Brooding Ducklings???

[SamG347]

Hey all....well I'm getting 6+ Muscovy eggs in the mail this week and I know I have 35 days to prepare for them. What is the best way to brood ducklings. As far as cutting down mess...and bettering the healthy of the ducks. I have 1 reg.wire cage that is pretty big and would work nicely....I have 1 coated wire cage that would be nice on their feet...but could also possibly be slippy. And could also just brood them on shavings.
What do you think?

 

[tamsflock]

I am no expert these are the first calls I have hatched yesterday. I had mine on the coated wire and they were slipping. Moved them to a smaller cage with the shavings they are doing better on that. I have no clue if that is fine to do BUT I didn't want them to get spraddle leg because they couldn't get their footing.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

The first week or so, I keep my ducklings in a large cardboard box, with either straw or pine shavings. Make sure what ever you use, that the ducklings wont be able to slip, as that can lead to spraddle leg.

 

[farmertank]

I use a cardboard box for muscovys intill they get their footing down well. Muscovys don't play in their water like other ducks, so they aren't as messy. I would then put them in a non-coated wire cage with shavings.

Julie

 

[streemers]

i had mine (14) in a box for the first 7 days then put them all in a large dog kennal with a heat lamp in 1 corner. i have been using a towel for the bottom that i could just fold up take outside shake off then wash. but now i am going to head to the farm store and get them some horse bed pellets. the towel really isnt working and smells up the house pluse i have to change it 3 pluse times a day.

 

[ChickenToes]

I brooded my ducklings outside in a fully insulated small coop. I used wood shavings. Everyday I would scoop out the wet shavings and replace them with fresh. Whenever I noticed a smell, I would just add more shavings. It was like the deep litter method.

 

[austinhart123]

i would use the wire coated cage wih wood shaving, not cedar,

 

[Wifezilla]

What about 2 rubbermaid style tubs...

One with the bottom cut out, hardware cloth to replace the cut out bottom, then rubber shelf liner (with little holes) for footing on top of that.

The bottom tub would be filled with shavings, cat litter or something else absorbent.

The water and gunk would drain in to the bottom tub and it can easily be removed for cleaning.

Would that work??

 

[SamG347]

Thanks everyone! I will go with my rubbermaid tub brooder with shavings for awhile...then maybe switch to cage.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

We have 15 duck eggs hopefully hatching this week. I really like Wifezilla's idea. Sam, what did you end up using and how did it work?