Chook Me!

Need to know everything about ducks... Please!!!!!!!!!!?

Okay. I might be getting duck eggs. I live in North Florida, and I'm not sure that it is the place for ducks. I have a pond in the front of my neighborhood, but is that enough? I'm also thinking of realeasing them, so what type should I get? I also need to know a good incubator that's cheap, or at least how to make one easily. What do I feed them? How much? Can I keep them in an old guinea pig cage for a little while until they get too big? I want ducklings that are easy to tell the gender when they get older, and that are good with people. (is there such a thing?) I have three cats and two dogs. Can I keep ducklings in these type of conditions? One cat and one dog are too old to catch a duckling, and only have intrest in finding out what they are. (One of the cats never comes in my room, and the other cat is easy to keep her away, as she rarely enters my room. My other dog is an outdoor type of dog, and we can always put her away in her crate.) Any other helpful info, thank you!!!!

Public Comments

1. If you are planning on releasing the birds, please do not get them. In the US, it is illegal to intentionally release domestic stock into the wild - first, they compete with native species for food and resources, second, they can interbreed with the native stock, hybridizing the population and third, they can introduce disease into the native population. Not to mention that it is cruel to release domestic animals that no longer have the necessary survival skills to exist in the wild.
2. If you don't intend or can't keep them when they're grown, please don't get the eggs. I agree with the first poster. When you raise those ducks from an egg, they will not know how to live on their own. It would be a death sentence, really. As for your other questions, does the cage have bars? I wouldn't recommend anything with bars until they're 2 or 3 weeks old. When they're young I'd be afraid they'd get limbs stuck in the bars. You can keep them in a rubbermaid tub or something when they're very young with towels or shredded newspaper as bedding (make sure the paper is shredded, not just flat). You can tell the gender of most ducks after a few months, as males usually have drake feathers, which curl by their tail. As for good with people, well, that depends on how much you socialize them. If you have them interact positively with lots of people, they should be social! I had 2 dogs and a cat when I raised my ducklings, and they did OK. But again, if you don't plan to keep them when they are older.. please don't get them.
3. mallards are best for releasing, and they stay smaller and they are easily raised with an encubeator (sp?) They are very hearty birds and would do well with any type of water. I have had good luck with mallards and they stayed around my yard and swam in my pool, until I go them one of their own, but they lay lots of eggs and can populate quickly if conditions are right. Also make sure you build a dog house type thing at the edge of the pond so that they can have shelter and make a nest and such, also make sure you ask whereever you live if its even ok to have ducks live in that pond GOOD LUCK
4. ducklings can be kept in pretty much any cage as long as theres room for them to wonder, they eat chick food untill there about 6 week old then should eat a suitable feed for older ducks, you'll know there sex when there around 12 week old. females quack drakes seem to croak, ducks are good with people and wont be fearful to other animals if they are not threatened by them. the pond in your neighbour hood! is it safe can other animals get to them if so then thats not a good place, ducks can live to 20 years old so unless your truly committed i.d decide on something else, you can not keep a tame duck then release it into the wild you will just be putting it to its death,,