brooder and feed

[GhostMedic]

Hello all,

I'm getting 7 golden 300 and 3 cayuga o. March 18th from metzers. 1 of each will be drakes.

I'm planning to put them in a rubber made container for a brooder and keep them in the guest room for the first couple of weeks. Then move them to the garage in an old dog crate with tarp underneath til they are ready to go to the duck house.

I've been looking for non soy feed and have been having a great deal of problems finding any reasonably priced. I have found some at tractor supply but they don't carry it locally. I am wondering if tsc may order it for me.

Just wanted to hear from you all if the brooder sounds like a good plan. My wife has finally relented to getting livestock and I want thus to be a good experience so I can get other things for the family to raise and live off of.

Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello all,

I'm getting 7 golden 300 and 3 cayuga o. March 18th from metzers. 1 of each will be drakes.

I'm planning to put them in a rubber made container for a brooder and keep them in the guest room for the first couple of weeks. Then move them to the garage in an old dog crate with tarp underneath til they are ready to go to the duck house.

I've been looking for non soy feed and have been having a great deal of problems finding any reasonably priced. I have found some at tractor supply but they don't carry it locally. I am wondering if tsc may order it for me.

Just wanted to hear from you all if the brooder sounds like a good plan. My wife has finally relented to getting livestock and I want thus to be a good experience so I can get other things for the family to raise and live off of.

Thanks

Welcome to BYC..

Here is a great link to any questions you might have on caring for your ducklings.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

as for feed I'd ask TSC if they can order for you. if they say no then find a feed store close by and ask them. It took me a while to find feed that is GMO free but I finally did and it's only a 40mile round trip. Worth it to me.

 

[GhostMedic]

Thanks for the info,I have read stories guide and have look through bycs guide, I just wanted to hear from actual duck people. I am wondering though if I need a sitter for my ducklings after the first day. I can take the day off when they come in but it will be another 2 days before the weekend.
Any info is greatly appreciated

 

[needlessjunk]

Thanks for the info,I have read stories guide and have look through bycs guide, I just wanted to hear from actual duck people. I am wondering though if I need a sitter for my ducklings after the first day. I can take the day off when they come in but it will be another 2 days before the weekend.
Any info is greatly appreciated

It will be hard to not watch them 24/7 but they will be just fine. You don't need to take time off of work. Alright I spent the first days doing nothing but watching them. How big of a brooder are you thinking. Ducks grow super fast and you will be shocked in how quickly you will need to upgrade. I can't think of any dog crate that can house 10 ducks beyond 2 weeks. I used a kiddie pool for mine and I only had 4. At 4 weeks we had to upgrade to a larger kiddie pool (the one with the slide). If you don't have the room in one container you could split them up. Congrats and we can't wait for pics!

 

[GhostMedic]

For the first couple weeks I am thinking a large Rubbermaid container or 2. The pool idea gives me a great idea. I have a 12 foot inflatable boat with a flat bottom that might work. What do you think?