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

[Makenzie]

I'm sorry for not replying not meaning to be rude. I just today looked at 'my profile' and discovered it shows where I posted and some have little numbers on the left hand side which I'm guessing means there are posts I've not yet read. That said I have to admit I am really jealous when I hear people talk about physical contact with their ducklings/ducks. I think I am learning the whole 'less is more' but from the very beginning any contact with me has been cause for absolute panic, screaming and yelling on their part. I am too afraid of them hurting themselves or accidentally hurting them when they flail around like that so I have refrained from attempting anymore physical contact.

This has helped our bonding in some ways. They eat out of my hand, respond to their names when I say them, respond when they hear my voice, and as long as I don't attempt to touch them they'll stay right next to me. I think two other things made me realize that they have imprinted on me a little. Last week there was an enormous crack of thunder like none I've ever heard. Animals in the house freaked out and I shot out the door looking for Pip and Squeak. They'd gotten themselves up under the porch for a 2nd time but this time they got themselves in a real bind. They'd gone all the way to the other side of the porch and were in the small space underneath the first step up onto the porch. I spoke they answered, got a flashlight, peas, the dog stepping loudly in front of where they were and nothing moved them. They spent the night there with me once again leaving the porch light on and front door wide open with screens in. The next morning I was outside right as the sun came up talking and they answered from the exact dang place and once again nothing I did seemed to make a difference. I went around unblocking the entire porch, walked away and two minutes later out they came. LOL Boy oh boy when they saw and heard me I got yelled at nonstop. In the evening I sit out with them making sure to spend some time doing nothing. The other night I got up, slowly, to get my drink off the porch nearby and turned back around as they realized I wasn't standing right there. They started yelling then when they saw me they came running and since then they will come after me if I'm out of their comfort zone. I'm getting reasonably good at herding them too. We're getting there the three of us are, muddling along together.

Here they are at 2 weeks and again at 4 weeks:

 

[ChickenRMe]

thanks for the tips! I was gona get me 3 ducks! would about a 6x6ft water pool work for 3 ducks? feel free to PM the answer to the amount of water =) THANKS!

 

[ldutch123]

Keep it coming. I'm a new duck mom and I'm so lost. They are so sweet and lovable but they seem a lot more into me thank my chicks are. They go crazy and want me to get them out of their breeder area and take them to run in the yard and go for a little swim. Is it ok to let them swim even though they are a week old? I take them out for a few minutes

 

[ldutch123]

Also sometimes it looks like the ducklings Vomit?? Mostly water. Also sometimes mine sleep my the darn water dish

 

[zekii]

In post number 3 this was mentioned:

Manage the water in the brooder before the ducklings arrive. They cannot help it, they are waterfowl. They splash, they dribble. Set up a watering station that will catch the water instead of letting it soak into the bedding. This will reduce the frequency of cleanups, and keep odors at bay.

Does anyone here have an easy way to do this in a small brooder...?
Any pictures would be helpful.
I now know how messy ducklings are with their water..12 welsh harlequins mess up their brooder awful quick with spashing
water. Once they're in a larger area it won't be an issue, but in a small rubbermaid brooder I need some ideas to capture some
of the water mess.