olds are best for shipping because they are still absorbing nutrients from when they were in the egg. and i think it's usps that ships ducks.

 

[rainplace]

oh, and if you're hen is going broody, can you just eat the eggs? or give them away for people to eat?

 

[ducklover15]

It's been very cool in Michigan this summer (mid-70s) but I never thought of that...I don't want to send the ducklings just for them to die. Do you know when a good time of year is to ship them?

I know people who might want to eat them. I'll look into that.

Thanks! =]

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

People will ship their ducks/ducklings in the spring and fall. I think that if it is 80 degrees or over in either the shipping or receiving end, the post office wont accept them to ship.

 

[streemers]

if you can wait a little like until fall to ship you would be amazed at how many people want the young ducks and not ducklings.

 

[sva1]

Hi, I live in michigan and am looking for ducklings. Please contact me. Thanks.

 

[CityChicker]

The obvious answer would be to avoid setting eggs if you know placing the babies will be difficult. Have you thought of Craig's List though? Birds seem to go fast on CL.

As far as shipping, I absolutely will not ship started ducklings. They have too high a need for water (food too, but lack of water is a bigger problem IMO). If you can't ship them the first day they hatch, I wouldn't ship at all until they are done growing. There is too much potential for loss.

As far as temperature, I concur with what others have already said. It just depends on the temps. at both locations. As far as what you ship them in, day olds can be shipped in regular chick boxes. Adults need to be shipped in approved shipping boxes (like Horizon boxes). Typically they are shipped by USPS, although you can ship them by air as well (although it is very expensive).

 

[ducklover15]

At first I thought selling the ducklings would be easy since the first brood my hen hatched this year sold super fast. But I took the eggs away from my hen and candled all of them and there were none developing so we'll end up eating them.

I put an add on CL, in the local papers, and a few other online places so I'm crossing my fingers. I could easily keep the ducklings until they're done growing, I just can't keep them forever.

Thanks for the help guys!

And sva1, I replied to your e-mail.

 

[keagen09]

I NEED A DUCKLING PLZ HELP............. if anyones shipping