Whether you are raising your Ducklings for meat or egg production they are both reared in the same manner for the first three weeks.
This guide has been put together to be used as a quick and practical reference for both the enthusiast and experienced poultry keeper. Should you require any further information do not hesitate to contact us.
This guide summarises the best management practices for rearing ducklings.
- Management & Brooding
- Feeding & Drinking Requirements
- Removing Your Chicks from the Heat
Bird Handling
It is important that all birds are always handled in a calm and responsible manner.
Duckling Management
Promoting early feeding and drinking is essential for the bird’s performance and welfare.
Preparing Your Brooder for the arrival of your Ducklings
Your brooder should be clean and disinfected prior to the arrival of your ducklings.
Your brooder should have been preheated for 2 – 3 hours before the arrival of your birds. Using either a heat lamp or a chick heat plate. What’s the difference between a heat lamp and a heat plate?
Spread 5 – 10cm of Wood Shavings evenly throughout the brooder. Why should I use Wood Shavings in my brooder?
Ensure that feed and water are available to the ducklings immediately upon arrival to the brooder.
A quality chick crumb is vital and will determine how well your ducklings develop. If the pellet is too big or the feed is full of the dust it could have severe consequences on your birds. What is the best feed for ducklings
Chick Placement
If you purchased your ducklings from a reputable supplier they should arrive in specially designed boxes that allows airflow and prevents draughts.
Examine your ducklings before signing for delivery. Your ducklings should be;
- Clean after hatch
- Stand firmly and walk well
- Alert and Active
- Free of deformities
- Vocalize contentedly
Brooding Management
For more information on how to set up the Perfect Brooder check out this article;
Setting up the Perfect Brooder
The bedding, feed, and water should be topped up at regular intervals for the first 4 days.
Do not give full-sized pellets until the birds are at least 18 days of age.
It is essential that you monitor duckling behavior to ensure that brooding conditions are correct.
If the ducklings are quacking and huddling underneath the heat source it means that they are too cold so it would be advisable to either lower the heat source or add another one.
If the ducklings are all around the edges of your brooder or visibly panting, they are too hot, we recommend raising the heat source or increasing the size of your brooder.
In either circumstance you must check back on the birds regularly for the next 2 hours.
If the ducklings are spread out evenly and alert, then no action is required.
Feeding Program
Check Out Our Duck Feeding Program
Drinking Requirements
Birds should have access to clean, fresh, good quality drinking water 24 hours a day.
Your ducklings should have to travel no more than 1m or 3.3ft from food to water as ducklings need to wet the feed in their mouth to help them digest it.
How many drinkers you require is dependent on a number of different factors such as the size of the drinker or the number of birds. It is best to just observe. It is also vital that you purchase a shallow base chick drinker or a drinker with a chick protector ring to prevent them from drowning.
Place the chick drinker on the ground and gradually raise as they grow. As a general rule of thumb, a poultry drinker should always be level with the birds back.
Removing Your Ducklings from the Heat
At 3 weeks of age, you can begin to remove your ducklings from the heat gradually. It is best to first do this when you are going to be able to check on them at regular intervals.
The first day you may leave off the heat for 3 hours and observe how the ducklings respond. If the duckings remain spread out evenly the this is an indicator that they are ready to be removed from heat but if they all cluster together then they are not yet ready and should be given another few days. The amount of time the ducklings require under heat can vary from month to month depending on the weather.
Presuming that your ducklings were able to manage the first day without the external heat on the second day you can turn the heat off first thing in the morning and turn it back on at night.
You repeat this process for the next 3 – 4 days and your ducklings will now be ready to start the second stage of their life cycle!
Related Articles
How to set up the Perfect Brooder
Duck Feeding Program
Raising Ducklings for Egg Production
Raising Ducklings for Meat Production
What is the best bedding material for my birds?
Where do we source our chicks?
FAQ’s
How much space do day old Ducklings need?
Day Old Ducklings need 1/2 a square foot per bird for their first week however, they will quickly outgrow this space requirement.
How much heat do my ducklings require?
If using a chick heat plate, the number of chicks that it is suitable for will be clearly displayed in the instruction manual or if using a heat lamp you should have one 250 watt lamp for every 50/60 birds. Of course, you can still use a heat lamp even if you only have 3/4 chicks – 60 is the maximum.
How often are Day Old Chicks Available?
We have Day Old Chicks available for delivery every week. All you have to is place your order online, select your date and collection point and we take care of the rest.
What age do ducks start laying?
Assuming the ducks have had proper care they will start laying between 20 and 24 weeks of age.
How long will it take for my Aylesbury Ducklings to reach slaughter weight?
It takes Aylesbury Ducklings less than 8 weeks to reach slaughter weights.
If you have any questions which have not been answered in this article fill out the contact form below and we will answer your question on the same day!