Ducklings!

[Kaush]

Well it was my birthday on monday and i went to the lfs
to get some products when some chicks and ducklings caught my eye. So i brought a pair of adorable yellow ducklings home with me. They are housed in a plastic storage box at the moment with hay and woodshavings as substrate. The shop did not know what species they are and because they are only babies i cannot tell yet but i thinks they are regular mallards. I have a few questiona about them though.

They are drinking a lot of water at the moment, is this natural or are they too hot?
How often should i handle them?
I have a large pond outside now, about six foot by four foot, is this big enough for when they are older?
Can they be kept with pond fish when they are older?
What is the best bedding for them?
Do they need a hide right now?

 

[aly_starh]

Lucky you, i brought some 'fertile' duck eggs from Ebay, they werent even fertile!

They are drinking a lot of water at the moment, is this natural or are they too hot?
Yep, when they are young they wll drink loads of water
How often should i handle them?
As much as you want, but when they want to sleep let them.
I have a large pond outside now, about six foot by four foot, is this big enough for when they are older?
Yes, Ducks dont necessarily need water, but it is nice for them to have some. For people who havent got a pond you can just use a childs plastic paddling pool. the water needs to be changed every day. But if your pond is filtered then maybe a weekly water change.
Can they be kept with pond fish when they are older?
Hmm.. not too sure. a few reasons i wouldnt put them with fish is;
1.) They might get eaten
2.) Duck waste might be toxic to fish
What is the best bedding for them?
ATM, whilst indoors. Something like tissue paper will not do, this will cause the ducks to have splayed legs. you will have to be careful with what wood shavings you use, some can be toxic. Straw type bags are reccommended.
Do they need a hide right now?
Not really, but you could give them a little cardboard box.

A bit of advice, i would'nt keep them in a storage box tbh. Keep them open then get something to keep them in that space. 4 Foot by 2 Foot would be good. Also dont put them into water till 2 months.



EDIT: Have they got a heat lamp to keep them warm, this should be placed on one side of the enclosure, so if it does get too hot they can go over to the other side to cool down.

 

[Kaush]

they are on a mix of hay and woodshavings that I had left over form my hamster at the moment, but i am going to move them onto just hay. The box they are in is near a radiator so they have a cool side and a warm side. What do you mean by keep them open?

 

[aly_starh]

Oh, by keeping them open, i meant dont put them in a box. They might be abit restricted. Type in duck brooder in google Images

How big is the 'box'?

 

[Kaush]

The box is about 3ft by 2ft. How do you reccomend i keep them open?

 

[aly_starh]

Thats fine then.

By open i meant, put some lining on the floor and make a little fance so they dont jump out.

But the size you are saying the storage box is, is fine for them atm.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

If they're yellow I'm guessing that they aren't mallards, most of the time mallards are darker colors, usually brownish.

Also, Betta, why no water? They'd be in water if they were with their mums, I don't see the harm in letting them swim in the tub or a kiddy pool as long as you can get them back.

 

[aly_starh]

There feathers are not water-proof at such a young age apparently.

Even when giving them water you have to be 100% cautious, that the water is not that deep that they could drown there beack in it.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

1. They do drink lots of water. What are you feeding them right now?
2. You should handle them as regularly as you can, being only little ducklings they are happiest when they are being handled (as usually their mother would be constantly around them). Simply being gently held and gently stroked is one of the best ways to handle them as they will enjoy the warmth and love greatly .
3. You can put them out in the pond when they are semi-adults or adults, however be warned that they will turn the water all muddy brown. Foxes will also pose a risk to them, so when you start letting them outdoors you should still lock them up somewhere safe for the night.
4. They produce a lot of waste which will foul the water so i wouldn't recommend keeping them with fish.

I had a duckling many years ago, when it comes to their accomodation i would recommend putting them in a bath towel lined basket or box- they poop a lot so their towels should be washed on a regular basis. You should take them out as regularly as possible for as long as possible, and give them a daily swim around in the bath tub (just plain water, not hot) to help exercise them and build up their leg swimming muscles. Make sure you gently dry them afterwards. As they grow up, it would be best to give them some sort of indoors play pen to spend the day in.

Ducklings are incredibly cute, but they all unfortunately turn into ducks sooner or later. If you are not certain about looking after these ducklings in the long run, when they are older it may be best to rehome them to a bird sanctuary or give them to a farmer with a duck pond etc to look after .