Jeff & Konnor's Blog

Everything you need to know about raising ducklings can be found on the internets, once you sort through the 90% of pages that exist just to tell you what a terrible idea it is. Ducklings know how to feed themselves at birth, and love koi food, which we have plenty of. They need to be at 85 degrees for the first week, subtracting 5 degrees per week thereafter, and are good at telling you if they are too cold (by bunching up together in a ball) or too hot (by spreading out and panting). During the day, a Rubbermaid tote in the shade was good, and at night, the tote under a light bulb in the greenhouse worked out well. They aren't waterproof until their real feathers grow in and their oil gland starts working (mom normally oils them until then), so you have to supervise them closely if you put them in the water. Here is a photo of the ducklings taking a bath in their tote.