shicks0211   new baby ducks!
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First Post Posted on: 04-04-13 08:13 PM
I have some runner ducks on my lake and the brown ducks hatched 6 days ago from their eggs.  The ancona ducks hatched yesterday and those eggs were ordered online
      martin   new baby ducks!
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      Reply #: 1 Posted on: 04-05-13 04:28 AM
      Awesome pics!!!
      pigeontrader   new baby ducks!
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      Reply #: 2 Posted on: 04-05-13 05:19 AM
      Lovely ducklings shicks!! They are superrrrr cutteee..... !! Are these baby ducks in any kind of box..? If you have time, please tell me... I wish to know more about the set up.....
      shicks0211   baby ducks
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      Reply #: 3 Posted on: 04-05-13 08:04 AM
      actually, what they are in right now is only a temporary set up.  It's a wash tub with bedding in it and a heat lamp on one side.  They're moving to a pen today, just a medium size cage for them that has a top over it.  I put them in the wash tub as they're hatching because it's just easier for me until they all get hatched and i can get in and out of it easily, plus they're so small they can't get out, and of course the room they're in now has a door so nothing can harm them.  I will move them as they grow about 3 times.  They started in the incubator till they were dry, then into this wash tub set up.  then i'll move them to my sunporch (still inside, but can be closed off from the house and the floor is tile and easy to clean when they throw water and such out of the pen)  They'll stay in the pen on the sunporch for about 10 days or so, then i have a little run set up outside where for about a month after that, i will put them outside during the day to forage and hang out and only bring them in at night to sleep in their pen.  Once they get feathered they'll be free roaming and come and go as they please.  I do have a coop outside that they can go into at night if they choose.  some of them do go there..some prefer to stay on the lake.    As you can see from the pics a couple of the ducks are much larger than the others..that is a 6 day difference..one chocolate runner is in the back ground, and the other is the big duck in the front..he looks yellow because of the way the red heat lamp is hitting him..but he is definitely brown.   Since the two were in there for 6 days before i put the new babies in ..the runners were not nice at first and i had to supervise..but by the next day they're all fine together..they will be a flock together when they get to go out.
      shicks0211   first day outside
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      Reply #: 4 Posted on: 04-07-13 10:37 AM
      ancona ducklings 3 days old, runner ducklings 10 days old..first day out in the grass. 
          pigeontrader   new baby ducks!
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          Reply #: 5 Posted on: 04-07-13 01:35 PM

          Hey shicks,

           

          Really cute ducklings. And I have a really good news for you. I was out of town to visit my friend and she gifted me four ducklings - 3 pekins and 1 mallard. They look extremely gorgeous. Will be posting pics soon. I got some Duck Starter Food from my local feed store and I'm giving them plenty of water. I was wondering what type of other treats to give them and if they need grit.

          shicks0211   Re: new baby ducks!
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          Reply #: 6 Posted on: 04-08-13 02:13 PM
          Aww...that's GREAT!!  i'm so glad for you!  you'll have so much fun!  For treats you can give them any kind of dart greens..like spinich..or romain lettuce..chopped up of course..or even iceburg lettuce but that isn't as rich in nutrients.  They love to forage outside ..getting grubs and such from out there..i sometimes throw some meal worms down for them to find in the grass..grit is not necessary..they pick up sand and dirt as they forage in the yard.  I do occassionally chop up an egg shell and all and let them eat it..i they seem to enjoy it.  Mine have a lake, but when they're smaller and even now with the big ones I turn on the hose and spray it into the air and they love to run around in the water and clean themselves.  I usually put a nice size pan or tub of water for them to get into if you don't have a pond or lake..or if they're too small to be able yet to get into the pond.  If the water is deep enough for them to dunk their head they love it..just be sure they can get out when they want because they will drown if they can't get out.   as they get older..in like a couple weeks, you'll be amazed at how quickly they grow, you can switch to pellets because they'll be nearly full grown in about 5 weeks.  Cant wait for pictures!!
          pigeontrader   3 pekin ducklings and 1 mallard duckling
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          Reply #: 7 Posted on: 04-08-13 11:36 PM
          It was an awesome day today!!!  My sweet little ducklings were wandering happily around the backyard together most of the daytime. I kept a water container with an opening only large enough for their heads to fit in. Also, I provided a heat lamp in one of my unused room just beside the backyard. This room had enough space for these ducklings to move away from the heat if needed. Since the pekin ducklings dominated in count (3 pekins), the only one mallard duckling was quitely following wherever the pekin ducklings went. It was a visual treat. By the way, I read something like clipping their wings. Do I need to do that?
          shicks0211   clipping ducks wings
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          Reply #: 8 Posted on: 04-09-13 07:39 AM
          Pekin ducks can not fly so clipping their wings in not necessary.  The mallard duck will be able to fly, but if they're little ducklings it's too early to clip them.  That is a decision you can make later, but the pekin ducks will be his flock so he'll most likely want to hang around for a bit..I've never clipped any of my ducks wings.  I've had some mallards mixed in and for the most part they stick around.  They do fly but they stay on the lake..sometimes i won't see a couple of them for a day or two and then they'll come back.  If you don't want that you can always clip their wings later..it's only really necessary to clip one..
          pigeontrader   what happened to my pekin duckling?
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          Reply #: 9 Posted on: 04-09-13 12:51 PM
          This morning, I gave my 3 pekin ducklings and my only 1 mallard duckling a bath in my sink. I used the shut-off device so that water stays in the sink. I let these ducklings swim around and after a few minutes, I took all these ducklings out and placed them on a towel to dry them..... But to my dismay, after this, one of my pekin ducklings seems to be uneasy. I took the duckling outside in the sun thinking it would feel better if cold has struck her, but still duckling isn't ok..... And it is refusing to eat also. What do I do!!?? Rest of them are just happy about their first time swimming experience!!
          shicks0211   Re: new baby ducks!
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          Reply #: 10 Posted on: 04-10-13 08:24 AM
          hmmm, as long as you make sure that they are able to get dry and don't get a chill they should be fine to swim.  In fact i usually give them a tub of water after about 5 or 6 days old that they can splash around in outside.  as long as they can get in and out they're fine.  I've never had them not eat.  I think it must be a coincidence that he stopped eating after the swim..i mean if he didn't get hurt or anything then he should be fine.  try just keeping him warm and see how it goes, keep food and water nearby , i think he'll start eating again, esspecially when he sees the others eat.  You can try putting some food in a little dish of water so it gets soggy, maybe he'll eat that..or once its soggy..like liquidy, try putting some on his beak and he'll open his mouth to get it off..but it could be he's just chilled.
          pigeontrader   Pekin duckling is back to action!!
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          Reply #: 11 Posted on: 04-10-13 06:47 PM
          Hey shicks.... I gave my pekin a stuffed toy to cuddle up. The sweetie was always near the toy... I think it made the duckling keep warm and surely duckling would have felt comfortable. I also cuddled the duckling sometimes to keep the duckling warm..... The other 2 pekins and mallard ducklings were a bit jealous about it, I guess ... lol..... ..... I added some water to the food as you said. Also, I added a small amount of sugar to the water and used a plastic feeder. The pekin duckling swallowed the soggy food much easily though it was reluctant at first... I am so relieved now. Thank you...