OK, this isn't a huge emergency but a friend needed homes for two guinea pigs and a duck and since I'm the local zoo, I said yes. Now there's a big yellow duck following me around my house. I'm in love! Anyways, I've never had ducks before. Right now they have the duck on 16% layer pellets. What do they eat as ducklings, what do they eat as adults? It's enormous, when do they get real feathers instead of down? What about a pen? Kiddie pool? I don't know how old it is, but the person said they thought it was around a month or so. I think it might be a Pekin. How do you sex? Help please, lol!
Need Help ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patch I have my very first ducks and they're 11 days old so I'm not an expert (I just play one on DG ;-) ) . Mine are Cayuga Ducks (three of them) and they're enjoying game feed (same stuff turkeys eat), lettuce (they love to tear it up) and earthworms (you can wear gloves when you handle them if it bothers you). They love to jump in their water dish. Ducks and other waterfowl must have a deep enough water dish so they can dunk their heads at the very least. I was told to keep them out of the water till they were older but they had other plans and as soon as they arrived they all jumped in the water with glee! Nothing bad has happened to them. I keep a 85 watt red spotlight over their brooder and they sit under it and preen after they've bathed.
I have no idea how to sex them! Don't forget to give them grit!!!
MollyD
It looks funny cause it's so big and yellow. For some reason I assumed at this size ducks had real feathers. I just tried to feed it a waxworm, but didn't seem interested.
I'm guessing it's younger than a month. Closer to 2 or 3 weeks old. I don't know how these things taste but maybe waxworms don't taste like earthworms??
MollyD
Males squeak Females QUACK. As most men have always told me the females are always louder. But it is true. Ducks eat everything except medicated feed pretty much. Then males tails curl up when they get their tail feathers and females don't. By 3 months old they will be fully feathered. Hope all this helps.
So, if the duck is two or three weeks and mainly chirps, only semi-quacking every now and then, does that mean it's a male. Or, do they not start quacking until a certain age? I know the chicks don't cluck until older, is it the same for ducks?
Patch my ducks don't quack yet. They peep like chicks do. So does the geese :-)
MollyD
So far I've been calling the duck Aflak :)
Mine are the Quacker brothers. The three of them do everything together so it's been hard to pick up on separate personalities. Two of them are crested Cayugas and the third is a regular Cayuga. There was a 4th but it died the day after it arrived here. I could tell from the moment it arrived that it was in trouble big time. My geese are Hanzel and Gretel. I only name them if they stand a real good chance of staying with us a long time. If they're intended for Camp Freeze I avoid names so I don't get attached (hopefully). Then there is Hercule who is a whole other story.
MollyD
Well, I wasn't going to name, but the duck follows me around and thinks it's a person. I think I'm going to be in trouble when Aflack must go outside. Rigth now it's resting by my feet, and the minute I stand up it's up. If I start talking, it chirps back. It goes crazy if it can't find you or if you put it back in it's crate. Really just too cute. I'm already thinking of getting thoes Indian Runners I've always wanted to keep it company. Oh, maybe some crested blue swedish and Khaki campbells also :)
Patch you've got it bad! LOL
MollyD
I didn't know they were this personable. OMG, look at my spelling in my last post, oh well, lol!
LOL today I moved my ducks and geese into a larger home made brooder. I took a storm window and removed one sash. Laid it on it's side between two barrels (this is in my greenhouse which is temporarily a poultry nursery!). That keeps the chicks out and the ducks and geese in. It's war when those two get together. The floor is now covered with pine bedding and they've got their heat lamp. They looked so happy at the extra space!
MollyD
That's a great idea! As for me, I needed a break to get some things done, so Aflack is not sitting next to a laundry basket that has pant legs hanging down around him and slippers on each side to kep him company. Phew, I think he thinks it's a person, totally gives me a chance to get some stuff done without him freaking out because I left the room.
Patch, I iwsh mine wuld be less affraid of us, but they are at least calmer now than they were.
Mine are now about 5 weeks old. I also found out about they have sharp claws
I am beginning to wonder what kind of ducks they are, they are just getting white under their necks, but never have been yellow that I know of. I need to call that woman back and ask her, I only saw two white peking grown ducks in the yard, so thought thats what I was getting.
Doesn't sound like Pekin does it. I would call to find out. The baby chicks I have are totally the opposite though. Whenever I go to their box they all run away. I tried holding them, but it's still mass hysteria when someone goes to feed them or pick them up, not at all like the duck, but that's probably what happens when you only have one of something.
