[Birdie Wife]

My muscovy has been sitting on eggs for 3-4 weeks now so hatching is imminent. Will the ducklings need to be kept apart from my other hens? the hens have chicks at different stages... and I also have one muscovy drake and another duck, all of which free range. Is there a homemade food I can give them (the hen chicks start off on minced hard boiled eggs) or do they need something special? My main limitation here is that the nearest livestock feed store is 30 miles away and only stocks one type of chick crumb, which is medicated and not suitable for ducks. Apart from that, I'm going to set up a little dabbling pond for them. Anything else they need? I'm really looking forward to some busy duckling action!! 

[Pony-n-trap]

I managed to get hold of Goose and Duck crumb for my ducklings, I put them out with the chickens at 3 weeks as they were just too huge to keep in their bo anymore, the chickens/cockerels were only about 10 weeks then and got on fine.

Ducks are now on grower/finisher pellets and anything else they fancy in their little garden, doing well and at 8 weeks are great looking birds!

[Fleecewife]

For dabbling, start them off with  a seed tray with less than an inch of water in and a stone inside and another outside so they can get in and out.  Gradually give them more water, but don't let them swim properly in a pond until they have their adult feathers or they will sink.
We had problems with too much protein with some of our ducklings - some developed droopy wings as adults and that is apparently the cause.  I think we moved on from chick crumbs too quickly.

[Fleecewife]

Having just read others posts on another thread, it seems that new ducklings can swim ok.  True enough in the wild they do that.  Don't think i would dare let them out on their own.

[Anke]

When I was a kid my auntie always started off her day olds (table ducks and geese) with bread soaked in milk. also nettles cut really small like herbs, eggs hardboiled and mashed are ok too. There was no feed as such from a merchant, they then just went onto grass/more nettles/corn.

[doganjo]

We had problems with too much protein

Would moving from baby food too soon not cause a lack of protein?  With dogs puppy food is about 29% protein but adult food varies from 18% upwards depending on breed/activity

[fifixx]

I have 2 ducks from under the broody this morning!  Possibly 2 more to go....  I have just read that shavings are bad as the ducks can eat them but then I've read the broody shouldn't really be disturbed - should I worry or wait till all hatched and then change the bedding?

[Pony-n-trap]

I hatched my 6 out in the incubator, fed them goose and duck crumb and the brooder had shavings in it, no probs with them at all but they couldnt half eat!!  they had their first swim at one week old whilst I was mucking them out then a swim each time after til they were evicted out into the chicken garden.  I put food and water in their house at night til about 8 weeks old but the mess was incredible, they are now about 11 weeks old, HUGE, have their own little pond that is cleaned out regularly and bed down at night with no problems and no food or water, they go to bed at last light and are let out again at about 7am, my young cockerels have found their voices so I'm never late!!

They are a joy to watch, if a little panicky when I go in the bird garden but they live happily with the chickens.  I stood and listened to them the other week and as they are white campbells the only way I could sex them was to listen (as advised on this forum, thank you!)  so 4 quackers and 2 squeakers!!  Cant wait til they start laying!! The quackers that is!!