The Ducklings Are Too Big To Be In The House
I had no idea ducklings grow so fast!!! Smokey and the BanDucks are starting to outgrow their baby pool brooder. I learned quickly that all the research I did on ducks was wrong. Every source I read said to get them under a heat lamp until they are around six weeks old and then they are old enough to move outside....Yeah...that's wrong. Our house in summer is nice and warm. The ducks overheat with a heat lamp on. They've been doing great the past four days with not heat lamp at all.
They're so big they are destroying the brooder quickly with duck poo and water. That's why I've been putting them outside during the day. We haven't finished building their duck coop so we bring them inside before dark.
Those $1 pallets I got a while back make a nice duckling pen.
Smokey, Bandit, Reese, and Sammy seem happier out in the yard. They have plenty of grass to eat and a "pool."
Of course the "pool gets muddy and filthy within minutes. They don't seem to mind though. The duckling happily make a mess in their pen and have some space in the sunshine.
My little yellow duck is quickly turning white. Sammy is the most easy going duck. She's a lot bigger than the others. She's built big enough that she is slower than the others. She's dominant when it comes to food. She's like a tank and comes barreling towards treats and blocks the others from getting any.
Bandit seems to be the leader of the pack. Ducks like to stick together and they move together as if they were one duck. Bandit is usually at the front when the girls move. I think she may be the leader. She, Smokey, and Reese are also changing. All of the ducklings are getting their feathers. Reese's brown coat is starting to have different colored brown feathers. Smokey and Bandit have shiny black feathers on their shoulders.
I can't wait until we can build them a nice safe duck coop. We have a few projects taking up our time now so the duck coop may start next week. Until then I'll be cleaning their baby pool for them to sleep in at night and keeping them in their pen out back during the day.
Yummy 😋
I had duck for dinner last night :)
NOOO!!!! I think you missed the memo. Ducks are pets now...not food.
I was kust kidding 👍
🦆 🦆 🦆
Oh I know. :). Thanks for commenting.
Duck paté is a popular breakfast spread in Spain, although I was definitely not a fan...
Ewwww....I'll pass on that one.
They look so much fun and everything looks healthy.
This is my friend's duck
Those are some neat looking ducks. I've never seen ones those colors
They are getting big! Sammy went from yellow to white very qucikly, too. It looks as if they're really enjoying that water tub in there with them.
I can't wait until we get their pen set up with a pool in it. They'll love a good swim.
Have you noticed, all those books that you read so you can be efficient at something, never apply to your particular situation? It is best to take these pages of advice and apply liberally because you need to follow your instinct about what is right for your situation. If the ducks overheat, you don't need the heat lamp. I'd say from everything you say, they are ready for the duck coop!
They are ready for the coop. Problem is building it. With all the rain we've had it's too wet to build one. We've got to put a bit of concrete down and other prep things that need consistent dryness.
I think its cool how they start getting their own personalities!
Oh yes. That is cool. Smokey is the jumper, Bandit is the leader, Reese's Piece is the nervous Nelly, and Sammy is the chill one.
They're so sweet. I had ducks and chickens, goats, rabbits, turkeys before and ducks growing faster than chickens. The duck eggs are delicious.
That's why we got ducks. I've never eaten duck eggs but I have four girls who will produce them for me. Hopefully before fall we'll have our first duck eggs.
It makes me sad that she's turning white. Have you considered painting her?
Love the ducks.
It is really sad. She was so yellow and fluffy. She got so big so quick! She's got little "angel wings" aka growing feathers above her real wings that look like angel wings. It makes her seem even sweeter.
WOW that was some fast growth. That's crazy they suggest to keep them under a lamp till 6 weeks old since your ducks are about a month old now right? What do you feed them?
They all look happy btw.
They are around three weeks old. I feed them a chick starter feed for now. It has higher protein levels. And I give them a bit of grass and weed, watermelon, tomatoes, pea, and other veggies. I think they are happy. :)
How adorable! I miss having ducks, my mom loved raising ducks and geese!