Baby khaki Campbell

[stephen k]

Hey guys!a week ago my 4 hatching eggs hatched an ive a question I need answered!im not joking when I ask this but my ducklings shit non stop!as soon as I change there beddin they shit again!i keep them in my bedroom and now it stinks al the time!any help is appreciated!this is a pic of 2 of them while I'm changing there bedding!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey guys!a week ago my 4 hatching eggs hatched an ive a question I need answered!im not joking when I ask this but my ducklings **** non stop!as soon as I change there beddin they **** again!i keep them in my bedroom and now it stinks al the time!any help is appreciated!this is a pic of 2 of them while I'm changing there bedding!

They are precious, and yes ducklings poop alot it's just the way they are made, most babies actually are this way food goes in one way out the other. They can't help it. What type of bedding are you using? I like to use flake pine shaving called horse bedding Not the fine because ducklings may eat it, you can also use rubber shelf liner too but you'll need to take it out daily and wash and dry and reuse. shavings seems to absorb the wet poop better than straw or hay, and daily scooping of the wettest litter and adding new will help keep it fresher. I used Oxine ah and lavender essential oil in a spray bottle to freshen the shaving when i have chicks or ducklings inside, actually I use it in all my coops and houses. Keeping the water from getting all over the bedding will help to.

 

[mumma duck]

Haha sorry that did sound funny

they definitely crap a lot I was surprised when I first got mine too. What are you using for bedding? I used wood shavings with a towel underneath and with the poo and them splashing the water I only had to change it once in the morn and once at night. With the smell all I can suggest is giving them a regular swim to clean off as long as u can keep them warm enough.i used a plastic serving platter I found with an inch or 2 of water for them to play In for a bit then id dry them and put them back in the brooder to warm up again. I heard other people say they set up the brooder in the bath so they can just wash it down haha. The smell and mess got too much for us in the end so at 5 weeks mine went outside in a rabbit hutch but it depends on ur climate there I suppose.

 

[stephen k]

I was using old towels as beddin with newspaper below to absorb.im new to this sort of thing.me and my gf have taken to hens and ducks only a few months!they cheep all nite an my sleeping pattern is away to the dogs!there only a week but do u think in cold put them in the bath to swim?there still fluffy.no feathers yet and I can't tell what sex they are!i suppose this is also a food learning curve for when me and my gf settle and have kids!though I'm sure kids are probably easier handled!

 

[Going Quackers]

I use shavings and yes, frequent changes are good. FWIW i have kids and no, the ducks grow up way quicker, those you can toss outside long before you can chuck the kids...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was using old towels as beddin with newspaper below to absorb.im new to this sort of thing.me and my gf have taken to hens and ducks only a few months!they cheep all nite an my sleeping pattern is away to the dogs!there only a week but do u think in cold put them in the bath to swim?there still fluffy.no feathers yet and I can't tell what sex they are!i suppose this is also a food learning curve for when me and my gf settle and have kids!though I'm sure kids are probably easier handled!

Put them in another room, and what kind of heat lamp are you using? they need either red or blue not just white light it will keep them awake. make sure you keep an eye on temps in their brooder too you don't want to roast them. Can you buy flake pine shavings there in Ireland? they work really well and by age 2 weeks can go onto them. They can go into warm water for about 5 min keeping them from chilling is very important pat dry when you get them out and then right back under heat lamp. first couple times just have the water cover their legs only so the get use to it. Never leave them alone while in water. Try not to get frustrated with them remember they are just babies. They can't help it that they are messy and smelly. lol Sexing them will take some time but usually around 6-8 weeks their quack will give them away as to what gender, Girls quack very loud. boys sounds like they have a raspy cold in their nose. Maybe this will help.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[mumma duck]

My partner bought home my 4 ducklings when I just had my 3rd baby believe me the ducks r easier haha they do grow very quick though and they get easier quickly. Im not sure about the bath thing I just searched through the forums on here looking for brooder ideas and saw it..I dont think they kept water in there while the ducklings were in it..they just used it as a big brooding box but just washed all the crap down at cleaning time. Id imagine it would be cold in a bath so they must have had a good lamp or something? I imagine if ur in Ireland its pretty cold im in Australia so even when we got them in winter by 5 weeks it was warm enough outside with just a blanket over the rabbit hutch. .im new to ducks too but have found every answer I need on here hope it works out for u and enjoy ur babies mine r campbells they r beautiful ducks! !