Tips for the new duck owner!!!!!!!

[Mickeyg64]

Why is niacin or the lack of it so important? I am so very new to this, but want to do what's best for my new ducklings. After hours of research, my feedstore babies are most likely, 1 black swedish and 1 magpie. will post pics of the adorable duo when I get more time. btw, this site is awesome and I'm so glad I stumbled upon it in my endless research. Thanks so much.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Quote: The niacin is especially important for ducks to be able to use their legs. If ducklings are having a tough time walking / not walking, but seem healthy otherwise, odds are you have a niacin deficiency.
I think this link explains it better than I could:

http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html

Careful, it is creepy. (Sorry if I am re-posting the link.)

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Something I have learned over time with my ducks is that, when I am near them, less is more.

I try to make myself smaller, less of an intrusion, move slowly & deliberately, and always speak / sing in a quiet voice - even before I get to them.
(As soon as I walk onto the breezeway, before I open the door to go outside I start to talk to them. They hear that door, and they want to know - is that the food monster, or one of the little monsters?)
I have also found this to be true in moving them from place to place, or getting them into their house at night. If I just sit in my usual place & ignore them, they will go right into the house. If I go outside with the intention of trying to get them in I have a much harder time.

I try to spend as much time with them as I can, but I try to do very little some of that time, except talk to them.

We have a secure night pen that is big enough for 10 ducks (technically), and I have 3 in it now.
I think I could get one more duck in before it reached capacity.

I think it is important to get your ducklings used to you being around, used to you handling them some - check feet, wings, legs, eyes - and used to you being the water bearer, pea giver, food monster. It will come in handy when they hit their puberty phase around 3-6 weeks & think you are here to eat them - again. It will also come in handy when you put them outside & give them some space. You want them to see you & think - PEAS? WATER? SWIM? Otherwise you may have a little more trouble with your adult ducks than you bargain for.

Unless you are raising loads & loads of ducklings, in which case you are probably not going to be able to have the personal relationship with all 100 that some of us have with our small flocks.

That's the great thing about raising ducks, most ways are right enough. It is challenging as a new duck owner to pick & choose through all the info out there, especially since there are so many ways to practice duck husbandry, and they are all good in their context.

I think another good bit of advice is - they are not as fragile as they can sound. Common sense & instinct will serve you just fine 99% of the time. Remember, very few people post to BYC saying, "My ducklings are healthy as all get out again today!", and for every worried duck owner who posts here there are thousands of duck owners just sitting by the pool, or hosing off the deck, like they always do.


... Wow, that was long. See what happens when I take a few days away ...

 

[Makenzie]

I don't want to minimize contact with the ducklings!! It was something I was told which I thought okay, with my baby reptiles getting used to my hand moving around their cages was a big part of being able to handle them as they grew. Finding a credible website for my reptiles was a priority when I had them. Looked for the same in a bunny website when I found myself rescuing an adorable baby rabbit from neglectful owners. When I discovered I was going to have two ducklings I started searching for a website where I could learn, ask questions no matter how stupid they may sound, and get sound advice when needed.

Thanks for the book titles, got the Storey's Guide on order.

I have started trying to at least touch the ducklings and they don't want anything to do with the idea. Tonight I put them in an inch of room temp water so I could clean in the cage without them freaking out, and they threw fits. Neither one wanted to 'swim' yet in their cage with water they've put on the floor they assume the swim position. They may be a mess but they do make me laugh. Were so wet I got a beach towel and wrapped them up on my lap and my mystery duckling actually chilled. The rouen however didn't think much of the idea. Half the size of the mystery duckling with twice the attitude just a talkin away to me in chirps and peeps.

Still trying to track down just what the mystery duckling is. Grayish body, orange band around the neck, wings tipped in white, black/pink beak, black legs. And twice the size of the rouen. Tried taking pictures but everything comes out with a reddish tint because of the brooder lamp.

 

[Amiga]

Once the ducklings have had a little chick grit so they can "chew," try some mashed thawed peas. Most ducks really like them! And if you are the bringer of peas, it will help them get used to you.

Out of eleven ducklings, about half are happy to get pets at least sometimes, and they are not that difficult to catch if I need to examine or medicate them.

Many ducklings go through a phase, from about age three weeks up to perhaps six weeks or so, when they become terrified of anything larger than they are (like us, the ones who love them). It helped when I entered their area as low as I could get, making friendly quiet noises before I came into sight. And the peas helped, too. I put an old sheet in the hallway, let them out of their brooder into the hallway, and tossed peas. It was great joy. They would forget to be afraid of me.

I would clean out their brooder, and they would return to it after just a little coaxing.

I sat near them as often as I could, sang to them (I still sing to them), offered peas, and they are quite friendly little ducks.

It seems like you are going to do a great job with these little guys! Please keep us posted, it can be a steep learning curve!

 

[1hotmoma]

I am so excited. I got 2 babies today. I have so much to learn. My autistic 24yo son likes them. He does help me with my chickens and now the ducklings. I am keeping notes from you all and I know that this next year will be a learning experience.

 

[jk216]

hi all,

I am new to ducks but not chickens.

i have a question to ask about my 3 young duck who i have had for just over 1 week, when we brought them they were 9 weeks old so now they are just over 10 weeks old and so cute. I've read that ducks only need to be feed once a day! My duck live in the same coop as the chickens and as the chickens are feed twice a day the ducks eat with them, is this wrong should i try and separate the chicken and the ducks at feeding time so the ducks are getting enough food, maybe that is why they are having to feed twice a day! any advice grateful julie x

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Quote:

When my ducks were ducklings I fed them "Free Choice", or all the time. Now that the ducks are adults I remove the food & water during the day when they free range, and give it back to them when I want them to go back into the coop.

I think I gave the ducks "free choice" feed until they were 6 months old. If your feed is high in protein (like above 15-20%) you can mix in rolled oats / whole oats, so you can worry less about "angel wing".

(When I got my ducks I thought every molt was angel wing & I would be in the duck yard hyperventilating, trying to remember where the ace bandages were & talk myself down all at once. I was kind of a nervous Nelly all of last summer...)


Quote: I didn't think you did, but I think people are often told not to handle their ducklings too much in case one is a drake. Some drakes will become problematic if they are confused about who is top duck - you or him. I think that issue starts after the brooding phase, and it is better to handle ducklings as much as possible during brooding. I hope you didn't feel like anyone was coming down on you. It sounds like you are doing great.
When my ducks hit that 3-6 wk "She's coming to get us" phase I backed off with handling them, but continued to be a presence - singing like Amiga does, or just sitting there speaking to them.
(My ducks have a song & they come running when I sing it. My chickens have a different song they will run to. It is a fun parlor trick when friends come over to call the ducks & chickens separately. Most people can't believe I can call them in the first place though, so...)
During that adolescent time I tried to always announce myself (still do) and stay low (still do), I also tried to always be consistent about times with them. Now they are my alarm clock. "It is 11, come let us out already."


Quote:

Congrats! Welcome to you as well!

I think we are all so lucky to have BYC as a resource. I wish every domesticated animal could have forums as active & helpful as these. I think we're all better animal keepers as a result of this great community & I am sure you'll all find more help & info here than you know what to do with.

 

[jk216]

Thanks M Kitchengirl,

I was starting to worry that i was doing them harm by over feeding, by the way are duck meant to love yogurt because my 3 do. Julie x

 

[1hotmoma]

I have so much to learn. It will take time. Thanks everyone for the pointers.