Am I keeping my ducklings correctly?

[snowhorse]

So I had to bring home these baby duckling at a swap.

I got 3 Khaki Campbells.

I dont know how old they are, but they are slightly larger than my month old chicks. And all fuzz.

I currently have them in a brooder/ cut in half because the other half is chicks.

They have shavings floor, under that is rubber. They are in a small shed type building.

No access to outside - its still pretty cold here.

They have a gallon waterer that I use for my chicks, and they have a food bowl I have hanging on the wall that I feed them game starter crumbles.

I do not have anything for them to swim in because I don't want the brooder to get wet- Should I have them somewhere where they can swim?

Also have a heat lamp that is plugged in if its 50 or under during the day and on at night.

 

[gryeyes]

Well, first, let me say the ducklings will grow exponentially faster than your chicks. I started with 4 chicks in one half of the brooder and 2 ducklings in the other half, with a hardware cloth divider so they could see and interact with each other. By the end of the first week, the ducklings were more than twice the size of the chicks. By the end of the second week, they needed their own brooder, they had gotten that much larger.

Second, get a Cool Whip container or other larger sized tub with a lid, cut a slice in the lid and put the lid back on; use that as the duckling waterer. Separate from the chicks. (The picture shows a cottage cheese container but I had to move to the larger Cool Whip tub later on.)

They do NOT need to swim. But after they're about 2 weeks old, I'd set up a dishpan with warm water in it, then put your ducklings in it for them to play. They'll love it. After about 10 minutes, no longer, take 'em out and dry 'em off as much as you can, before you put them back under their heat lamp. (They can get chilled really fast.) For the first four weeks, that is, week 2 through 4, I only did the swimming practice twice a week.

You're going to be changing the litter in that brooder pretty darned often, with duckies. They are messier, and fling their water everywhere. The Cool Whip tub trick only helps cut that down some.

 

[Amiga]

Do you know the temperature in the brooder? I am guessing your ducklings are about two weeks old, based on mine starting to get their feathers between two and three weeks.

If that is the case, it is recommended that they be kept at 80 degrees F, then dropping five degrees a week until they are comfortable at room temperatures.

I second gryeyes plastic tub idea to use for a face wash for the ducklings in addition to the gallon waterer. They need to be able to dip their heads under water every day to clear their eyes and nostrils and prevent infections. I put a splash catcher under their waterers - it greatly reduces the number of times I have to replace wet bedding.

Have you given them any fresh greens, like chard or dandelion or cress or lettuce (not iceberg)?

What are you feeding them?

 

[snowhorse]

No its a pretty big brooder, so they just go in and out underneath the light as they get hot or cold. I don't watch the temp with my chicks I do the same thing with them. I know based on how the are acting if they are too hot or cold.

I have not given them any fresh greens, should I be?

And I will have to work on a new waterer. I'm not sure they can get their entire head in the one I have now. What do you use for a splash guard?

I am feeding them a game bird Starter/Grower Crumbles.

 

[Amiga]

Keep the waterer you have now for them to drink from. Look at the photo in gryeyes' post - it's a butter tub (or margarin, or ricotta, or cottage cheese, etc.) cleaned up with a hole cut out of the top. Keep that filled with water so they can dunk their precious little heads in and was their faces

 

[dumb_cluck]

I wouldn't leave a container of food that size next to the water dish. They will spill it and/or get it soggy with the water.
Give them enough so that they eat it up, but don't leave an extra pile for them to "snack" on.

If they use up their water and continue to eat, they will choke.

I never use shavings as bedding for ducks. They tend to want to eat anything interesting. I use straw and hay only. By the picture, they look like about 3 weeks old.

Also, they do not need to be swimming just yet. But, you can fill a small kiddie pool with a LITTLE water and put them in. SUPERVISED of course. I tip my pool up at one end so there is water in the lower part, but dry land on the upper. That way they can get in and get out.

They will naturally start to preen after becoming wet. This will get their oils going since their Mom ain't there to do it for them

I have Mallards: http://www.thebigskyranch.com/mallard_family.htm

 

[snowhorse]

Quote:
Do you feed them certain times of day? or leave feed out all day? I have been just leaving free choice