Ducklings! New pics.

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I ended up with 7 baby ducks today. I was supposed to get 3 at first, then it turned into 5. Met the girl in the Tractor Supply parking lot and went in to get some shavings. They had a TON of ducklings still. So I ended up with 2 more because thats the minimum! Oh and I'm not telling dbf about the 24 hatching eggs I brought home.

The first 5 are Buff/Rouen/Khaki Campbell mixes and then I got 2 Blue Swedish. They're all about 3 days old.

I was going to brood them outside like I brood chicks because our temps are between 45° and 60° but figured I'd wait until they got a little bigger. I'm using a brinsea ecoglow20 and it seems to be working well.Theyre in a small kiddie pool lined with plastic sheeting. I made a platform covered with hardware cloth and put puppy pads on top. Hoping for an easy to clean mess!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i like the feeder. good idea. cute babies

 

[Going Quackers]

Well aren't they just adorable! i'd love some feedback on that warmer, have you used it before now? i know it has to be low enough to "touch" the babies. I am contemplating adding one to my poultry tool box but would love real life feedback.

Great brooder! If I brood ducks again myself and i am using a pool! cute feeder idea! just watch, they'll outgrow that super fast. Would love updated pics as they grow.

 

[Finny]

I ended up with 7 baby ducks today. I was supposed to get 3 at first, then it turned into 5. Met the girl in the Tractor Supply parking lot and went in to get some shavings. They had a TON of ducklings still. So I ended up with 2 more because thats the minimum! Oh and I'm not telling dbf about the 24 hatching eggs I brought home. The first 5 are Buff/Rouen/Khaki Campbell mixes and then I got 2 Blue Swedish. They're all about 3 days old. I was going to brood them outside like I brood chicks because our temps are between 45° and 60° but figured I'd wait until they got a little bigger. I'm using a brinsea ecoglow20 and it seems to be working well.Theyre in a small kiddie pool lined with plastic sheeting. I made a platform covered with hardware cloth and put puppy pads on top. Hoping for an easy to clean mess!

LOL I would bring home 7 ducklings if I could! They are all very cute . Good luck and have fun raising them!

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I LOVE the ecoglows! I have two 20's and they work great. This is the first time I've used it with ducklings but its working very well. I looked and searched but barely found anything about raising ducklings under them, besides the general description "Works well for chickens and waterfowl". I have to pop my chicks under and block the opening for a second to teach them its the warm place. Had to do it twice with the ducklings before they got the hang of it but they all slept under it lastnight and looked happy!

I like it high enough so their backs push up agenst it when they're standing but to where it doesnt touch them when they lay down. It puts off quite a bit of heat and thats plenty for them. Its amazing how much heat they dont actually need! They spend most of their time under it for the first 2 weeks but then they only use it occasionally. I have 3 week old chicks that havnt used theirs in about a week and now I have new babies under it in the same brooder. Gives smaller babies a warm place to hide.

I notice my chicks feather out faster with it because they have to go out of the warmth to eat and drink. It mimics a mama hen and I think it does the job well. Plus at 18watts it'd make up for its self in just a couple broods. And the BEST part?! You dont have to worry about it falling into the brooder or getting splashed with water and shattering!


I'm very happy with my choice of using a kiddie pool! Its easier for me to socialize them and the open top is awesome. Plus plastic sheeting is a LIFESAVER! I'm also gonna re-do the feeders at they grow. That was my last minute "Oh no I have no duckling feeder" feeder. I have feeders like that for my chickens, just made out of 20 gallon totes.


The new babies under the fake mama.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

LOL I would bring home 7 ducklings if I could! They are all very cute

. Good luck and have fun raising them!

I didnt take home the 4-6 week old lab puppy someone was trying to ditch in the parkinglot and I resisted all the chicks TSC still had, so heck, whats a few more ducklings when you dont have a new puppy!? Normally I WOULD have ended up with the puppy too, expecially since she had messed up, small cloudy eyes but I treated a pup for parvo here in november and I'm sure its still live on the property. MUST RESIST HELPLESS CRITTERS!

 

[Finny]

I didnt take home the 4-6 week old lab puppy someone was trying to ditch in the parkinglot and I resisted all the chicks TSC still had, so heck, whats a few more ducklings when you dont have a new puppy!? Normally I WOULD have ended up with the puppy too, expecially since she had messed up, small cloudy eyes but I treated a pup for parvo here in november and I'm sure its still live on the property. MUST RESIST HELPLESS CRITTERS!  

Even if you did not take the puppy, it seems like you have done so much for other animals. Good for you!

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I have a few new pics of the babies. Theyre still in their kiddie pool brooder. They're pretty friendly little ducks. One of the blue swedes loves to be held.

They're a week and a half old.





I'm not sure if this little one is black or really dark brown.. We'll see I guess.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

aww, they are sooo cute. i bet its the bigger one up front and center that likes to be held too huh?

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Yep, that's him! He's always out in front of the group waiting for me to get him. I pick him up and snuggle him under my neck and he tries to preen me and likes when I pet him.

I let them swim in the tub once already. I towel dried them after and stuck them under the fake mama and they preened until they were dry. I was gonna let them swim again today, I'll get some pics if I do. I set 29 duck eggs from the girl I got the khaki/buff/rouen croses from. I'm hoping I have a realllly bad hatch actually. I just hatched 25 chicks so I'm kind of over run with baby animals. I have 16 2-4 week old chicks in the brooder too.