New Duck Owners 101
If you’re new to ducks or ducklings, there are definitely a few things to note and prepare for, even if you’ve had chickens in the past. Here are just a few things we’ve learned along the way or things we wished we had known in the beginning!
Ducks absolutely do need water:
This is often the first question or concern for duck owners. Ducks DO need water, but that does not mean that you have to have a natural water source. Many people happily raise ducks using kiddie pools, deep troughs or small decorative ponds. Not only do ducks need to be able to submerge their beaks to eat and swallow food, but they need to be able to wet their wings, body and preen oil gland so that they can properly clean and waterproof their feathers.
If you use a baby pool for a pond, be sure to add a drain valve to save your back!
Ducks still need a coop:
We learned this early on the hard way! We had lived on a farm with ducks that did not have a coop, and they were always fine. Even in sub-zero temperatures, they hung out on the pond or hunkered down under brush. We thought that we could just build them a coop later on, but we soon realized that even though they didn’t care about the weather, they were vulnerable to predators. They only stayed safe on the farm because of the farm dog that watched over them. Unless you have a good livestock guardian dog, your birds are quite literally ‘sitting ducks’ at night and predators WILL come.
Ducks are much cold-hardier than chickens and they also see better at night, so many people assume that ducks will not naturally go into a coop. But we’ve found that ducks LOVE routine and with consistency, they will go in on their own just a little later than our chickens.
Male to female ratios:
This is another tip that is not necessarily as imperative for chickens, but too many male ducks can easily harm or kill your hens (and possibly even chickens). Ducks can be fine in a male/female pair, but otherwise, 1 drake for every 4-6 ducks is recommended.
Ducks eat the same feed as chickens:
We get this question a lot and YES, ducks and chickens can eat the same feed. Just make sure that water is nearby so that they can swallow. We also recommend supplementing with a niacin source (we use brewers yeast) for growing ducklings from birth to at least 6 weeks. Niacin is needed for your duckling to grow strong bones and deficiency can result in permanent leg weakness.
If you’re able, we also highly recommend fermenting your feed. Not only does this cut down on crumbly waste, but it is easier for ducks to swallow, improves digestion and gut-health resulting in less overall consumption. (No big deal if you have 5 ducks, but when you have 30, it makes a huge difference!)
What type of feed should I get?
There are a lot of different descriptions for various types of poultry feed and I was unknowingly confused about it for quite a while and definitely bought the wrong kinds a few times. It’s not a huge deal if you make a mistake, but long-term you want to make sure you are buying the correct feed for your flock.
Chick or Starter Feed: These terms are used interchangeably for baby chick/duckling food. It should have a higher protein content (20-24%) and ducks only need it for the first 3 weeks. (So don’t buy a 50 pound bag for your first 2 ducklings. :) )
Grower/Broiler: Grower/Broiler feed has less protein than Starter at around 16-18%. It’s perfect for mixed flocks of varying ages and genders.
Layer: Layer feed has similar protein content to Grower/Broiler, but has added calcium already mixed in. It is only appropriate for laying hens, not roosters or drakes. Too much calcium in male poultry can cause kidney issues, so calcium should be offered free-choice for hens. If you don’t have any males, your hens can start eating layer feed around 16-20 weeks.
Scratch: Scratch feed is NOT actually meant to be used for meals. It’s often not labeled clearly, but Scratch does not have good nutritional content and is really meant to be offered on occasion as a treat.
All Flock: To add to the confusion a little bit, All Flock feed is basically just another name that some brands use as an equivalent to Grower/Broiler!
As for brands, there are countless great brands of feed on the market, or if you’re lucky enough to live near a feed mill, you may be able to buy in bulk. We do not personally recommend pellets as they tend to be more highly processed and not as easy for ducks to eat. Organic feed also allows your birds to digest better, putting less stress on the liver with toxic pesticides, provides you with organic eggs or meat and helps your flock to live a longer, healthier life.
If you’d like to use what we use, you can most likely order New Country Organics feed through your local Agway.
This covers a lot of the questions we were researching when we first brought home our ducklings. There are a lot of great books if you’d like to add to your knowledge further, and below you will find a simple supply list to get started!
Duckling Supply Checklist:
Brooder Area: A large Tupperware, box or other solid enclosure will work. The bigger, the better, as it will be much easier to keep clean.
Pine Shaving Bedding: Do not use cedar, which can cause respiratory issues.
Waterer: Ducklings will grow out of typical jar chick waterers after the first week. From there, you can switch to any automatic pet waterering dish, set inside a paint tray to avoid wet bedding OR modify a small bucket so that ducklings can only put their heads in.
We cut a few small holes in a 2 gallon bucket and set it in a tray. They still manage to make a mess, but it’s a little less!
Food and Food Trough: Hanging feeders work best so that they can’t dump it over. Otherwise, a large, low feeder with small openings will prevent soiling and spilling.
If possible, we always suggest hand-feeding 3-4 times per day after the first 3 weeks.
Hand-feeding and handling as much as possible results in friendlier ducks who look to you for food and treats!
Brooder Plate: We are big advocates of safe brooder plates NOT HEAT LAMPS. Before we knew any better, we had a brand new heat lamp go bad and start smoldering at the base and another spontaneously explode. Not only are they extremely dangerous, but they do not heat as evenly or efficiently. Also, if you are brooding ducks inside or within hearing range, birds do not sleep as soundly with lighting. We use Producers Pride plates because they can also double as an outdoor heater if young birds need to be kept enclosed outside.
VetRx: An affordable essential-oil based supplement that has been a literal life-saver for various birds over the years. We add a few drops to their water for the first few weeks, just to give them a boost.
Your Time and Attention: The more time you spend talking to, handling, petting and hand-feeding your ducks, the friendlier they will be. Not only does that make them more enjoyable pets, but it also adds to their overall safety (being able to call them in with treats) and health (being able to handle and check them regularly).
As always, if you have any extra questions or need a hand getting started, just ask!
