Instructions
Watch for standing and wing flapping. Notice that a healthy newborn will work its way onto its feet on Day 1. Look for wing slow flapping to begin by the end of Day 2. Ducklings will also walk to siblings and faces with which it is familiar --- its mother and caretakers, for instance --- within the first 48 hours.
Listen for squawking. Take note of the consistency and pitch of the squawking. Squawking --- or quacking --- begins as early as Day 1 and becomes more consistent over the next several days. Identify males from females --- by Week 6 --- by the tone of the squawking. Males quack with deeper tones; while females have short, higher-pitched squawks. Squawking indicates a lively young bird.
Watch for running and swimming. Look for ducklings to increase in speed over the first seven to 10 days of life --- as they become familiar with indoor and outdoor terrains. A duck on flat terrain with low-level grass may run between 2 and 5 miles per hour. Ducklings also gravitate naturally to the water --- although runner ducks, for example, often prefer staying on land. An adult duck may run as fast as 6 or 7 miles per hour.
Look for wild ducks to take flight within the first eight weeks of life. Pinpoint and wood ducks, for instance, are naturally prone to take flight. Alternatively, domestic breeds, such as call ducks and muscovies, may never do more than run and flap their wings.
How to Measure Agility in Young Ducklings
Ducklings grow at a rapid pace and measuring the agility of the birds requires constant attention. The trick to assessing the nimbleness of a duckling is to associate its movement with its type and age. Certain breeds of ducks prefer to swim, for example, as opposed to other varieties. Watch ducklings every day to see how they develop and experience the world. Assessing a duckling's agility gives you a clear idea that it is healthy.