I'm getting a duck for Easter. I requirement serve. Food, shelter?
I live in memphis, so most likely the weather here is gonna be pretty chilly. Any kind of guidance of making a good home for it, what to feed Waffle (i'm naming it Waffle or Petey). I lately want to have a happy healthy duckling. Any open-handed of help will be much appreciated.
THANKYOU!
Answers: First, you'll need to get it from a local breeder, whether you only want one. Big breeders have a minimum order of six or more (depending on breeder) to save them warm by body heat in shipping.
You can win food at your local livestock feed store. I'd get oystershell for calcium supplement for their bones and vitamin supplement to add to their hose once a week or so. If you put shredded lettuce (which they love) into the vitamin water, they'll drink the vitamins as they eat the lettuce. Feed stores are also usually prepared to let you post notices on their walls that you are looking for a duck breeder. County Fairs are also good places to jump for contacts, check the poultry breeding contest and you can ask the prizewinning duck people for contact information.
The bad news give or take a few breeders is that they may not have ducklings available on Easter day. The good word is that this is because they're taking care of their ducks and ducklings by not forcing them into laying and hatching too untimely in the season.
If you are thinking of the Easter ducklings on sale at your local store, I'd go to the store where on earth you've seen them and ask about the commercial breeder they order their ducklings from. Some are clothed, for example McMurray often sells Easter ducklings, IIRC. I'd avoid any who are dyed pink or any other unnatural color for a duckling. In my opinion, ancestors who risk exposing the duckings to the chill of wet dye and risk of unknown chemical dyes, do not have the best interest of the duckling in intellect.
Here is a link to a list of duck breeds. Click on the name to see pictures.
http://feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/BRK...
Here is the "how to lift ducklings" page from the same site.
http://feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisin...
Generally, commercial hatcheries may only provide Pekin ducklings for Easter, though the Murdoch's stores offer a few additional selections like Campbell or Runner ducklings.
I'd also consider getting 2-3 ducklings, in baggage one dies and because they are social and can get lonely if you aren't there.
Ducklings necessitate to be kept warm. We've actually kept ours in the house until they're at lowest two months old. After that, I've had good luck next to a modified doghouse. You can often find old doghouses free or cheap (check Craigslist for your area). Cut a 2x6 frame to fit the bottom of the dog house and stretch hardware cloth with 1/2 inch mesh over the frame and staple it down. Put the doghouse on top of the frame and nail it to the frame. Then use hinges and a clip to attach a plywood door to the house, that raise like a drawbridge and fastens shut. Now you have a house plenty reheat enough for ducks over 2 months old and with a door to hold on to out predators. Poop drops through the hardware cloth mesh to keep it clean.
Finally, if you don't already live on a sheep farm, check the zoning in your neighborhood. Some homeowner associations, cities or counties prohibit ducks as pets, calling them livestock instead.
