"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Angelicisi]

How precious! Hope moms ok poor girl.

As I was getting back from today's chicken swap a friend called to tell me she needed help with an injured Mallard and her ducklings. Mom ended up getting away so we have the neighbors in that area on notice for any sightings. Anyhooo, I'm now the proud owner of 4 ducklings. They're just as cute as they can be. I'm guessing they're only a few days old (that's 1/2" hardware cloth in the pic). My plan is to raise them until they're old enough to fend fore themselves then let them go. Can I treat the ducklings like I would chicks? Can they eat the same starter crumble? With temps as high as they are now, do they need a heat lamp? Anything else I need to know to take care of them properly?

 

[JohnnyxRex]

As I was getting back from today's chicken swap a friend called to tell me she needed help with an injured Mallard and her ducklings. Mom ended up getting away so we have the neighbors in that area on notice for any sightings. Anyhooo, I'm now the proud owner of 4 ducklings. They're just as cute as they can be. I'm guessing they're only a few days old (that's 1/2" hardware cloth in the pic). My plan is to raise them until they're old enough to fend fore themselves then let them go.

Can I treat the ducklings like I would chicks? Can they eat the same starter crumble? With temps as high as they are now, do they need a heat lamp? Anything else I need to know to take care of them properly?

We raised 3 mallards from eggs (unfortunately the other 15 eggs got wet and died in lockdown), let me warn you of one thing now though:

Unless you plan on releasing them far away from your house. They DON'T leave.

Lol

Don't get me wrong, we loved them, but they think they are human. We live on a lake, so we planned on just letting them go. Nope. They met my dad outside when he left for work the next day.

They were very entertaining. Even though they had access to a 100+ acre lake, they chose to go swimming in the neighbors salt water pool, while they were showing the house to sell of course. That's the real reason we got rid of them. I think my dad was too embarrassed, plus we really shouldn't have them here, since we are technically in a "neighborhood" if out of the city limits. Of course the people who bought the house ended up building a coop and getting chickens, they love birds, but unfortunately they had already gone on to a big farm.

We called them Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

If there is one thing we didn't like, it's that ducks are MESSY. They stayed in our greenhouse at night. THAT is one fantastic smell in the Louisiana summer.

We fed them whatever was labeled for ducks at TSC. I wasn't on BYC at that time so I wasn't very informed, plus I'm 15, so I didn't pick it out. We cared for them similarly to chickens, except that we provided them a small pool to play in once they were a little older. In Louisiana's heat I don't think they would need a lamp.

I'll have to look around on BYC to see if there is any important special care for ducks, but I don't remember any. Just make sure that they learn how to fly so that they are ok once you release them.

Good Luck!

 

[JohnnyxRex]

Hey everyone! What happened to the 30+ posts a day? I guess it's a Sunday, but I don't think there have been alot in the past few days either. Let's start it back up! We can always use a few good laughs!

 

[Abbie79]

Thank you for the vet recommendations. I think she is going to be ok. She must have been sore and droopy from shock, because she flew up to a high ish perch today. Last night I dropper fed her water with electrolytes, which I think helped. Today I was able to thoroghly check her over, and the wounds are all superficial, So I just put some blue spray a friend gave me on those areas. The silkie that we lost was another story. It was horrifying. Exposed neck bone, and no butt, and hubby had to put her down.
My next worry is that all four remaining girls seem to be highly affected. They stayed in thier coop all day, and shied from me when I went to check on them several times. They usually run to me. Will they recover?

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Thank you for the vet recommendations. I think she is going to be ok. She must have been sore and droopy from shock, because she flew up to a high ish perch today. Last night I dropper fed her water with electrolytes, which I think helped. Today I was able to thoroghly check her over, and the wounds are all superficial, So I just put some blue spray a friend gave me on those areas. The silkie that we lost was another story. It was horrifying. Exposed neck bone, and no butt, and hubby had to put her down.
My next worry is that all four remaining girls seem to be highly affected. They stayed in thier coop all day, and shied from me when I went to check on them several times. They usually run to me. Will they recover?

