“Raw” chips and shavings for duckling bedding?

[JanalynnDotenFerguson]

Hi all,
Whew! This whole duckling thing is way more like raising babies than any other animal we’ve had. We are loving it and learning a lot! We are starting to think ahead to moving our week and a half-old ducklings out of the house and into the heated garage. We have been using chux, newspaper with shelf-liner and towels, but it gets messy in a hurry and doesn’t seem sustainable for 6 more weeks until they can go outside. I have chips and shavings ( not cedar) from a friend with a mill. If I made sure they were dry in the oven, and that the little ones didn’t eat it, would that work for bedding, or do they have to be kiln treated.

 

[Isaac 0]

I think that would be ok, as long as they don't eat the chips or if the chips are coarsely cut, it may be hard on their little feet. Newspaper shouldn't be used with chicks as it can cause splayed legs.

 

[JanalynnDotenFerguson]

The newspaper has always been an under layer - never a walking surface

 

[Percheron chick]

Garage now.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I see you've got them in a pool which should be fine until you can put them outside for good unless the pool is a tiny one. If it is a tiny pool buy a bigger one because you'll need one anyway once they get bigger.

The pine shavings should be good but watch that the pieces aren't too sharp on their little webbies! TSC has a bale for about $6 that lasts a good long time as long as you've got the water situation under control. I've got a rectangular box topped with hardware cloth and Dollar Tree shelf liner so all the spilled water goes in the box instead of all over the shavings.

They will try to get out of that pool really soon, sooner than you think! So get some good big pieces of cardboard and put it around the pool so they can't climb out over the edge.

If you've got one of those dog pens that has different sections those are great for around the pool too and you can hang the heat lamp from it. You'll need to keep the cardboard around the pool until the ducks are too big to get through the holes of the dog fence.

 

[JanalynnDotenFerguson]

I see you've got them in a pool which should be fine until you can put them outside for good unless the pool is a tiny one. If it is a tiny pool buy a bigger one because you'll need one anyway once they get bigger.

The pine shavings should be good but watch that the pieces aren't too sharp on their little webbies! TSC has a bale for about $6 that lasts a good long time as long as you've got the water situation under control. I've got a rectangular box topped with hardware cloth and Dollar Tree shelf liner so all the spilled water goes in the box instead of all over the shavings.
View attachment 2099282
They will try to get out of that pool really soon, sooner than you think! So get some good big pieces of cardboard and put it around the pool so they can't climb out over the edge.

If you've got one of those dog pens that has different sections those are great for around the pool too and you can hang the heat lamp from it. You'll need to keep the cardboard around the pool until the ducks are too big to get through the holes of the dog fence.
View attachment 2099281

This was really helpful, thank you!