Duckling brooder tips please!

I love this! I'm just so uncreative but this looks like it will do the job! Will have to do some experimenting over the weekend! Thanks for sharing!

TimCline said:

I put mine in a wire rabbit hutch instead of a normal brooder. I put pine shavings everywhere except around the water where I put straw. That way spilled water hits the ground. Problem solved lol.

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Yes I've seen these on other threads - great idea and can defo see how that would work - I just didn't want to have to buy a rabbit hutch at the mo when then aren't going to be in it for much longer (I'm not planning on breeding or having a larger flock at the moment, but would consider this once I move so I am hoping to get more land).

The lasagne tray looks perfect - an alternative with the same principles as the wire rabbit hutch!

HennyPenny2 said:

I made this one using a lasagna tray with hardware cloth wrapped over it a scrap 2x4 in the middle and stapled the hardware cloth to it for stability. Keeps the bedding nice and dry.

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Genius!

I use large plastic tubs with deep wells around the edge to contain wet messes and a plastic grate with shelf liner over it to keep the ducklings high and dry. It is easy on their feet, there is no bedding material for them to eat so it is non-toxic, there is no wet bedding to stink up the house (the only thing that smells worse than bird poop is bedding material that is saturated with wet bird poop), and all the mess easily washes away with a hose outside and then the tubs get washed with antibacterial dish soap in the bath tub. I use small glass food and water dishes so they are easy to clean and they can be disinfected and sanitized in the dishwasher. Cleaning is cheap and easy!

Ducklings do require frequent cleaning of their brooder while they are babies but they love taking baths in the tub while their brooder is drying so they are far cleaner than baby chicks with their poop everywhere. Ducklings grow so fast that they are outside in no time so the messy phase does not last long. Their liquid poop mess is so easily rinsed away while chick poop takes more scrubbing to remove because it is not as water soluble.

I love raising baby birds but I find the ducklings easier to clean up after as long as you avoid using anything absorbant in their brooder. Not only does wet bedding stink, it can grow mold quickly here and that can be toxic to the ducklings and to people. I am deathly allergic to mold so I make sure not to give it anyplace to grow.