I don't know anything about ducks! We went to the auction tonight to sell our two extra silkie roosters & cam home with 3 baby ducks. They are a day old & I have no idea what type. I have them tucked into the brooder with food & water (they absolutely love the water!) but now I need to learn up on ducks. I don't have a clue what to do with them. Oh well - thats the fun of living on a farm!
I came home from the feed store a few months ago with chicks and two ducklings, and had to read up FAST about ducklings. The first thing I can help you with is the waterer situation: get an empty, deep cottage cheese or Cool Whip container. Take off the lid, cut an oval slice in the lid, put it back on. Put something heavy in the bottom, and fill it up with water. Put it on a cookie sheet or some such thing in the brooder. This will allow them to put their whole heads into the water, which they NEED to clear their nares (nostrils), but they can't get into it to spill it or poop in it. That's probably the most important thing. Oh! Ducklings also need more niacin than chicks, so get some Brewer's Yeast and add it to their feed now and then. I use a powdered version, just put some in every couple days. You can use chick starter for them if you add the Brewer's yeast. Good luck! They GROW FAST!! They put ALL their growing into their bodies INSTEAD of their feathers, unlike chickens. They'll be bigger but still with downy fuzz all over, really fast.
Awww gongrat's on the duckie's.Only advice I have is invest in a lot of clothespin's or a snorkel mask lol.Duck's are the worst for brooding!.But after you get through it they are a joy to watch and have around.I have brooded literaly Hundred's and DH swear's I have an iron stomach. A couple aren't too bad if you keep them clean daily.They will dabble or drink in any water they get and they will get messy.Feed is about norm for them go for a slightly higher protien but NON medicated feed for them.If you have a TSC local get the Dumor brand 20-24% for at least the first couple months.Once they are feathered and stuff I always gave mine a scratch grain grower finisher mix then off to whole corn/ cracked or scratch grain mix but then again once mine are adult's they do free range also.Im still give my 5 month olds some grower even though they eat like a million bugs a day.Just keep them as dry as possible and trust me they will do just fine.
I have muscoveys - LOVE them!!!! Except the poo (in my opinion) ranks right up there with Turkeys - My GOSH! YUK! LOL! I have a broody hen that will brood anything - including an empty nest - so I got some chicken eggs that are fertilized and she successfully sat on them - but killed the three that were hatching friday when I was at work. She still has 2 under her - one banty egg - other is a smaller white - not sure what it is - a friend gave me eggs to try. We were hoping if she hatched something out she would get off the nest - LOL! Good luck with your ducklings - I have 3 that are 4 and 5 weeks old - LOVE THEM!
Quote:Sorry to hear that! Thanks for the advice team! We are excited about the ducks. I will try to get some pics up today, but we have a lot planned so it may be pretty late. I will set up the water dish like that today! Right now I'm using the chick waterer & they seem to want to jump in!
