Keep ducklings in a “brooder” to keep them safe and warm.
Just like newly hatched chicks, ducklings need a safe, clean, warm space for the first several weeks of their life. We used a Rubbermaid stock tank to provide a contained space but there are many products that can serve this purpose.
Newly hatched chicks or ducklings also need a heat source. It is important to provide them with a space in the brooder that is kept at roughly 90º Fahrenheit which they can access freely when they get cold. The simplest way to do this is to set up a brooder lamp with a heat bulb above the brooder, but there are also more energy efficient radiant brooder products available.
Ducks do not have the same nutritional requirements as chickens and it is important to choose feed that is suited to their needs.
For our ducklings, we couldn’t find a duck specific starter feed, so we used Manna Pro Non Medicated Chick Starter
-Only use non-medicated starter. Not only are ducklings more disease resistant than chicks and don’t need it, but they eat more feed than chicks and can over-medicate themselves.
-Add some type of Niacin supplement. Ducks need more Niacin than chickens for proper bone development. We did this by sprinkling a little bit of brewer’s yeast over their food each time we filled it up. We found this to be an easy, no-measure way to do this.
After the first two weeks, switch to an “All Flock” feed for mixed flocks. Again, game bird feed is also a good option if a duck-specific feed is not available. Some people do feed their ducks layer hen feed with good results. We prefer to feed something that is designed for non-chicken poultry which often require higher vitamin/mineral content.
Ducks are waterfowl and need a constant supply of water.
Maintaining a clean source of water is very important when keeping ducklings. Keep in mind that they have to be able to get their entire bill into the water to drink effectively so a shallow container with a large opening is ideal.
You will need to change their water frequently. Not only do they spill quite a bit, but they like to splash around in it and use it to wash their food down when they eat so it gets gross pretty quickly. Check it at least twice a day.