Babies...More Photos

[Ducker123]

i see you bathed your babies, do you need to do that when there first hatched or does it just make them look better or whats the purpose?

 

[animalloverabh]

Quote:
You dont ( And shouldnt ) need you bath your ducklings when they first hatch unless they will be raised by a duck. Jst hatched ducklings will not have oil in their feathers and they will either drown or get a chill if you leave them in a bath for too long. If you want to bath them, bath them ( When i say bath, i mean put water in a bath/pool, but dont wash them!) when they are atleast 2 days old, and when you do dont leave them in there for more then 10 minutes as a precaution and dry them of with a heat lamp and maybe a towel.

 

[Ducker123]

ahh okay thanks, just wasnt sure weather it was a thing you were suppose to do

 

[gofasterstripe]

When I say bath I mean, I put them in the bath so they can have a dip and play about. The 1st few times I bath them they are in for all of 3 to 5 minutes, the 1st time just enough that they wash the baby fuzz off that falls of when they are born. It gets everywhere and in their eyes so I always put them in the bath the day after they are born, clean out the brooder and clean bedding. Then I put them in a tote (plastic box) with a towle and dry them off and into the brooder they go under a heat lamp. It take me longer to pick up and put 17 babies in the bath than it does for them to take a quick dip. I do this with all my ducklings, they get a few inches of water. 1 side being deep enough that they can have a paddle the other end they can stand. The way I see it mother duck doesnt keep her ducklings out ofthe water and say wel you are to young and dont have enough oil in your fuzz, I think they more you bath them, the more they learn to preen themselves, the quicker they put oil on their fuzz. It doesnt hurt them to have a 5 minute bath every day. You have a wash, shower or bath every day to stay clean and I give my ducklings a bath to stay clean!! We have clean happy ducklings in this house.

Bath time yesterday

 

[1234duck]

Such a good ducky mommy,she thinks like a duck

Nicky they are sooo sweet I could just squeeze the poo right outta them. lol How does that work about the oils in the babies(so that the water will repel off their feathers when they get bigger?) I thought in order for the oil thing to activate they needed to get wet/swim at a very young age? but then I hear people say that if the ducklings are not with the duck mom that the oils don't get activated? Does it get activated from the mom or water? ~Julie~

 

[gofasterstripe]

Juie, to be honest I dont know Ive not read up on that but I htink with them preening themselves and rubbing the oil glad and them they rub themselves with thier beaks it spreads the oil. So if you bath them, they preen the water off, rub their oil gland and VOALA!!! Oil coated ducky....if I am wrong im sure someone will correct me.

 

[1234duck]

I'll start a new post topic to find out. I don't want to be rude & take away from the batheing beauties

Did your ducks lay them eggs for you to hatch? You have such a neat variety. When did you say you were coming to California?

lol ~Julie~

 

[animalpro24]

can you send some to me?? hahaha. They are adorable. Congrats on the hatch.

 

[animalpro24]

Quote:
I love runners so much. I've been looking for more ducks to get, I think I will go with runners.

 

[mr.mc.]