Two ducklings on the way! What should I know?!

[poozer]

Im thinking Lucy and Ethel!! haha Two of our hens are named Laverne and Shirley. It only fits!!! hahahaha!! I went to my feed store that I normally go to and kinda tested them. I asked what I should get for the babies (knowing right well what I really need) and they told me exactly what everyone on here told me!! There is some minerals (this has a lot of Niacin in it,) Its like a powder. I put a half tsp. for every gallon of water. And some gamebird starter, they said the same thing, NO CHICK FEED!!! hahaha I was proud!! I am so excited to get them!! They cant come fast enough!! The girls hatch the 7th and arrive on the 9th, it seems so far away!!

 

[poozer]

What is really good ways to start bonding with them? I want them to grow up and be as social as possible, because we have a lot of visitors!!! Any tips?!?!

 

[Amiga]

My runners are quite sociable and love visits with humans.

I spent as many waking hours as I could with them from day one. I set up Brooder II to be large enough that I could sit in the brooder with them after each cleaning, which, some days (I did not have the water management handled very well) was five times a day.

I checked in on them often, talked to them constantly, gave them bath time, after a week started giving them lettuce and peas as treats once a day.

At the age of three weeks, when they all decided I was an axe murderer (a predictable developmental stage with most ducklings), I squatted down low, moved slowly, kept up with the treats, and just waited patiently. Eventually they came back around.

They talk to me, interact with me, "tell" me things about their environment, and seem to get a big kick out of time with me or with any other person.

 

[blondiebee181]

My runners are quite sociable and love visits with humans.

I spent as many waking hours as I could with them from day one. I set up Brooder II to be large enough that I could sit in the brooder with them after each cleaning, which, some days (I did not have the water management handled very well) was five times a day.

I checked in on them often, talked to them constantly, gave them bath time, after a week started giving them lettuce and peas as treats once a day.

At the age of three weeks, when they all decided I was an axe murderer (a predictable developmental stage with most ducklings), I squatted down low, moved slowly, kept up with the treats, and just waited patiently. Eventually they came back around.

They talk to me, interact with me, "tell" me things about their environment, and seem to get a big kick out of time with me or with any other person.

Oh yes, lol I agree....yeah I spent quite a bit of time with mine as well. I would just let them wander about the kitchen with me and they would sit on my feet under the table (there was some poop wiping off the floor of course) but it was so fun! They love treats and bath time and mine would follow me around the yard and down the street...the only sort of sad thing is when I had to leave them finally to go about my day and put them back in the brooder they would cry...it's so sad...but they would stop after a bit.

Amiga is right again....mine did that whole "I'm an adolescent now so I don't have to let you touch me" thing, but now they are awesome and when I come outside to see them, Willow will waltz right up to me and start jabbering and quacking....I pick them up and love them and kiss them...Willow always stretches her neck out, she likes having it scratched, and when I put them down she waddles back over to Ivy and they start chattering at each other (talking about me behind my back I suspect) Silly girls...I just love ducks...

 

[duckins]

May I suggest a large plastic tote pine shavings in the bottom chicken wire on top heat lamp can hang from chain hooked to ceiling for security and ability to reduce heat. Just a suggestion but it would be warmer and easier to clean out as this will be a never ending chore lol. Then in 2 or 3 weeks a child's playpen lined with plastic table cloth and towels tucked in bottom and hanging oversides to keep poop in and prevent them from ripping mesh works great. A little long winded but it really made them happy and my job a lot easier.

 

[blondiebee181]

Mine tried to eat pine shavings......

but I know a lot of others who have used it with success.....personally I would recommend wood pellets (CEDAR FREE, and not the kind you burn, the horse-stall bedding kind) They are AWESOME. They smell great and are super-absorbent. Oh and I used a couple large cardboard boxes from work put together and lined with a couple large plastic garbage bags and then a layer of the pellets....I had to spot change the litter where it got damp, but it was pretty low maintenance.

