Ducklings are so cute!
We were raising chicks, so why not ducklings? We read online that it was totally possible to do so. So we did. It is not easy because ducklings are messy and grow much faster than chicks.
Within a few days, we decided to split them.
Ducklings need to dunk their heads in water to swallow their food. They love to swim. Their brood box was always wet and smelly. We had to scoop and change the pine shavings every day.
Soon they outgrew the brood box, so we upgraded them to a kiddy pool wrapped with chicken wire.
The boys took them out for bath time every other day.
Finally the chicken coop and run were ready to host everyone, and everyone grew big enough to move into the big place.
We started with the kiddy pool in the run, but as soon as everyone grew big enough to free-range, we replaced it with a larger recycled water basin. It was already outfitted with a drain, so we put it on cinder blocks and made a temporary ramp.
They loved it.
Their feathers came in. Unlike the chicks, which were “pullets”, the ducks were “surprises.”
We got lucky and got two females and two males. Until one of the females encountered a skunk. She was our first fatality.
Our ratio of female to males was not ideal. Our poor female was having a tough time, so we decided to get her some girlfriends. We combed Marketplace and Craiglist for a few weeks.
Finally, we found 4 Pekin females. Well, almost. One turned out to be a drake (boy).
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We gave everyone a few days to get acquainted and then released everyone out to free-range
A few weeks later, the roosters moved in. The coop’s equilibrium was off.
The ducks needed their own house.
My sister found some free shipping crates for grabs on Marketplace. I put my tinker hat on and try to be creative.
Mike and Ernie helped me place the house against the run, and the ducks moved in.
It is great. We hear them a lot less, and they seem calmer. They also are much more friendly than before.
They love to shower. They follow me to the feed box and ask for breakfast. They are very chatty.
For the last few weeks, the automatic chicken door has not worked. We have to manually let the chicken out. This means that every morning, the ducks get to enjoy the run for a little while on their own.
I like letting they out first and let them follow me around. They are so funny and talkative. They know where the scratch and feed is stored and will run to it. They also know that the donkeys drop feed when they eat and the ducks really like the donkey feed.