The ducks are one month old. We put them ourside last couple nights in pen because they were pecking the cage continuosly, and we were affraid they would injure their beaks and feet.
Now temp will be 60 tonight,will they be ok, or do we need to risk them in cage?
Duckling, Need Help
I think they need more heat than that. Have they fully feathered out or are they downy? If downy heat is needed for sure.
MollyD
Just downy and charcoal color ,no fathers .They will be white [ think you said Peking] .
He has went outside to get them in before I posted .
Guess we need a padded cage for them until we can get the other one built tomorrow. Chics have been inside since day one, but we thought the ducks would kill themselves in the cage. We put them in the 10'x10' pen 2 nights ago .
They acted fine today, I sure hope we didn't make them sick! That would be depressing to know we hurt them. Thanks for quick reply Molly.
I got them inside now in a nice warm big container, put a warm towel in there and they seem ok. Hope they didn't get sick .
Maybe you can set up a heat lamp out there so if the temp drops again you can just switch it on? That would save you from having to move them in and out of the house. I have mine in my former greenhouse with heat lamps over them. Last night it dropped to 57 but with the lamps they were cozy.
Hope all is well with them this morning.
MollyD
Molly they seem to be ok. I have them in living room in a 5x8 fish pond beside the chics which are in a container, it is about 3 ft. deep so they can't jump out.
They are eating lettuce and apples and some moist corn meal with powder milk, plus medicated starter, I plan to take them off starter soon.
We are building a 1x4 inch hardware cloth pen to keep out snakes and other varments.It will be ready today. Then we will buy the heat lamps and bulbs in a couple days.
Spring is so busy for us anyway, washed all the windows inside and out , transplanting plants and caring for garden . I have double dug two more raised beds .We never should have added more work, but live and don't learn I guess! But I like my little duckys and chickies .
And yall have been so much help .
Sounds very promising!! Would love to see photos of the set up with pond! And of their new home if you get a chance.
MollyD
I'll have to see if one of the kids can post them, I don't have the setup.
No water in the pond of course, it's just a pen for now. I know one misses his kiddie swimming pool, the other stopped swimming .
It's getting crowded in here, but so be it .Only have a couple more days, plus it's nice to see them .
My brooder was getting so crowded that they were walking on each other. That's why I moved them out to the greenhouse and they're loving the extra room. At night I lock them in their cardboard box with heat lamp and in the morning I let them out. They sound like kids leaving school at recess when I open up the barrier LOL
MollyD
LOL, I can't wait to see mine running around .
They are in a fairly large container with room to fly around and play. But not like being outside in a pen .
Yeah. I wish I could free range mine when they're big enough but both our dogs would kill them (not to mention the coyotes, foxes, stray dogs, hawks,etc) . I will build them a big pen since we do have the room to do that for them.
MollyD
My teenagers will be going outside after the holiday. Like Molly says, mine are so crowded they are stepping on each other. I also need the room in their side of the pen for the younger ones so I can put the babies in the smaller side of the pen. I will intergrate the younger ones with the teenagers when they get large enough to go out with them. Then I will let the babies have the run of the whole pen till they get large enough to put out with the teenagers and youngsters.
Hopefully they won't fight too much.
GG
I finally got in touch with the people I got them from.
HELP ! No wonder they haven't turned yellow 'YET'! They never will be yellow or white .
I was told they will be black and white and green when they grow up.She said they sold the parents of ours before we got there. She speaks ittle english so I was under the impression that the parents were the two white ducks running around her yard .
I guess these may be mallards, she didn't know the name of them .
What do you do with this kind of duck ? No wonder they had claws on them .
Hi whatsupdoc. They may not be mallards. There are several domestic breeds that have the same coloring--most domestic ducks in the US are descended from Mallards and have varieties that have kept that color. It is so pretty. You are also suppose to have a license to keep Mallards because they are wild animals---I bet she has a domestic variety and just doesn't know the name.
if she was oriental or eastern accent, i would say they are muscovies, particularly since you mentioned claws! a pond is not necessary for them, just a puddle or kiddie pool. you will love them! the lady probalby sold the parents for food, they are excellent tasting meat birds, and much preferred by oriental and laosions...
Could be Rouens. Check them out as your ducks develope.
Here's a picture of those ducklings
MollyD
They don't have light breast, just now starting to get some white feathers under their neck .They are almost black and charcoal grely.
They do have one stripe on corner of eyes,like a eyeliner.
Maybe when they get older we can see what color they are if they hang around that long,haha.
I had a white duck named Joe when I was a kid, he followed me everywhere, so did my goat, but we left the country when I was 12.And my parents were city slickers before they bought the place, so all our animals were pets.
Lady who owned the ducks said they won't leave if we feed them .
No wonder they tried to beat themselves to death when I caged them in 2x4 cage ,they ae wild.
whenever my ducks get about three weeks old, i put them in an outdoor pen with acces to heat and shelter
Thanks HUnter, I put them in the pen again today, but need to make sheter if it rains. They have brooder lamp out there where they like to lay by the gate .
here my my newest ducklings... two so far! how are yours doing? any idea on their type?
tf
and the other... just one day old!
OMG! I cannot wait. They are soooo cute!