Too many ducklings - when/how to re-home?

[KCNC06]

Long story short, I didn't expect so many of my ducks' eggs to be fertile and didn't expect so many fertile eggs to develop and hatch. I currently have...26 ducklings ranging in age from 9 weeks down to 3 days. I feel like a terrible and irresponsible duck mom hatching this many babies and not being able to keep them (I probably could keep them actually but since these came from my 10 adult ducks this seems like a LOT of ducks).

Other than confirming that yes, hatching without a plan makes me irresponsible, can anyone offer suggestions on best ways to re-home some?

Vent sexing sounded very traumatic...like it would traumatize me, so I didn't bother looking into how that's done. The risk of me causing serious injury seemed too high with that. So with the young ones, I don't know how many are which gender. With the older ones, it's pretty easy to "quack" sex them. With the oldest 8, we have 4 males/4 females. The rest are too young for me to guess.

I've been thinking people who really want ducks might be more interested in getting them when they're older, ready to be outside, and know what sex they're getting. Am I wrong? I know more people in general would be interested in the cute, fluffy babies, but people love puppies and baby humans too. Once they turn into stinky teenagers...(Sorry teens!)

Most, 19 I think, are Pekins. The rest are mixed Cayuga, Rouen, Khaki's. (I have pictures on my camera, need to transfer them to my phone or laptop to upload.) Only one looks like he might be full Rouen, or maybe Rouen/Khaki. Another looks like he's Cayuga/Rouen and the others look like they're Cayuga/Khaki...in my completely uneducated opinion.

 

[Trimurtisan]

You could also look for local farms that would be wiling to take them, or maybe even buy them. You might also want to check your local TSC, there should be a community board in the back you can leave a flyer on.

I've been thinking people who really want ducks might be more interested in getting them when they're older, ready to be outside, and know what sex they're getting. Am I wrong? I know more people in general would be interested in the cute, fluffy babies, but people love puppies and baby humans too. Once they turn into stinky teenagers...(Sorry teens!)

I'd say that is pretty close to true, but there are those (like use true duck lovers) that might actually appreciate raising them from ducklings. My first 4 ducks came as 2 pairs of 2 (Easter present that where cute till they grew some). All of them 12+ weeks old so in general it was "cheaper" getting them to maturity. They also happen to be my least favorite ducks, and I'm pretty sure they just see me as a feed dispenser. The other 18 where raised from day-old and I am completely in love with them. They respond to me much much better and are generally friendlier.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You could run your ad with all ages that way some may want older out of the brooder stage others want them as young as they can get them. Try your state thread to it’s at “where am I where are you” and we have a rehoming and buy sell trade forum . Craig’s list is always my very last option.

 

[DuckyDonna]

holy batman! that's all I have to say.

 

[Trimurtisan]

Do you know how much time your older adopted ducks spent around people before you adopted them? I'm just curious if it makes a difference as they get older. All my adult ducks I got as "day" old ducklings (possibly a few days old) and they're not overly friendly. They're nervous and run away from me. But I also moved them outside when they were about 3 weeks old. My 9 week old babies slept inside until they were close to 5 weeks. They're a little skittish outside now but MUCH more friendly than their parents are.

The older pair belonged to a fella that worked fulltime and mainly enjoyed them as yard ornaments. He did raise them from day old, and did appreciate them, but didn't seems to be very hands on. The younger pair (~2 weeks) belonged to a young girl (11ish), and they where more or less just left in the yard to do w/e with minimal attention. Im not sure how old any of them where when going outside though.

The ones I raised where all feathered out before going out before going outside. Each one was handled multiple times daily also. If I'm walking around the yard they will still keep a 5'-10' distance fron me, but if I stop for a minute they start nibbling my toes. Even when they are keeping a small distance from me, they will follow me wherever I go. When I go outside I can let out a couple of quacks and the entire flock comes running and greeting me with a quack attack, including the 4 older Pekins. It's pretty cute.

 

[Trimurtisan]

I don't work either. Im a stay at home dad to 2 young boys. It's made raising the bird's easier, but it sure had not helped with the addiction I have to them lol.

 

[KCNC06]

holy batman! that's all I have to say.

Yeah, apparently our one Pekin Drake is quite the stud! And the broody Pekin hen did a great job incubating the eggs at first, until we started finding dead ducklings in her nest.

 

[KCNC06]

They respond to me much much better and are generally friendlier.

Do you know how much time your older adopted ducks spent around people before you adopted them? I'm just curious if it makes a difference as they get older. All my adult ducks I got as "day" old ducklings (possibly a few days old) and they're not overly friendly. They're nervous and run away from me. But I also moved them outside when they were about 3 weeks old. My 9 week old babies slept inside until they were close to 5 weeks. They're a little skittish outside now but MUCH more friendly than their parents are.

 

[KCNC06]

Sounds absolutely adorable! My first flock of chickens was super friendly like that. Later I had a sweet family of mallards that were very friendly. My Cayuga/Khaki/Rouen flock is fairly friendly but none of the birds get to fully free range anymore. We've had a terrible time getting grass to grow anywhere in our "yard" (funny how grass grows wonderfully in the garden bed areas and in our gravel driveway). The lack of grass has led to quite a bit of erosion over the years so this year the birds all have to stay in their yards while we try to get grass/clover/weeds...anything, to grow in the yard.

Anyway, that group of ducks will come up and eat out of my hands when I bring them treats. They also nibble my feet, legs, pants, whatever. A few of them will do "tricks" for treats. The only trick they really know is to jump a little.

I don't work so I'm with the babies pretty much all the dang time. Obviously spend a LOT of time doing laundry since the ducklings took over our master bathroom as their brooder. They might be overly friendly. They seem to think I'm one of them maybe. If I try to shower, they climb in the shower too. The biggest babies used to climb all over my brother when he'd sit in their pool with them.

 

[townchicks]

Darn, I wish you were closer. I'd love a duck that wants to shower with me,lol. Advertise that they are hand reared, that should help. Most pet duck owners want friendly ducks, I'd think.