My new Ducklings won't eat, drink, or play in their little bath. Help?

[Joseiscool18]

What kind of feed?....What type of waterer And feeder?.....Are you wetting the feed?...Also Ducklings do better if you peep and quack to them using your fingers to teach them to eat and Drink...A soupy mix is easier for them...

Best wishes...

Cheers!

I was told I could use chick feed for a few weeks. I havent wet their feed yet, I'm going to do so after I finish this post lol.

Here's the set up I use. I used a section of my shed as a coop for my chicks.

 

[Joseiscool18]

Whats the temp in your brooder? Maybe they are too cold or too hot. By the time they are sold at tractpr supply they are already 3 days old. And ready to eat and drink for sure

I use a red heat lamp, not sure the temperature.

 

[chickens really]

What kind of feed?....What type of waterer And feeder?.....Are you wetting the feed?...Also Ducklings do better if you peep and quack to them using your fingers to teach them to eat and Drink...A soupy mix is easier for them...

Best wishes...

Cheers!

I was told I could use chick feed for a few weeks. I havent wet their feed yet, I'm going to do so after I finish this post lol.

Here's the set up I use. I used a section of my shed as a coop for my chicks.

Yep....Deeper water...Have dry out at all times and make a soupy meal twice a day....Wet feed spoils quickly..Also they might need niacin in their diet....Use bowls of water and feed instead of Chicken feeders...

Good luck..


Cheers!

 

[Joseiscool18]

How far is the food from the water? They need water to swallow feed, and the food and water needs to be far enough from the heat lamp that it doesn't get warmed. Just like with chicks, they need a warm zone and a cool zone. And ducklings don't need the brooder to be quite as warm as chicks do.

This is my overall view of their home. The bow on the bottom left is their wet feed and the bowl in the middle is their bath. It isn't much, but I'm hoping it holds up until I can get something better.

 

[Joseiscool18]

Yep....Deeper water...Have dry out at all times and make a soupy meal twice a day....Wet feed spoils quickly..Also they might need niacin in their diet....Use bowls of water and feed instead of Chicken feeders...

Good luck..


Cheers!

So get rid of the chicken feeders?

 

[chickens really]

Yep....Deeper water...Have dry out at all times and make a soupy meal twice a day....Wet feed spoils quickly..Also they might need niacin in their diet....Use bowls of water and feed instead of Chicken feeders...

Good luck..


Cheers!

So get rid of the chicken feeders?

Yes, I used bowls.....Ducklings scoop their feed, not peck......They need deep water to dunk their heads...The soupy wet feed is easier for young ducklings to eat....

 

[chickens really]

Also make sure the Chick starter is NOT medicated....It will kill the Ducklings...


.....Cheers !

 

[junebuggena]

Also make sure the Chick starter is NOT medicated....It will kill the Ducklings...

.....Cheers !

If it's medicated with amprolium, it's completely safe for ducks.

 

[Kryden]

I may be completely off the mark here but the first thing that pops into my head is that it could be the red light is throwing them off, especially if they had something different at the place you bought them. What color of heat lamp bulb were they using at tractor supply?

 

[Joseiscool18]

Also make sure the Chick starter is NOT medicated....It will kill the Ducklings...


.....Cheers !

I use DuMor Chick starter 20%. Is that good for them or no?