Another duckling problem

I have read the threads on ducklings so far, but I still have some concerns. Perhaps you can give me some guidance. We have four mallard ducklings, that a friend hatched in a box after DH found the eggs in a nest in the pasture. Mother is gone. I am not sure how old they are, I would guess 10 days.

We don't know much about how to do it right. Here are my questions: Is it ok to move them around, during the day we have put them in a watering trough (with a piece of wood for them to sit on and a food platform). during the night in a cardboard box in the basement? In other words, at this age they don't have to be in one place all the time, do they?

Today we made an enclosure in the yard (grass and clover), with a dish with drinking water, a big flower pot saucer for bathing, and partially covered with a cloth against the bright hot sun.

The final question: What are we going to do with them once they are bigger, can we put them out on the pond (which may have turtles, and definitely has big fish)? Is there a trick to doing that correctly and if so, at what age roughly? Or is this too dangerous for them (no real mother to teach them)? Should I look for a rescue place?

They are really so cute (I know, I know, they all are). I watched them grooming themselves vigorously this evening, and I could swear they also groom each other a little bit.

Many thanks for any ideas .

C.

When we got our first duck we put him out during the day in a day yard and then he came in at night. He was about 3 weeks old. He seemed to adapt to just about anything. Now he is full grown and has his own pen with pool. We do have a pond but it also has snakes, turtles, and what not in it and we have not introduced him to it. The kids are afraid he will not return or something will happen to him.

The pool we have is a kiddy pool and we dug a hole so it is down in the ground some so it is easy for him to get in and he just jumps out. We drain and clean it every so often so it doesn't get skanky.
We also let him out and about so he can forage. He loves it when it rains because worms come up to the surface of the ground and he gets to pig out.

Hi s., do you have dogs, etc? How much do you "supervise" him, i.e. check if he is still there, for instance? Did you feed him anything in addition to chick starter (non-medicated) and shredded lettuce? Like someone said cottage cheese? I can't find bugs, except I had a few potato larvae, which they did not eat.

My little ducklings did well today, I made them a box for overnight with straw and a little shredded paper. Hopefully, they won't tip their food over, or they won't find the grains.

Your duck is really pretty, I have never seen one like that, but I guess I have never paid much attention.

Yes we have a dog but she gets along well with our chickens and the duck. She is a gem of a dog.
We keep an eye on him but for the most part he stays in the yard with the dog. We have 2 chickens that are always in the yard and he hangs around with them. He also likes to go sit by the other chickens pens. I think sometimes he thinks he is part dog because if Libby barks and runs the duck quacks and runs after her. It is so funny.

We fed him chick starter and veggies and fruit. Chopped up lettuce with chopped up grapes and tomatoes. He loved tomatoes when he was little. We also chopped up cantaloupe and he loved that. You have to chop everything because they can't chew and can't break it up like chickens do. You can also get worms at the store, like fishing worms. They love that. Ducks can also have chopped corn. They need less protein as they get older than they do as ducklings.

Most ducks are pretty good foragers and will find bugs where you can't.

Our duck looks a lot like a crested fawn and white runner duck but he does not stand up straight like they do so I think he is mixed with something else. He is a character though.
We are getting more ducks soon, all females, so when they grow he will have some girls and won't be the only duck.

S., sounds like a good set-up for your duck.

Mine are growing quite fast, one fits my hand. I would like to give them away before they grow much bigger, it seems we don't have big enough boxes, I can't leave them outside because of predators, etc., but it looks to me like DH wants to keep them (but I'll do most of the care taking).

Isn't that the way it goes. They want them but don't want to take care of them.

This is a picture of our new ducklings. They are all females and are about 5 days old. We let them play in a puddle for a little while and then dried them off and put them back in their cage. They had a blast.

Hi S., they are cute. I took a picture of ours today, but have to wait for DH to download it, so I can post it. They look exactly like your darker ones, I assume they are both the same? If not, the second one from the top is like ours, with that line by the eyes.

Be patient, and you will see picture.

Yes the dark ones are the same breed, they are Rouens and the light ones are Crested Buffs.

Finally, I got my picture, what do you think?

they are perfect and so cute, I wish I had duckling to take care of they would love my pool and also the natural pond at the bottom of the property no snakes or turtles just frogs but they dont seem to come over my way

Hi, scicciarella, I wish I could give you mine. They really tie you down, you know, and they are like babies, I constantly watch them, even last night, I had to get up at three because they were chattering a lot and I thought they might be unhappy about something, LOL.

Oh i just love your little ducks i have 5 Cayuga's and 3 Call ducks and i just love them.
I can't get enough of their antics in the pool , diveing and splashing and they talk to me all the time.
If i don't have their feed right there every morning i get a good talking too LOL

Clementine if i was close to NC i sure would take them :o)

Oh they are cuties.
What do you put them in at night? We put ours in a smaller box (about 10-1/2 by 11 with the flaps taped up) with fresh bedding and cover it, leaving air holes of course. They feel more secure and we don't hear them all night, they snuggle up together. Then in the morning we put them back in their day pen.

When they were little i had them in a brooder with a light on 24/7 then when they were 2 weeks old i moved them to a larger outdoor brooder.
It's about 8 foot long and has a wire bottom it's off the ground and has a enclosed back with a light and a run out front.

My Cayuga ducks are now free range 24/7 and my calls are in a 10x10 foot ground pen with a pool.

For little ones that make a mess with thier water take a milk jug and cut holes in it on 2 sides.
The holes should be just big enough for their heads to stick through and at a height where they can reach the water in the jug .
If they don't go to it to drink try pouring water in the top of the jug to show them theres water in there.
Mine were very attracted to the splashing sound it made when i trickled the water into the jug.

Great idea w/ the milk jug. Ducks can make a rather large mess w/ the water.

That's great you found some call ducks Harmony! My Cayuga's are just starting to get their sheen on the feathers. Just beautiful, thanks for giving me the thumbs up on them.

We dug a small pond for the ducks and geese but no-one will go into it! Instead they climb into a small tub we made by cutting off the bottom of a 55 gallon barrel. One goose just fits into it; they look funny just bobbing in the small space!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha thats so funny .......I have a kiddie pool for mine and a small rubber tub thing for my Calls

I also use a 5 gallon bucket with large holes drilled in it for my Cayuga's it cuts down on the mess too.

Mine are going threw a kind of molt and thier adult feathers are comeing in OMG that green sheen is just Beautiful!!

Heres a pic from about a month ago

So, does anyone have an idea what mine are? Apparently the mother was very dark, if not black, and wild, since DH found them in the pasture when he was mowing. S., don't you think they look like your dark ones?

They do look like our Rouens.
Rouens grow to be very large and don't fly. Mallards also would look a lot like that I would think since the Rouens and Mallards look a lot alike only Mallards fly and are smaller and Rouens are a hevy breed.

I sold off all my ducks but one. He was a booger to try and catch and he cut his foot, so we kept him. He is not sure he is a duck, chicken or turkey. He even hangs out with the dogs.

Lol, luvs2garden, your duck sounds like ours. He hangs with the chickens and loves to follow the dog quacking if the dog is barking. It is too funny, the dog runs and barks, the duck runs after her and quacks. He and our dog are pals, or so he thinks, not to sure the dog feels the same.
We finally got him some girls, but they are too small for him right now.

Well my ducks were left to me and then the mallards wanted to join the party by the time all was said and done I had over 50 ducks..............never purchased a duck one. Well after gathering them all up and selling them all off I am down to one. They are funny, and I do miss them on the pond but Oh well, I would rather fish in my pond and not fight them for the fish or the space.

hahaha and the worm