Raising Ducklings?

Question

Tips and Hints to raising ducklings from experience or some useful websites.

Answer 1

We used a very large, deep, tub with a heating pad under it to keep them warm.  We use paper towels on the bottom of the tub because there is a danger of them eating other types of bedding.  We feed and water them every 3 hours when they are small.  If you keep the water and food with them all the time, it makes a very bad mess.  AT feeding time, we always change the paper towels and clean the tub.  We feed them duck or chick starter, it does not matter which because they are pretty much the same.  We feed this until they are all feathered out and then feed duck or chicken food, mixed with wheat and cracked corn.  You can't feed this too early, because their digestive system is not ready for it when they are younger.  Ducks are primarily vegetarians, but eat bugs, small frog and lizards, minnows.....Ours have a very large fenced in yard where they are free to roam during the day.  We have two pools for them to swim in and splash around.  We change the water in them every day.  (ducks like to p**p in the water)  Now we feed them 4 times a day.  We never leave the food out after they are done eating because it attracts too many insects and also sours.  They don't eat as much food when they are grown because they eat grasses and other things they find crawling around the yard. At night and when we go away we put them in our screenroom so we don't have to worry about predators.  They can be a lot of work, but ours are Cayugas and they are extremely friendly and enjoy our company and like playing with our dog and grand daughter.  They also are not as loud as other breeds of ducks.  Please read my profile

Answer 2

well raising baby ducks is pretty easy.  I threw them in a box with the top opened up and put food and water in there.  Put some cedar chips in the bottom and change the cedar chips once in awhile it will get dirty fast.   Other than that they pretty much do their own thing and grow up.  You also need a brooding light i think its called to keep them warm.  

You can get a book Storey's Guide to Raisinng ducks and that might be a good book to read before you start. its only 13 bucks.