Pekin duck help?

Question

Hi, my pekin ducks are hatching in 4 days. From candling, I could tell that 2 ducks are alive and 1 duck is dead. I have a cat and a dog as well, but I've taken precautions to make sure that my cat will not be near my ducks. She is an "outdoor" cat. I've already checked with my town ordainces so I know this is legal. These are my questions:

1. How should I set up their temporary indoor house?

2. How old do the ducks have to be before moving the ducks to their pen/house outdoors and out of their crate indoors?

3. I have a pond in my yard. How do I train my ducks to swim, because the pond is pretty deep, and I want them to learn how to swim first.

4. What do I feed them? I've been told different answers for this question. (chopped up hard boiled egg with sand mixed in, duck feed mixed with water, fruits and veggies, let them eat the weeds from your yard)

5. Is it ok to just have 2 ducks?

Please help, thanks!

Serious answers only plz.

Please help me with these questions!

Answer 1

for their indoor home, use a box(it could be cardboard) that has tall sides. when they get most of their feathers they can move outside. But before that, you can take them out to get used to it, but take them in at night.

your ducks already know how to swim. it's sort of built in to them. But if you really don't feel comfortable letting them go to the pond first thing, you can get them a kiddie pool. for their swims when they are young, I suggest you supervise.

You can get duck food at a feed store. It is usually in pellet or grain form. supply your ducks with grit to grind up the food. fresh veggies like spinach should be added into their diet.

It is perfectly fine to have just 2 ducks. They will have each other to keep company while you are away.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

hello =)

as a temporary situation until their old enough to go out  you could ..

..

(as someone already suggested)

use a cardboard box ... which is fine ..

make sure it is filled with some kind of bedding eg sawdust, shredded paper, straw

also the sides will have to be quite high after a few days cos ducklings learn to jump!

plain "newspaper" or magazines are not good because they don't give any grip to the ducklings which makes them easily slip and cause

"spraddle legs" also the ink and dyes int the paper/magazine can be highly toxic.

however  DO NOT use CEDAR Chippings/ cedar sawdust .. they are extremely toxic to animals

bare in mind ,

ducklings are quite messy, so the box will have to be REPLACED each week and the bedding changed every few days .. depending on how dirty it gets and how fast.

if you have also you could use something like a LARGE  dog crate to keep the little critters in .....

(with bedding etc of course)

the ducklings will be able to move out (weather permitting) when they are nearly FULLY FEATHERED up. of course they'll have to have house outdoors....

training ducks to swim?

you don't have to do that ... swimming is second nature to a duck ..... and once they are outside and fully feathered ...

they will soon start swimming about and will love it

                    BUT for the first few times if them going out to the new pond WATCH THEM  and make sure they don't stay on the water too long

(they will get water logged, and too cold = die)

also make sure they CAN get out of the pond easily.

Food wise.. you will have to get a bag of food known as *chick-crumb* or chick-starter it maybe be known as something different depending on where you are from

... but ask any good feed store  :D

and also for the first weeks of their live only give them a very SMALL amount of water as they don't know when to stop and will end up getting cold and hypothermia will set in

...cos they can't regulate their body  temp and they aren't waterproof

(until they get feathers)

ALSO a piece of vital info duckling MUST be kept WARM for the first few weeks (until they get feathers) so use either a hot water bottle or an infra-red lamp

and Yeah sure It's totally OK to have 2 ducks (it's always best to have at least 2 ) -for company so it's all Good

and with any luck! the two will turn out to be male and female and you'll have a PAIR!

hope i helped you =)