Baby ducks and water

[Frizzy Chicks]

I recently picked up 3 ducks from TS and I was wondering how long before I can put them in a tub of water? I'm assuming room temp water?

 

[MissusDee]

They really don't need to be in a tub of water until they get feathers. You can try around 3 weeks to see if they like it, or if say they get pretty dirty it's a good way to get them cleaned off, but it's probably best to keep them dry for now.

 

[Frizzy Chicks]

Aw, hubbies going to be upset.

Thats ok, watching them run around in the brooder is fun too. Can't wait till they get bigger, especially with reading all of these posts and seeing all these pictures.

 

[MissusDee]

Yeah, they will possibly get chilled. I just tried my 3 week old mallards in a small basin and they didn't like it yet! It even takes them a while to take to it sometimes. It's cute to see babies splash about though you don't want them cold, and they don't get the oil on them like the wild babies do from the mommy ducks, so water doesn't slide off them, it absorbs in.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

I have mine swimming from day 3 on. First it is a paint tray with warm water placed into the bath tub. Have a washcloth hang over the side so they can get out. They will splash so here you have an area you can easily clean after wards. You must be present at all time, because they can drown if they get exhausted. You will see when they have enough, because they just start to stand around doing nothing. That is when you take them out, paper towel dry each one of them and put them back into the brooder underneath the warm lamp. You will also notice that they start to preen within days. Not that they are producing the preen oil yet, but they do perform the grooming motions. Early water exposure does promote the preen gland and they will produce their oil earlier then without swimming. Never provide a water swimming pan in the brooder. They just don't know when to stop, get chilled and can die. Controlled environment and warm water only.

 

[Duck Mad]

mine have had warm baths from two weeks old, short shallow baths... keeping an eye on them at all times, because its known they can drown..... ps dont forget to fil their first bath

 

[Duck Mad]

film their first bath*

 

[AnaD]

We gave ours a bath in a small tub around 1 1/2 weeks in warm water. THEY LOVED IT! They dove under and swam and then just sat in it grooming themselves. I let them swim for 10-15 minutes than sat and dried them before they went back in the brooder.

 

[CourtneyBrooke*]

Your ducks are adorable! I want to get some, I currently just Have chickens!

 

[VOX]

i put mine in the tub at about 1 1/2 weeks. just made sure the water wasn't to deep or to cold. Cute duckies by the way......