Bedding for 2 week old ducklings?

[gpollard]

Hi all

Just a quick question. Our 3 ducklings are 2 weeks old now and I just have a query about their bedding?

Can they sleep on a non slip rubber matting or do they need something like sawdust to keep their undersides warm? They are living in the house and not outside so they are always at room temperature.

Only a question as they seem to enjoying soaking their sawdust with water every day is all

Thanks for your answers in advance

George

 

[Wynette]

Hi all

Just a quick question. Our 3 ducklings are 2 weeks old now and I just have a query about their bedding?

Can they sleep on a non slip rubber matting or do they need something like sawdust to keep their undersides warm? They are living in the house and not outside so they are always at room temperature.

Only a question as they seem to enjoying soaking their sawdust with water every day is all

Thanks for your answers in advance

George

Hi, George. I use pelleted bedding for my ducks, and used that from day 3 on.

It's actually made for horses, is about the same price as shavings, and SO SO much more absorbent! I raised my ducklings in a leaky galvanized steel horse trough - it was super easy to hose out to clean when needed, and for my starter 5 ducklings, I only needed to change out the pellets every 6 or 7 days.

Best of luck, and enjoy your little quackers!

 

[Jomojp]

Hi George,
We got 4 Pekin ducklings this year and we started them in the house, in a galvanized 2X4X2 horse through. For the 1st week, I lined the through with Doggy Pads, for absorption and odor control. I replaced the pads once a day, because it was all wet, since they like to splash so much.

On week 2 I added wood shavings on top of the doggy pads. These guys were growing so fast and pooping so much I had to replace the entire bedding twice a day. The smell was atrocious otherwise.

At the end of the 2nd week, they had gotten so big I decided to move them out all together to the barn. They are out of the through now and have a conner of the sandy floor barn line with straw and medium size shavings. At night I can keep them in that area with a chicken tractor surrounded by straw bales and a heat lamp. They are so much happier. During the day, they get to run around and practice their pest-control skills.

I hope it helps.