Teenage Duck Owner To Be

[kimhinojos]

My 14 year old daughter really wants a Black Swedish Duckling, but we worry about whether she will have time to raise it. She is currently homeschooled so she has time now, but in the fall she will be going to public school as a sophomore. Should we make the investment and get her a duckling? she would be the one raising, feeding, cleaning & taking care of it. Any tips on whether I should buy my 14 year old daughter a duck or not? Any tips on raising a duckling? Thank you so much! I'd really appreciate some feedback!

 

[Kevin565]

. I would not advise buying a duckling espeically if she's going back to school in the fall. I would get at least 2. If purchased now they duckling will basically be a adult by the time she goes back to school. If you plan on getting ducklings don't forget to give Niacin supplements.

 

[Amiga]

I feel you are rightly concerned about the day your daughter leaves to go to public school.

A single duckling must be with her person all the time. They are flock animals, and if raised solo, can become depressed and possibly ill without their flock (the person who raised them).

Two or three ducklings can do fine, as they will have each other when the human is not around.

 

[Frank Phinster]

Please buy at least two ducklings. Two don't cause much more work than one and raising one without conspecifics is unnatural and should not be done.

As Amiga said before, two or three ducklings can be kept without their foster mother aka your daughter while a single duckling would call for her til exhaustion.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Theres other things involved too, housing, which needs to be a predator proof house and feed and bedding, who will be paying for this? just a few more things to think about, and

 

[kimhinojos]

Theres other things involved too, housing, which needs to be a predator proof house and feed and bedding, who will be paying for this? just a few more things to think about, and

thank you & she wants to pay for it. are they expensive? We would only get 2

 

[Amiga]

If you are handy, resourceful, and creative, you might be able to keep the expense down. It also depends on your location (cost of supplies and site specific concerns).

Had I known what I found out at the beginning of winter, I would not have built the duck house as I did. We ended up keeping the ducks in the walkout basement at night, and now that's where their pen is. It works out very well. Certainly don't have to worry about raccoons breaking in at night - though we did have a baby possum sneak in one afternoon when I had the door open and I wandered off for a while. I am much better about closing the basement door now.

Don't cut corners with keeping them safe from predators. If they are not in the house at night (not a nightmare, really, if you have a little space in a utility room or similar), then their house must be sturdy, with no openings larger than half an inch, no latches that something could jiggle loose, no boards something could pry apart. No dirt floor something could dig under and into. I think you get the idea.

Organic layer pellets here in Southern New England cost me $27 per fifty pound bag (Blue Seal). Mazuri's more expensive. A bale of shavings is $6, pelleted sawdust is $7 per 30 pound bag. Six months' worth of poultry vitamins (very handy) are maybe $10.

While my tendency for younger people (any age, really) wanting ducks is to point out the responsibility side of it (I feel you are making a lifelong commitment, and ducks kept safe and healthy can live for ten years or more), they are a joy, they are therapeutic, they teach us lessons we might otherwise not learn for a long long time. And they absolutely depend upon us. They need us to protect and provide for them.

Okay, I'll hop off the soap box.

 

[Frank Phinster]

You should also include some kind of pond, bathtub oder kiddie pool into your calculations. Ducks need a place where they can at least hop in and take a bath. I would recommend a pond, but a tub big enough to allow both ducks to splash costs less and is easier to clean.

 

[duckncover]

You'll need to buy:

2+ duckings
Baby Duck setup (Ex. Heat lamp, escape-proof container, small water and food dispenser)
Predator proof Coop+Run
Kid's pool, tub, or small pond
Non-medicated Duckling Starter Food
Poultry viatmins
Bedding (Wood shavings, straw, etc.)
..Plus I can imagine more..

So it's not exactly cheap but much cheaper than most pets. If you get a male and a female you could start the cycle all over again someday. It could be a great learning experience but make sure you're daughter is truly interested first.

 

[Going Quackers]

Usually the most expensive part is the coop/run. After that two won't be that bad... the thing is though it'll have to be a family thing regardless, i have teens myself and i know no matter how dedicated stuff happens, she starting high school i presume? that can be a bit more intense.

Others have pretty much covered what you need, do you have storey's guide to ducks? you can get an e-version