Someone here said everytime you go to the chics to feed, say ,here chic,chic,chic. Thats what i do, and my 5 ,15 day old run to me when I go near the container i have them in, plus they are beside in the house until pen is ready .
Patch it takes time. At first mine ran when they saw me coming. Now at 15 days they run towards me before they remember to be afraid of me LOL Then after a few mins when they see I haven't eaten anyone they come back! I think by the time they're ready to be outside they will be fine around me. I find a few will sit close to me and eye me carefully like they're trying to make up their minds about me.
MollyD
I'm seriously thinking about getting in the box with them, lol!
My three week old chicks have suddenly started acting like I am the world's hungriest predator. I wonder if they have "sensitive periods" like puppies and human babies, when they are suddenly afraid of everything. My border collie had it a 12 weeks--barked hysterically at everything: bushes, ceiling fans, blue buckets by the side of the road, airplanes so high in the air I could barely see them. The vet said not to expose him to anything too strange for a few weeks so he wouldn't develop phobias. They outgrow it fairly quickly and then you are suppose to take them out and socialize them big time. My 4 month old chickens now love me...but they were a little flighty for a while.
That could be the case Catscan. probably natures way of ensuring their survival. Considering that they are prey it would be awful if they were ready to trust everyone.
Patch at least it would be nice and warm in there LOL
I love my ducks and geese. I'm always popular with them especially if I come with goodies like earthworms, dandelions and a snail for the ducks! Today I bought some earthworms at Walmart (they've got live ones in the fishing stuff section) and I made a bin to farm them so I will have a good supply of them. If the ducks no longer need them when they're ready I'll seed them into my garden beds till the next bunch of critters want to eat them. Only $2.97 for 30 of them.
MollyD
MollyD
Hi, New comer here but raises a lot of farm animals because thats what we do.
The duckling is still a baby, they will change colors some @6mths some @ 12months (in between)
Male ducks has a feather on the tail that will curl up. Females don't. They are pretty loveable like to swim in the kiddie pool. We feed crumbles & wet dog food, when older they love bread.
Yep, if you start calling chick chick or something else everytime you feed they will come running. The chicks come running when they here me rattle the horse buckets.
Good Luck on the Zoo.
Alright, just got done ordering five more ducks for my Aflak from Ideal! I ordered all pullets to be safe, and the breeds are cr. Khaki campbell, cr. cayuga, cr. blue swedish, black and white magpie, and my personal fave fawn and white runner. What do ya think, I hope he appreciates this, lol! Hopefully they'll be happy with a kiddie pool, I will only have six ducks all together.
This message was edited May 22, 2008 3:56 PM
Time to dig a pond Patch! LOL You just know it won't stop there!!! I'm eyeballing some Ancona ducks (Cackle has them) but having a slight problem convincing Paul we need more ducks. LOL it's only a matter of time ^_^
MollyD
Oh no!!! You may be right! Now I need to convince my other half to build a duck house. Anyone with any suggestions? Needs to fit six, be economic, and suitable year round for zone 5. I wonder how tall it should be. The runner would be the tallest, how tall do they get? Oh boy!
No idea. I was planning on using a dog kennel inside a hoophouse. The smaller the building the better their body heat will keep it warm. I'm zone 4b here.
MollyD
Hmmm. Good idea!
maybe you could find an XL dogloo...
Well, I could but I have a little scrap wood and was hoping on talking my "other half" into building a duckhouse. It would save us money. I just need a plan or idea.
whatsupdocs brooder sound very interesting...
Thanks Tamara. It sure took us awhile to build it.
hey patchouli, how is your duck world? here is one of our new ducklings!
and the other [honest, they AREN'T twins]
Oh TF, I'm very excited!!! My Aflak is doing great and on Friday the five ducklings I ordered will be here! WEEEEE! I was going to do the kiddie pool thing, but then I decided that I was woman enough to dig a pond, so this ought to be interesting : )
hehehe don't forget to make that pond big enough for 3 x as many ducks! LOL after all sooner or later they're going to be raising ducklings of their own.
MollyD
This message was edited May 27, 2008 1:59 PM
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LOL yep fact of life Patch ;-)
MollyD
Well, maybe I need a dozer ; )
ROFL!
ask badseed, that's what she did!