magpie1972
In the Brooder
Hi brittreese, that's awesome that you are preparing ahead of time for your new ducklings. Here's a list of "must-haves" that we used when we got our 2 ducklings this past Spring:
For the first couple of weeks:
1. A cardboard box (about 3'L 'x 2'W x 2'H to start with then move up as they grow) to put them in. Depending on when in the Spring they'll be arriving and warm the surrounding environment where they'll be kept, the cardboard box helps with insulation.
2. Newspapers to line the boxes under the bedding.
3. Pine bedding for easier cleanup. Do not use cedar. Walmart is the cheapest. Also, very important - DO NOT throw the used bedding into your garden. I did and it literally sucked the life out of my plants. I lost a very nice apricot tree and about 20 tomato plants by doing so.
4. Two bowls (one for food, one for water) that they can't knock over.
5. Heat lamp with a clamp. Lowes had the best price.
6. Cheap thermometer to keep inside the box
7. Plastic liners to line the sides of the box. Ducks poop sideways! Lining the bottom of the box also kept the box from getting soaked allowed us to not having to go through so many cardboard boxes. Only downside was having to hose down (and cleaning with soap) the plastic daily when we changed the bedding and newspaper.
8. Duck shoes. HIGHLY recommended. Order them now as it DOES take MONTHS for them to get shipped, no matter what their website says!!!! Also, make sure you make a note on the order form to ask for left AND right shoes. You'd think it's intuitive or the shoe makers to know, but they don't. They sent use 2 left shoes for both ducks and our ducks now walk around with 1 shoe. Didn't notice this until it was too late to return the shoes and we didn't want to wait another 2 months for new shoes:/ Bumblefoot is inevitable and extremely heartbreaking and expensive. Pay the money and get them on as soon as the ducks can go outside. I can't recommend a good place b/c our shoes keeping falling off of the ducks.
9. Duck diapers, if you plan on letting them in the house, go for car rides, etc. Start the training asap. Again, these also take FOREVER to ship and then some more when they don't fit right and you have to send them back for modifications.
From ~3 weeks until they move to a coop:
1. A large (about 40 gallons), long plastic storage container for when they outgrow the cardboard boxes.
2. Same as above for the rest, except the thermometer. With more container space, we then moved up to a Cool Whip tub for the water and that worked well because it was high enough to keep them out of the water for awhile, yet big enough to hold enough that they couldn't knock over.
3. If you have any mulch/bark in your backyard, start getting rid of them now because the ducks will step on them and get splinters which will lead to bumblefoot.
Hope I didn't leave anything out. Good luck!!!
For the first couple of weeks:
1. A cardboard box (about 3'L 'x 2'W x 2'H to start with then move up as they grow) to put them in. Depending on when in the Spring they'll be arriving and warm the surrounding environment where they'll be kept, the cardboard box helps with insulation.
2. Newspapers to line the boxes under the bedding.
3. Pine bedding for easier cleanup. Do not use cedar. Walmart is the cheapest. Also, very important - DO NOT throw the used bedding into your garden. I did and it literally sucked the life out of my plants. I lost a very nice apricot tree and about 20 tomato plants by doing so.
4. Two bowls (one for food, one for water) that they can't knock over.
5. Heat lamp with a clamp. Lowes had the best price.
6. Cheap thermometer to keep inside the box
7. Plastic liners to line the sides of the box. Ducks poop sideways! Lining the bottom of the box also kept the box from getting soaked allowed us to not having to go through so many cardboard boxes. Only downside was having to hose down (and cleaning with soap) the plastic daily when we changed the bedding and newspaper.
8. Duck shoes. HIGHLY recommended. Order them now as it DOES take MONTHS for them to get shipped, no matter what their website says!!!! Also, make sure you make a note on the order form to ask for left AND right shoes. You'd think it's intuitive or the shoe makers to know, but they don't. They sent use 2 left shoes for both ducks and our ducks now walk around with 1 shoe. Didn't notice this until it was too late to return the shoes and we didn't want to wait another 2 months for new shoes:/ Bumblefoot is inevitable and extremely heartbreaking and expensive. Pay the money and get them on as soon as the ducks can go outside. I can't recommend a good place b/c our shoes keeping falling off of the ducks.
9. Duck diapers, if you plan on letting them in the house, go for car rides, etc. Start the training asap. Again, these also take FOREVER to ship and then some more when they don't fit right and you have to send them back for modifications.
From ~3 weeks until they move to a coop:
1. A large (about 40 gallons), long plastic storage container for when they outgrow the cardboard boxes.
2. Same as above for the rest, except the thermometer. With more container space, we then moved up to a Cool Whip tub for the water and that worked well because it was high enough to keep them out of the water for awhile, yet big enough to hold enough that they couldn't knock over.
3. If you have any mulch/bark in your backyard, start getting rid of them now because the ducks will step on them and get splinters which will lead to bumblefoot.
Hope I didn't leave anything out. Good luck!!!
Last edited:
