Duck Care

To raise ducks, you have to know their needs. Once you know that, just take care of them. The basic needs of just about any duck are food, water, shelter, heat, and hygiene.

I feed my ducks Purina Turkey Starter. It helps them to grow bigger, stronger, and faster. I have a metal feeder that has a slide-on top and six head-holes on each side. Once ducks grow up to be adults, they can eat other things.

I use a plastic quart-sized waterer. It can hold enough water to last all day. This is important, because ducks rely on water to swallow and digest their food. They can easily choke on dry food if they have no water to wash it down with.

Here is an example: I occasionally feed my "big ducks" at the barn if I happen to be there. I just get a scoop of feed out of the trash can that we keep it in, and give it to them. Then, after eating a while, they will start "waving" their heads, from neck to beak. When they get to this point, they will stop eating and search for water.

I put the feeder and waterer where they are not too close to each other. I did this because when ducks eat, they move back and forth from food to water. If they stick their beaks in the food before the water drips off, the food will start to get soggy and will spoil a lot faster.

Until my ducks are old enough to go out to the Chicken Pen, I keep them in a stall in the barn. It is filled with shavings.

I have a heat lamp just in case it ever gets cold and I have ducklings in the stall. I like to use at least 75-watt bulbs.

Hygiene is a crucial issue when it comes to raising ducks. There is a disease called Salmonella that many animals carry. In order for your ducks to stay healthy, you must clean their cage every two days, depending on the amount of space you have per duck and how big each duck is. I strongly discourage cardboard boxes, because they become filthy fast. Frequent cleanings of any feeders, waterers, cages, etc. are strongly recommended. Those are the necessities of young ducks. I hope you are successful with your ducks!

Please, if you have any questions about the care of your ducks, don't hesitate to contact me.

[Home][Care][Stages][F.A.Q.][My Ducks][Contact Me][Pictures][Links][News]