brooding plan

[rentmecheap]

Planning my first venture into the world of waterfowl, I thought brooding them would be just like baby chickens. However, after much reading here, I realized it was time for a new plan.

Here is my 2 phase plan, please share your thoughts.

Day old ducklings:

I bought a large rubbermaid underbed storage box. It isn't very tall so I may need a supplemental draft guard( will make from used heavy paper chicken and pig feed bags). Inside this tote, I am building a 36" by 18" inch frame out of lumber and covering it with half inch hardware cloth to raise the ducks on in the house for the first couple weeks. A brooder this size should accomodate 6 ducks to 2 weeks of age I think. It will be about 24 inches tall and they will be in the house for the first 2 weeks.
Feed will be in chick feeders and I read a great idea on here about making homemade water dishes out of gallon jugs for ducklings.
2 weeks:

They move out to the outbuilding. Their growing pen will be made of hay bales and will be expandable. Shavings over concrete for the floor. Supervised access to the outdoors in a secure run until they are fully feathered. Hanging feeders and a 2 gallon poultry waterer on a wire base in a shallow rubbermade tote.

Does this sound like a good plan?

 

[crazychickenldy]

Rentmecheap asked me to post this photo on his behalf.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I have never raised ducklings in the house. I have Muscovies and they take care of their own in the duck house.

But I use cat dishes for food and a glass pie pan for water until they are a little older then pie pans for feed. My ducklings would not be able to eat from a chick feeder - bills are to big. They need water deep enough to rinse their entire bill in. But not to deep to early. So a pie pan works great and ya they will swim in it. In the duck house they have hay to lay in and their mothers keep them warm, so your light will do that. But I would give them an old towel or cut up pieces of blanket or hay to rest on. Plan on changing it out at least once a day. (washer will get used a lot until they go outside, I imagine). Out side I put a little block of wood infront of the water dish, they hop up on that and lean down into the water or just get in it and take their drink.

I use a dish for finely chopped Romain, one for feed, one for ground grains and one for pea soup all free choice. And their water dish. (Most people don't give them ground grains from their kitchen, I do)

You didn't say what kind of ducks? That will probably make a difference.
Hopefully someone else that has raised them inhouse will give you some ideas. But this works for me and it should work for 2 weeks in the house if no one else comes along.