Look After Fully Grown Ducks

Ducks make great pets and are fun to watch, but they are very messy, and require proper care to stay healthy. To enjoy ducks thoroughly, steps can be taken to keep ducks safe, happy and in full health.

Steps

  1. The daytime shelter should be something the ducks can quickly hide under in case a bird of prey spots them. It doesn't have to be too elaborate, but should be large enough that all of the ducks can hide at one time, if needed.
  2. Keep the environment clean. If a duck's enclosure gets too messy, or the ground that the duck walks on is abrasive to the padding on the feet, the duck can develop a condition known as bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection that swells the pads of the foot and makes it very painful for the duck to stand. If left untreated, bumblefoot could eventually cause infection or even death.
  3. Provide them with clean water daily. Water dishes work fine, but ducks have the habit of turning the water chalky brown or muddy just from playing around and looking for bugs like they do. The dish needs to be deep enough to fully immerse their bill.
  4. Ducks absolutely need clean swimming water for their physical and mental well-being. Without access to clean water in which the ducks can bathe and swim and immerse their entire bodies, they cannot maintain their waterproofing. Their waterproofing is essential in order for the ducks to thermoregulate (keep cool in the summer, warm in the winter) and to prevent them from drowning. The water must be clean and easy to get in and out of (a kiddie pool is fine if there is a ramp for exit/entrance, something larger that is flush with the ground is even better, but it must have a shallow grade or ramp for exiting.
  5. Feed your duck the right food. A common thought is that ducks can survive on bread, but this is untrue. Bread may be sufficient as a snack, but it lacks the proper nutrients required to keep a healthy duck. The most commonly used duck feed happens to be chicken feed or scratch from the local farm supply store. This is a good choice, and paired with greens like peas and salads, it will keep a healthy flock. Make sure the chicken feed is un-medicated, though. Mazuri, a brand of animal food producers, puts out a duck maintenance which is also an excellent choice of feeds, but it is costly. One 50 lb bag can cost in excess of $25.
  6. Consider getting multiple ducks. Ducks can make awesome single pets, but a lot of attention has to be poured into one to keep them happy, because they are flock animals. Two or more ducks can still be personable, but don't rely as much on the owner for attention.
  7. Have fun with your ducks. They are clowns, and will constantly be making you chuckle as they perform their wild antics!

Tips

  • Ducks are not easy pets to take care of. they poop around every seven to twelve minutes, on average, and can live to be over twenty years old in captivity. they should be thought of as long term companions.
  • Petducksrus is a yahoo group that now holds over eight hundred members. if you have questions about a duck you already own, or are looking into getting a duck, they not only have friendly people who would love to help you, but they also sport a large database of duck information.
  • For information on duck breeds, Feathersite.com is an excellent source.
  • If your duck hurts a leg, it can be splinted and bandaged. Do not give up hope, they can recover fairly quickly.

Warnings

  • Wild mallards are illegal to keep as pets in some states. make sure you acquire your birds from a trustworthy source, and check with you city and state zoning to make sure it is legal to keep ducks where you live.
  • A dirty duck is often a depressed or ill duck. They will naturally clean and preen themselves several times a day. If your duck looks dirtier than usual, check for the reason why. Make sure you are providing enough wandering space as well as deep enough water for full cleaning of their bodies.
  • Ducks can and WILL bite your fingers off if you hurt or scare them.

Things You'll Need

  • A Nighttime Enclosure
  • A Daytime Shelter
  • A Fenced Area to keep the Ducks
  • Fresh Water
  • A Clean Environment with Dry Ground
  • Ducks
  • Fresh food, of duck/goose starter, unmedicated. You may mix unmedicated chick starter and turkey/Wild game starter in equal parts. Once they begin laying, feed them egg pellets. Scratch is a mere snack type food as is corn.

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