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- #11
This is very true....making my second ammendment....after I re-homed the Pekin drake, I brooded 2 female ducklings only....while drakes are small they won't do much, but as soon as they start to reach maturity (about 12 weeks) they can be dangerous and should definately be housed away from chicken hens and with plenty of female ducks.Pretty good basic discussion. I'd add that ducklings require a higher level of niacin than can be found in chick starter. Niacin can be provided with the addition of brewer's yeast to feed or niacin capsules to water. Dosage is 100mg per gallon. Ducklings require water at all times when feed is present and they need the water to swallow the feed. Ducklings also need a waterer that is deep enough that they can rinse their eyes and nares in. Finally, ducklings do best when they are raised with other ducks even when brooded with chicks. Getting straight run ducklings can be a big issue as too many drakes can overbreed and kill ducks and not enough females may result in a drake trying to breed chickens. Ducks and chickens are not anatomically compatible and breeding can injure or kill a chicken.