Caring for ducklings, and things to know...
Now that you have decided to raise some ducklings. You need to be prepared ahead of time and know what to expect. Here are a few tips and things to have on hand for when you bring them home.
Some sort of containment pen. You will need a brooder is large enough for them to grow in until they are ready to be outside. They will grow fast, doubling in size each week. Also, keep in mind if you have pets. Make sure that the ducklings are protected from them, especially if your pets are not used to having birds around.
Shavings, newspaper, puppy pads, or some sort of absorbent. Ducks are water birds; they will make a mess no matter what you try to do. Change the bedding when it gets wet or soiled, this can be a daily or every other day depending on the size of your containment pen.
HEAT
Ducklings will need a heat source. Keep a heat lamp on about 18 inches above the pen, and it should be kept 90 degrees underneath the lamp, at the height of the bedding to keep them comfortable. However, make sure they are able to move away from the heat source if they feel too warm. Depending on the time of year, they should have access to a heat source until they are 5 to 6 weeks of age and are fully feathered. Keep an eye on them to see if they are using the heat or bedding down away from it. If they are, raise the lamp up at an inch or two increments so they are more comfortable. We use an aluminum Brooder Lamp with Ceramic Bulbs. I love the ceramic bulbs for 2 reasons. There's no shards of glass if the bulb should break and it does not light up, so no red light is being emitted. We have 2 sets of ceramic bulbs, depending on the ambient heat of the house and the time of year. Either the 150 Watt or the 75 Watt bulbs.
FEEDING
They will need feed; it must be a crumble feed and non-medicated. We used Chick Start and Grow or Flock Raiser.
Fill a shallow wide bowl for them to have full access to. Let them eat as much as they need, but also make sure they have water at all times. They use the water to flush their nostrils and to swallow the food. Ducklings generally do not need any other food source when they are little. You can give them peas as a treat, but the feed and Niacin supplement is all they really need at this time.
Niacin and or Brewer’s Yeast. This will need to be added to their feed daily. Since they are not out in the wild foraging for food high in Niacin you will need to supplement. If the ducklings do not have enough Niacin in their diet to grow strong bones, especially in their legs. They will become lame, lethargic, and feverish. You will see swelling in their legs and they will not be able to walk.
For water, also use a shallow wide bowl, make sure the bowl is not too tall, or they will just tip it over. Or try using a Pigeon Waterer. We have found that using this instead of a bowl helps with the amount of water spilled, and they cannot climb into it to play either. We place this in a tray so if they do drip water it will stay more on the tray than seeping into the shavings.
DIRECTIONS for NIACIN
We have found that Niacin capsules work the best. (Found at local pharmacies, grocery store or online.)
Pull open the capsules and pour into your waterer when filling with fresh water. The ratio is about (1) liter of water to (1) 500 mg capsule. You can use the tablets; however, you will need to crush them. We have found that they do not dissolve in the water as effectively as the powder does from the capsules.
DIRECTIONS for BREWERS YEAST
Brewers Yeast can be purchased online or from a natural food store, we buy the flakes in a 1 pound bag. Take 2 tablespoons and sprinkle over their feed in the bowl once a day.
This is the brand we use:
Amazon
“TUBBY TIME” SWIM TIME or BATH TIME
Ducks need to be able to bathe themselves, especially after they start to get more active. Generally, when they are about a week or so old. Provide them with a shallow pool of tepid water that does not go above their bellies. As they get bigger you can increase the depth of water. You want to be within eyesight of them during this time, as they could easily drown. Ducklings are born with down feathers, and they have not yet begun to secrete oil to repel water. If they were being raised by their mother, she would be rubbing a coat of her oil on them to essentially waterproof them.
Once the downy feathers get thoroughly soaked, it causes them to sit lower in the water and making it more difficult for them to move around and stay afloat.
Let the ducklings play, practice preening and swimming. This is when we give them the peas as a treat, this encourages them to move around, swim and as they get older dive down for the peas. Once they start to look like they have had enough “Tubby Time”. (They will just stand in one spot and not move) remove them and dry them off with a towel to remove excess water. As time goes by you will start to see more and more of the downy feathers floating in the water. This happens when their new feathers start to come in. And once you begin to see the water fully repelling off their feathers, the concern for drowning will be less, and this happens around 6 weeks of age.
Once they are fully feathered, they can go outside. If the outside temperature is about the same as what the temperature is in your brooder pen, then no additional heat is needed. If it is still colder than what they were accustomed to when in the brooder, then use the heat lamp in their shelter until the temperature gets warmer.
I hope this information helps you to raise some wonderful, happy, healthy, and entertaining feathered friends!
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