Hello new duck owner from Bulverde, Texas

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Now, my first question. I am getting up every 2 hours during the night to feed them and change their water because it's gross and smells, lol. Do I need to be doing this and if do for how long? How long can ducklings go without food or have messy water every night? I usually go to bed at midnight and get up around 8 am but right now I set my alarm for every 2 hours. Thanks I'm advance!
 
I read online on Google that I can feed baby ducks lots of veggies. Can I give them canned veggies like peas, carrots, green beans, and corn? Or is the salt content from canned veggies too high for them? Also, I read they can eat Nori which is roasted seaweed with nothing else in it, is that true? I actually have some because my daugther makes sushi, but Im not giving them anything until I hear from you pros. I just give the fresh carrot, collard, and turnip greens, which I float in their water, and food from the store I bought them at. Do they need grit too? Lastly, I also read they eat minnows. Is this a must to feed them, and if so where do you buy minnows? Or do I need to go catch them? That I really don't want to do.
 
Welcome to BYC! We're so glad you joined us. :frow Good luck with your ducklings! :jumpy

Honeybunny_3 said:
Now, my first question. I am getting up every 2 hours during the night to feed them and change their water because it's gross and smells, lol. Do I need to be doing this and if do for how long? How long can ducklings go without food or have messy water every night? I usually go to bed at midnight and get up around 8 am but right now I set my alarm for every 2 hours. Thanks I'm advance!
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No, you don't need to get up that often, I mean, you do need to sleep! 🙃
For water, people will use a pan, put a cookie cooling sheet over it, then the waterer on top. Keeps them out of the water and making a mess. For the waterer, you could get a plastic food storage type container, and cut holes big enough for their head in the lid. That helps keep mess down too.
For the feed, I like to put a paper plate underneath it to catch the food. (If you have the round type of feeder.)
Honeybunny_3 said:
I read online on Google that I can feed baby ducks lots of veggies. Can I give them canned veggies like peas, carrots, green beans, and corn? Or is the salt content from canned veggies too high for them? Also, I read they can eat Nori which is roasted seaweed with nothing else in it, is that true? I actually have some because my daugther makes sushi, but Im not giving them anything until I hear from you pros. I just give the fresh carrot, collard, and turnip greens, which I float in their water, and food from the store I bought them at. Do they need grit too? Lastly, I also read they eat minnows. Is this a must to feed them, and if so where do you buy minnows? Or do I need to go catch them? That I really don't want to do.
Click to expand...
Ducks don't need anything else other than duck feed, but they do like veggies and its a healthy little snack. Just don't give too much.
I would wait till they're a bit older to give them veggies, and start with small amounts.
Ducks will eat minnows! They don't need them, but its a fun snack! Not sure where you should get them, a fish store would probably have them but I don't know if that's a no no or not...
 
Tookie said:
Welcome to BYC! We're so glad you joined us. :frow Good luck with your ducklings! :jumpy


No, you don't need to get up that often, I mean, you do need to sleep! 🙃
For water, people will use a pan, put a cookie cooling sheet over it, then the waterer on top. Keeps them out of the water and making a mess. For the waterer, you could get a plastic food storage type container, and cut holes big enough for their head in the lid. That helps keep mess down too.
For the feed, I like to put a paper plate underneath it to catch the food. (If you have the round type of feeder.)

Ducks don't need anything else other than duck feed, but they do like veggies and its a healthy little snack. Just don't give too much.
I would wait till they're a bit older to give them veggies, and start with small amounts.
Ducks will eat minnows! They don't need them, but its a fun snack! Not sure where you should get them, a fish store would probably have them but I don't know if that's a no no or not...
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! I will try the paper plate. Thank you for that. I just bought a waterer today but it didn't work. The container I have them in is too small for the 5 qt. waterer I bought, which is the smallest I could find, and takes too much room. They climbed all over it and spilled all the water out and pooped in it, so that was a huge fail. I just cleaned it out. I have them in the largest Rubbermaid container I could buy but it's long and narrow so the waterer was too big in diameter. I will just continue to use the pan I have and continue to change it out frequently. I will try the cooling sheet when they can go outside. When can I put them outside for a few hours in the daytime when it's sunny out? Is over 75° good or is it too cold? I have them under a heat lamp but I think sometimes they get over heated and I turn it off. I'm in South Texas and it gets really hot here. Tomorrow we will be 80° so I was hoping I can put them outside for an hour or so to get some warm sun. When can they go for a swim in warm bath water so they can clean themselves. They are a mess right now from the waterer. Geeez. Thank you again so much for your help!!! ❤️
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC!! :frow

I think 80F in the sun should work to get them outside for a little bit. They are so young so I would only start with about an hour or two so at first to get them acclimated.

I do not have ducks but I saw somewhere someone took rubbermade containers and cut holes in the lid. The ducklings could get the food/water without making such a mess.
 

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