How To Raise a Duck as a Pet: Pet Care

October 29th, 2010 |

We had 3, 2 week old, baby ducklings given to us. What we used for housing was a medium sized wire (colapsable) dog kennel. The kind that is used to transport dogs in the back of the car etc. This worked really great for them. Easy to move outside to clean (it has a tray that slides out) and bring back in. The wire sides and top also holds the clip on light up and out of the way of the ducks. We clipped it on the edge of the top and bent the stem of the light down toward the ducks…on the OUT side. We also put the thermometer between the wire sides and the clear plastic old clear shower curtain liner that we taped on the outside of the the crate with duct tape. This clear plastic went halfway up the sides to contain all the mess that ducks make. This really works great for us. Just make sure its a thick gauge. The ducks will peck at it. If it’s too thin, they could get it caugt in their little thoats.

In a few weeks we are using an out side dog kennel (chain link) with a chicken wire top attatched to keep them in so the hawks and raccoons can’t get to them. We’ll cover the top of the current cage to give them shelter and shade set inside the large kennel. Of course the door will be secured open then. We will also run old screening around the large outdoor kennel and secure the bottom of the screening with heavy boards so that the snakes and raccoons can’t get to them while they are still small.

Once grown they are on their own as we have a lake backing up to our yard.

Duckings are a LOT of work but worth it! They are so much fun to watch