What have I gotten myself in to!!

[Blondiega1]

So a guy shows up randomly at our front door and asks if he can release his ducks on our lake.
He got them for his little girl for Easter and now they getting big and it's too much for him.

Well, I wasn't really planning to do the "duckling" stage, but I knew these ducklings couldn't be more than 2 weeks old and would NEVER survive on their own on our lake, soooooooooooo I got ducklings!!

Meet Tweety and Taz.
I have NO IDEA what I'm doing!!
I've read enough on here to know to get them off the the medicated chicken starter he had them on.
They had been eating it for at least two weeks. Do y'all think they will be okay now that I'm getting off it??

Also, I've read that between 6-8 weeks old they will have all their feathers and can be allowed to free range on the lake.
Thoughts?

Right now they are in a very large dog crate, which I know isn't going to hold them for long.
I just couldn't let him just release them any old where because I know they likely wouldn't make it!

All suggestions and tips are appreciated.

Oh...........and any idea on breed?
I'm thinking they are likely Pekin.
He bought them at the local Tractor Supply Company.

 

[Darklingstorm]

Can't see the pictures

As for housing, I would use temporary fencing to keep the rounded up and let them stay in the dog house/crate at night.

I have a duck pen and I have 2 adult Khaki campbells and two 6 week old ducklings. I moved the ducklings in with the older ducks and don't have any problems.

 

[Blondiega1]

Thanks. My husband is bringing home some chicken wire today so we can make them a little outside area.
And I think I fixed the pictures on my post.

 

[Amiga]

Yes, be sure to have something very secure for nighttime.

Raccoons will (graphic mental image warning) pull them out, piece by piece, through chicken wire. And many predators can dig under a fence. So especially at night, think secure and solid.

For youngsters like this, hawks can also be a problem, so some kind of netting or fence above.

Good for you for taking them in!!!

 

[tbitt]

First off, shame on those people for taking on something they had NO intentions of caring for! Ugh!! It makes me so mad...and so sad for all the animals that are going to have that same fate.

AND - Bravo for you for taking on THEIR mistake. You will LOVE them.



For now; the crate will work. You can even pick it up and bring it into the garage or basement each night to keep them safe. I have read that the medicated starter has new meds in it that are not as bad for ducks...so you should have healthy babies once you get them on a proper DUCK (waterfowl) food.


To keep your area cleaner try making one of these to put your water up on.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z244/TBitt/Barn/Duck shelter/100_5543-1.jpg

I call it a “water table”. The water falls through the wire mess and into the tub below – that way the water does not get all over your bedding and on the food…. That will help keep there area cleaner and smell nicer longer.

Good luck

 

[tbitt]

Why are my posts all run together like that? I am putting in spaces...really I am.... I am even using the enter key... I don't get it. :-/

 

[Apyl]

Yes, their Pekin. Having them in the dog crate for now is fine. Pekins grow spuper fast. Mine is now 6 weeks old and about 7 pounds ans fully feathered. Just keep it simple. Raise their waterer just above the beding, let them swim in the tub about once a day, get them some Flock raiser, and have fun.

 

[Blondiega1]

Yes, their Pekin. Having them in the dog crate for now is fine. Pekins grow spuper fast. Mine is now 6 weeks old and about 7 pounds ans fully feathered. Just keep it simple. Raise their waterer just above the beding, let them swim in the tub about once a day, get them some Flock raiser, and have fun.

Thank you!
My Pekin I have now, Jmatt, will be so happy to have new friends!
We lost our other Peking, Ben, just a few weeks ago.

 

[Blondiega1]

Any ideas on why one has a pinkish colored bill and one has a yellow colored bill?

 

[Apyl]

Any ideas on why one has a pinkish colored bill and one has a yellow colored bill?

I was trying to google the bill colors and I found a few answers (guesses) one post said hormone levels, another said vitamin deficiency, and on a domestic duck page it said its normal for pekins to have bills ranging in color from yellow to different shades of pink. From what I can find even with a pink bill the duck lives a healthy life.