Best way to dry off ducklings after a swim

[WaddleWaddle]

What is the best method? A towel and let them preen? Under a heat lamp? I have 19 ducklings to dry!

 

[jenniemig]

I always towel dried and put them back under the heat light. I have heard of a few people that blow dry them on low but it freaked out my ducklings.

 

[Amiga]

With my eleven, we all went back into a clean, dry, warm brooder (I had my beloved mind the ducklings in the tub while I cleaned up). Anyone who did not immediately start preening, I would dry with a washcloth. Only had to do that a few times. If they were preening, that was good by me.

 

[WaddleWaddle]

Awesome, thanks everyone. How long do you normally wait until you let them have their first swim?

 

[Amiga]

I put a cake pan with one inch of 90˚F water in their brooder for five minutes when they were two or three days old. Mercy, they were covered with crumble dust!!!! Other experienced duck people say wait a week, or two before their first swim. But the word "swim" can mean a bunch of things. If swim means lukewarm water deeper than their legs are long, I would say, definitely wait a month or so. But like I said, my littles were so covered with stuff (food crumbles mostly), we did it for their health. And anyone not immediately preening got dried with a clean washcloth.

After a number of days, we took them to the tub. Again, 90˚F water, up to the tops of their legs (that had grown so fast), for about five minutes, then whisked back to the warm dry brooder for dry-off.

 

[BlackChicken]

We just hatched some ducklings two days ago... Will their momma take care of the drying if we let them go swimming or will we have to intervene? We have a little pond but we haven't let them go over there yet because it's been a bit cold the past two days. The mom tries to bee line over there as soon as we open up the coop, so it's only a matter of time. The water isn't going to be warm or shallow like your bath tub- do you think this will be a problem for the ducklings or will their mom handle it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

We just hatched some ducklings two days ago... Will their momma take care of the drying if we let them go swimming or will we have to intervene? We have a little pond but we haven't let them go over there yet because it's been a bit cold the past two days. The mom tries to bee line over there as soon as we open up the coop, so it's only a matter of time. The water isn't going to be warm or shallow like your bath tub- do you think this will be a problem for the ducklings or will their mom handle it?

You many lose some if they chill, I think till it warms up I'd keep mom and ducklings out of the pond. also if you have snapping turtles you may have a problem too, they will dine on ducklings.

 

[BlackChicken]

You many lose some if they chill, I think till it warms up I'd keep mom and ducklings out of the pond. also if you have snapping turtles you may have a problem too, they will dine on ducklings. 

Thanks for the help!

 

[smoknz28]

Here's our new kiddos having fun in the tub.

 

[sophieluck]

I always towel dried and put them back under the heat light. I have heard of a few people that blow dry them on low but it freaked out my ducklings.

blow on them?? hahah omg