Are the dogs that did this to your chickens under control? My best thoughts going out to you. I'm so sorry!

 

[Abbie79]

They are my dogs. I have two schnauzers that have always been ok with the chickens when I let them out into the yard to free range. I have a new poodle/terrier mix that I am fostering, and the entire time I was outside with them all he acted as if he could care less about the chickens. I went inside for about 20 minutes and returned to carnage! I don't know who the actual culprit was, but I can guess! it seems they all got in on it once it started.

 

[MS Rooster Cogb]

still on fox watch! So when I called the ladies to the coop last night all came but Roster Cogburn, what I just heard him crow. Lock the coop door & start looking calling his name, he answers my call. Found him in the dogs travel kennel lol he went in & the door shut behind him, He was just standing there waiting on me, he has such a great personality & I was so relived to find him safe. I know he would put himself in harms way for the ladies, I have seen him do it before.

 

[NOLA Chicks]

Quote: Thanks so much for the info!! They seem to be settling in well. For now they are in the coop with the new silkie chicks I'd just gotten that morning.

Thank you for the vet recommendations. I think she is going to be ok. She must have been sore and droopy from shock, because she flew up to a high ish perch today. Last night I dropper fed her water with electrolytes, which I think helped. Today I was able to thoroghly check her over, and the wounds are all superficial, So I just put some blue spray a friend gave me on those areas. The silkie that we lost was another story. It was horrifying. Exposed neck bone, and no butt, and hubby had to put her down.

My next worry is that all four remaining girls seem to be highly affected. They stayed in thier coop all day, and shied from me when I went to check on them several times. They usually run to me. Will they recover?

So glad she's doing better!

still on fox watch! So when I called the ladies to the coop last night all came but Roster Cogburn, what I just heard him crow. Lock the coop door & start looking calling his name, he answers my call. Found him in the dogs travel kennel lol he went in & the door shut behind him, He was just standing there waiting on me, he has such a great personality & I was so relived to find him safe. I know he would put himself in harms way for the ladies, I have seen him do it before.

 

[TruBluCG]

They are my dogs.

I have two schnauzers that have always been ok with the chickens when I let them out into the yard to free range. I have a new poodle/terrier mix that I am fostering, and the entire time I was outside with them all he acted as if he could care less about the chickens. I went inside for about 20 minutes and returned to carnage! I don't know who the actual culprit was, but I can guess!

it seems they all got in on it once it started.

Abbie - I am SO SORRY! I completely understand your heartbreak... I lost 8 ducks to the neighbors dog that got under the fence. It was very very gruesome and heart breaking.... But that was the neighbor dogs, and I just hated them with a passion after that. Unfortunately, the neighbor dogs are no longer with us... Gee... I certainly wonder what in the world could of happened to them

. I can only imagine how badly you feel because it was your dogs. I certainly hope that your injured one pulls though! The rest of them should be fine.. they will probably be a little skittish for a few days, but they should be fine. Sorry that it happened!!!

NOLA Chicks - Are the ducklings wild? Just wondering

. They are super cute!! They need non-medicated food. My local feed store doesn't carry the non-medicated, so I have to get my duck/goose crumbles from Tractor Supply (like Johnny suggested). They also need niacin in their water - about 100 g per gallon. I get the niacin capsules (the ones that you can put apart and get to the powder inside) from Wal-Mart. I think they were like $5 for a bottle, and that bottle will last you forever! Also - duckies are very MESSY! they will play in the water, turn it over, trample their wet feet into the food, you name it. If they are outside, then I wouldn't think that they would need a light since it is nice and balmy out already. If you are serious about releasing them when they get grown, or if they are wild, I would suggest trying to contact a wildlife rehabilitator. I know that there are laws about keeping "wild" ducks and such.... But, good luck with them!

 

[TruBluCG]

Just had to share this pic of the "kids" because I thought it was too funny! I let them out to free range... and this was their "OMG, WE ARE FREE!" dance