You have seen all the baby duck pictures on social media. You are probably here asking yourself, “Could I raise baby ducks?” I’m here to tell you it’s not hard, but it’s different if you have raised chickens. It can be more challenging to raise baby ducks. You will enjoy having baby ducks when you set your expectations correctly and learn some facts beforehand. In the future, you will love your full-grown ducks.
I always wanted chickens. To me, they were predictable. I knew I needed to feed them and give them water. I also provided scraps from my kitchen. Additionally, I provided shelter, roosts, and nesting boxes for the yummy eggs they would produce. Ducks, on the other hand, I had no clue about. I wanted ducks for their excellent foraging ability. Our chickens got restrained to their run. They were messing up our flower beds. You can read why we got our ducks in my blog, Six Real Reasons to Get Ducks.
If you have raised chickens, you already have the basic supplies for raising ducks. You will need to get some new things; otherwise, you are set. I was once a beginner in raising ducks but have discovered it’s not that hard.
When you get your baby ducks, get at least two. Ducks need a friend, or they get lonely. We once had all our ducks die except one. He would sit by the chicken coop run where all the chickens were hanging out. We soon got new friends for him, but he was depressed and lonely; it was apparent.
Baby Ducks are DIFFICULT to Brood
They are fine for about a week- two weeks, then it gets STINKY and MESSY. Check out my How to Make a No Mess Duck Brooder post. It can help with some of that stink. But it’s inevitable: ducks are messy, especially when kept in a small space. When we brood ducks, we ensure we can put them outside when they turn 5-6 weeks old, weather permitting. Make sure they have shelter and are enclosed. Add a heater to supplement the heat if the nights are still chilly. We use THIS radiant heater. I prefer brooding baby chicks because it’s easier and cleaner. However, if you want your ducks to know you, get them as babies and hold them a lot.
A note on heaters:
We don’t use lamps because of the fire risk. We like the radiant heater I linked above because it is more natural to a mother’s heat. Pay attention to your ducks. If they are always far from the heater, it’s too hot. If they are up against it and lying next to each other, that’s perfect. I never had an issue with our ducks or chicks being cold with this radiant heater.
Baby Duck Food Needs
Baby ducks need niacin. When deficient in niacin, it can lead to bowed legs and fattened hocks. You cannot simply feed your ducklings a chick starter crumble; they also need a niacin supplement. Provide a chick starter crumble for the first 2-3 weeks (unmedicated is best). Then, switch to a duck grower or duck feed with less protein. You also do not need a medicated food. Only feed your ducks non-medicated food. Ducks do not get coccidiosis. So, if they eat medicated food, they can overdose because of how much feed they consume. I feed mine a chick starter crumble and mix in Brewer’s Yeast to the specifications on the bottle. It’s easy and works great. After those 2-3 weeks, I switch to a duck feed.
Another significant difference between raising chickens and ducks is that ducks need a water dish. The dish must be deep enough for them to dip their entire bill in. They blow out water through their nose holes to get out any leftover food that might be in there. We use something similar to THIS waterer for our ducklings. We fill it at least once a day, if not twice. Ducks are messy, and their water gets dirty from blowing out their noses. We have found that this waterer makes it easier to keep the brooder clean and dry.
The FUN Part
The cutest and most fun part of having ducklings is letting them swim. We hold our ducks regularly to get them used to being held. We allow them to swim in our sink at least once daily to get used to us. There will be poop, so make sure to bleach the sink when you have drained it. When the spring weather allows, we also bring them outside to run around in the yard. They get some exercise and sun. When you spend enough time with them, they will follow you like they would with a mama duck. After all, you are their mama now.
Have fun with your ducklings and enjoy them while they are tiny. They grow REALLY fast. They grow faster than chickens. So remember that when you set up their brooder.
Enjoy!