How soon can my ducklings go foe a swim?

buff goose guy said:

I let my ducklings swim the second day, I always make sure I'm there and that they can touch the bottom if they need to though. Swimming at an early age can be good for them, because it strengthens their legs and begins to produce the water proof oils earlier for them. It's Best not to ever make the water so high that the ducks can't touch the bottom just in case they become water logged and drown.

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HennyPenny2 said:

I too had my ducks in the water second day I got them but closely supervised and made sure they had a platform to get out when they got tired but mine was deep enough for them to dive and swim under which they did all the time. They swam everyday after that. They are now going to be approx. 4 weeks tomorrow and everyday they are let out of their outdoor cage (they are temporarily in a doghouse and open dog kennel attached as a run till they are moved into their duck house in the chicken run. Also our highs are in the 80's and lows right around 60) and they go straight to their "play pen" I made out of PVC and plastic poultry netting that has shade and their little kiddie pool that they are able to stand in but I also have a paver for them to stand on or get out (they are actually able to get out of the pool without the step now but I keep it in to be safe). They always always want to be in their pool, as soon as they are let out of that cage they run straight to io the playpen to go in. They also started applying their oil really young too, I don't know if it was working or not but they were always doing it. Here's a picture of them in their playpen...

That's Jemima my Buff in the pool and Emily in the grass, my Cayuga. They do have their food and water and shade but it's not I the picture. Also the top has bird netting and they are in a fenced in backyard.

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jenniferlamar70 said:

Thanks. We plan on putting them in the coop with the chickens eventually as well. How did you introduce them?

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HennyPenny2 said:

You are welcome. I haven't introduced them yet, that's why they have a temporary house and run because they have outgrown their brooder, our temperatures are warm enough (going to be almost 90 tomorrow ugh) and they are much happier outside. However when I do introduce them I plan to do it just like I have in the past and did again recently with my chickens when I introduced the new with the old. I already let the chickens out in the yard with the ducks in their "playpen" so the chickens can see them. I also have a section at the end of my run (which is actually where the ducks will be housed) partioned off with thick plastic poultry netting that's approx. 3-4' high I think more in the 4ft high side. The plastic is super cheap, $11 for a roll at Home Depot and it's easy to stretch to the nails i use to attach to the run and remove it on and off to get in and out. I'll leave them in there seperated for awhile till they get used to one another and then take the fence down and hope they all live happily ever after lol. My new hens are finally getting along (for the most part) with one of my older hens, that took about a month. I'm really hoping the ducks and hens live happily together, this is my first time raising ducks myself. Good luck!

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