Three ducks adopted me

[Padatha]

Hi,
I've never owned ducks before but three possibly abandoned ducks showed up recently on my doorstep. They're all white. I'm pretty sure they're all girls. They're laying lots of eggs. I've been giving them chicken feed (I have chickens) and a little chicken scratch and I gave them a wading pool and a drinking water tower.
Any advice or info on caring for them would be appreciated!

 

[THEChIcKeNwhisperer354]

@DucksAreBest

 

[DucksOhio]

Lucky ducks to have found you!

What kind of chicken feed? There is food especially for ducks/waterfowl: Purina Duck and Mazuri Waterfowl.

Ducks LOVE peas and kale and dried mealworms.

Sounds like the wading pool is great. Ducks need deep water to rinse out their eyes and sinuses.

Do you have crushed oyster shells?

 

[fatty and friends]

duck diet - https://www.instagram.com/p/CMezWOSnX5x/?igshid=aqb8hiq856i2

male or female - https://www.instagram.com/p/CMXMORQgROp/?igshid=1ukwlcam3gbpo

safe and unsafe treats - https://www.instagram.com/p/CMUkYJigF-L/?igshid=1r4ljc29s2iil

 

[DucksAreBest]

@DucksAreBest

Thanks fo the tag, @THEChIcKeNwhisperer354.

Do they have a predator-proof shelter during the night?

 

[KaleIAm]

Thank you for taking care of them. Smart ducks!

I've never had chickens, so I can't tell you how to take care of ducks differently. But I've had ducks for 6 years now and have adopted 4 myself.

Female ducks make the loud quack quack sound we typically think of with ducks, and males are quieter and have a curly feather on their tail.

Like DucksOhio mentioned give them water deep enough to submerge their entire head. I like to give mine drinking water they can't get into because they poop in their swimming water so frequently - so I use a 2.5 gallon food safe bucket.

My avian veterinarian is pretty adamant about feeding duck/waterfowl specific food to ducks. My ducks' health improved when I started doing that.

If you want your new friends to become tame I suggest spending lots of time around them not being scary! Pay attention to what makes them feel afraid and don't do it. Try to throw their favorite treats to them so they associate you with positive experiences. And be patient.

Post photos if you can, we'd love to see them!

 

[SkyeT]

Our feather babies are partial to sliced grape tomatoes and romaine lettuce and peas. The more you spend time with them the better. They are very very routine creatures. For example, they hated our winter beanies! We had to take them off to visit! Weird, I know. They get worms as a rewards for going into their pen for bed.

We feed our ducks an all flock feed from tractor supply that our ducks love. We were feeding them the Purina duck feed, but tractor supply doesn't consistently carry it around here. We pair that with a high milo content wild bird feed, which they also flip for. Egg shells are considered a treat and we do that instead of oyster shell. They hunt bugs all day, eat grass, dirt, my flowers...

Ducks have amazing personalities. We loves ours so much.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

It is rewarding to have all 8 of my ducks come boiling out of their pond to come say hello when I get home. My wife says it is because I give the treats all the time, she is probably right.. who says you can’t buy love?

 

[Sammi_0411]

Aww nt much experience with ducks but do u have some pics? Well done u your a lovely person for taking them in
Sam xx

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I presume someone “deposited” them? Good on you, bad on them.