How to Raise Ducks at a Suburban Home

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By eightisenough
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Just a couple days old

Perhaps you've never thought of it, but introducing a couple ducks for the summer is easy, cheap entertainment for the kids. Your friends may think you're absolutely nuts, but soon they too will be hypnotized by watching the cute little balls of feathers in action. Raising ducks is easy. Raising ducks is fun and definitely gives the kids something new and exciting to do.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Thrill for adventure
Baby ducks
Cedar shavings or some other bedding
Start and grow feed
A food container
A water container
A duck container
A reading light

Step 1

First, you've got to procure the ducks.

Sometimes, this can be the most difficult of steps. You have two options, can order them off the internet or you can find them locally.
The advantage of ordering them off the internet (Ideal Poultry is one such site) is that you can be guaranteed the type of duck you want. I prefer the ones that start out as little yellow fluff balls. The downside is that you have to buy at least six and pay handling charges. Higher numbers of ducks are no more difficult to care for than just a couple, but be prepared for a bigger mess. If you go the internet route consider splitting an order with someone you can convince to raise a few ducks too.
The second option, find them locally, is not as simple as buying a gallon of milk. Ducks are normally a seasonal item. Research your area for farm and feed stores, that's where they'll pop up when they do. You can have the store order you some or call them at the beginning of spring, they'll probably be expecting a shipment soon. Your local store is also a great place to purchase the feed, the water container and the food container.
Step 2

The gooseneck lamp used here worked well.

Enjoy them
Once you've brought your new babies home, put them in a high sided plastic tub that has lined with your bedding material. Attach to the tub some sort of light that can run about a 100 watt bulb to keep them warm in place of their mom. Be sure to adjust the light's height from the floor of the container so it keeps the ducks just the right temperature. If your not sure what that is, just watch the babies. If they are keeping away from the light and/or pushing their legs out from under themselves, they are too hot. If they are huddled tightly together under the lamp and inactive, they're probably a little cold, you should push the light lower.
Step 3

This Domestic Boxer would love a snack

Protect them from predators.
The ducks should be kept inside at night (or protected outside) until they get to be about half the size of a local housecat, longer if you have raccoons or opossums prowling around before daybreak.
Step 4

These water soaked babes will need a towel dry and a hair dryer to stay healthy.

Introduce them to water.

Watching a duck take to water is an awesome experience. Ducks naturally have an oil that coats their feathers and keeps them dry in the water. Baby ducks get their oil from their mother for the first six weeks. So if you let them swim before that they'll get very wet. It's okay as long as you dry them quickly (with a hair dryer). If they stay wet they could catch pneumonia.
Step 5

Sprinkler run off creates a personal pond for these ducklings

Let them hang out in the yard
Step 6

They'll eat right out of your hand

Take lots of pictures, they'll grow quickly.
Step 7

These children say goodbye to their summer friends

Have a goodbye party.

Let them go if your lucky enough to live in an area where there is a place for them to thrive. Don't worry about them, they'll survive just fine. If you don't have a place for them or would miss them too terribly then proceed to step eight.
Step 8

If you keep them, be prepared to clip the four flight feathers of one wing when you notice they are achieving lift off.

Comments

jayduve said

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on 6/4/2009 Raising ducks is definitely no longer a thing just for rural residents and farmers. A lot of my friends over at the message boards on DuckHobby.com are suburban residents and even city folk who are finding out just how much fun it is to raise ducks. Got my first ducks a few months ago and I LOVE THEM. :)

showpup said

on 5/6/2009 I have 6 baby ducks right now and a few adults. Word of warning.. do not allow them to swim unsupervised at young ages. They can EASILY and QUICKLY drown before they are old enough to get the oil on them. Best to allow them ankle deep water to splash in and encourage preening but not let them actually swim for a couple weeks.