couple of baby duck Qs

[Martha27]

We just got our 2 baby pekins they are lots of fun already and super cute! I have never raised ducks before and am trying to learn all I can so I do it right. I just had a couple questions I was hoping someone could answer for me- How close should the heat lamp be for them? I think now it might be too close, it feels hot to me but i'm not a baby duck so maybe they love it! also is it ok for them to run around the house and eat bugs? we are infested with carpenter ants right now and one of the little ducks already took off after two and gooble them up before I even knew what he was doing!! also is there ANY tricks or secrets to telling the gender? one seems smaller and has a black speck on it's beak but that's about the only difference. The people at the farm and feed store said there was no way to ever tell b/c even when they are older they will look the same. I'd just like to give them proper names and not be calling them girl if they are a boy and vice versa also want to know if we will have more baby ducks if they are boy/girl!
thanks!
oh also im wondering if I should add a little water to their food to make it more mushy for them?? they seem to be having a hard time eating the crumbles??

[MamaMonica]

They should be fine eating bugs if you provide them with some grit, like crushed granite chick grit or coarse sand. They need it to digest food other than their chick start.

[darling_deedee]

Hey there.

We always keep a thermometre in with the birds to tell how hot it is off to the side of the heat lamp. If you look online you'll find the recommended temp for your breed's age. Its ok if its a little warm so long as there's room for them to escape the heat when they need to.

I have Muscovy ducks and its easy to tell them apart - the drakes are SO much bigger then the hens and have a red crown/comb. Plus they're always trying to get some 'action' with the hens. I don't know anything about pekins, though.

Hope that helps.
-Dee