 

[poozer]

Amiga-
One more time, tell me a little more about this water management thing please. I can already tell Im not excited about them thinking Im an axe murder. hahaha About how long does this awful stage last?? hahaha!! We are changing our plans a little bit. Instead for the next couple weeks we are going to get a large storage bin for the first few weeks. Then we are also going to get a total of four, (instead of two.) Lucy, Ethel, Daffodil (Daffy for short,) and Daisy. We went to our feed store and have Niacin and other vitamin powders and duck feed for them. I cannot wait!!!

 

[poozer]

Blondie-
The horse bedding is exactly what we use for our goats and exactly what we would use for the girls!!! Im glad to hear that even though yours went through the "rebellious" faze, they are kind again About how long did it last and any other tips to get through it??

 

[blondiebee181]

Hahaha, I call it "ducky teenagers" Mine just basically went through a flighty stage where they wouldn't want to be picked up and would run away if I came towards them. If they imprint on you, that is one of the strongest bonds, and when they start to associate you with food and water and protection and whatnot you don't have to worry! They will come around...it only lasted for about a month or so, and even then they never ran far...I think it had mostly to do with them getting used to their new surroundings and roommates (my chicken hens) and finding out where they fit in the pecking order.They started to get flighty around the time I put them out for the first time. Once they knew their place and got used to their new routine, they were great. Ducks are creatures of habit, and when their normal routine is interrupted for any reason they can get a little anxious. Also, I have a theory that they get a little tender when their adult feather quills start to come in, and that can make them sensitive...when my chicken Xena molted this winter, her personality did a 180....she was my most friendly hen and suddenly she would run from me and stop fighting for treats and when I would finally catch her, she would squirm and chirp irritably...she would be first to bed all by herself which was also wierd, but now that she's all grown in again she has come back around. 4 ducks?

I already forgot what type, lol that'll be fun but lots of work hehe! The little stinkers are so darn cute though.

 

[Amiga]

Amiga-
One more time, tell me a little more about this water management thing please. I can already tell Im not excited about them thinking Im an axe murder. hahaha About how long does this awful stage last?? hahaha!! We are changing our plans a little bit. Instead for the next couple weeks we are going to get a large storage bin for the first few weeks. Then we are also going to get a total of four, (instead of two.) Lucy, Ethel, Daffodil (Daffy for short,) and Daisy. We went to our feed store and have Niacin and other vitamin powders and duck feed for them. I cannot wait!!!

There are many ways to keep the water from soaking the bedding and making a stink and causing a risk of mold and health issues. The basic idea is to keep the water out of the bedding. I used a splash catcher and it worked pretty well. But with eleven ducklings, it was still pretty high maintenance. We never had an odor problem, I will say that.

I have seen people post great frustration after a week or two when they discover that they cannot just add food and water, that they must change out bedding, or they find that when they don't manage the water or change bedding, things get a wee bit aromatic.

So, something needs to catch the splash. Ducklings splash. And withholding water is the worst idea in the world. Okay, there are worse ideas, but ducklings are waterfowl and need water in order to live and thrive. Harness the inevitable, it is written. Since ducklings splash, the water pot needs to sit in or on something that keeps the splash away from the bedding. This could be a larger container, could be a water-tight box with perforated top, there are different ways people handle this.

About the axe murderer problem. As folks have already written, it doesn't last forever. For me, it felt like forever because it went on for several weeks and I was so sad to see my babies terrified of me. It's their survival instinct and so it is good, but it makes handling ducklings tricky. I had visions of them needing therapy!

Anyway, a few forum members really helped me out. One told me to come to the brooder as physically low as I could get. Glad no one videoed me creeping into the brooder room like a monitor lizard. But it did help. What also helped was letting the ducklings run around in the hallway (the hall floor was covered with an old sheet for easy cleanup) while I did brooder cleanup. Before letting them back into the brooder room, we had a pea party. They were still quite wary of me, but they slowly - slowly - became more tolerant of me, eventually following me back and forth between the brooder and the bathroom. They even all piled into the bathroom on occasion to watch me wash out their dishes. I'll see if I can find that photo.

So, patience, treats, remember that tall things are predators to a three week old duckling's mind, quiet singing (they don't care if you cannot sing), and just quiet time with them. Keep a book handy.