Can someone suggest a container for 12 duckling brooder?

[LondonChicken]

Hello. I have 2 5 day old ducklings and 10 more on the way. The two are currently in a 30-gallon tub in a half bathroom that has been converted for this purpose to keep them safe from the cats.

Can someone suggest the right size of rubber or plastic container to keep 12 ducks in for 2 weeks? I was going to buy a 50-gallon tub from Lowes but wasn't sure if this would be big enough. Thank you for any input.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

You might have to build something.

 

[rjmyooper]

If you have any fencing, you can make a temporary pen, maybe 6'x6' (?) with a cover to keep cats out and a skirt to keep other pests from going under the fencing. Add a wire cave with a heating pad over it, just tall enough for the birds to get underneath. The Ducks have to be kept at body temperature 92° to 98°. The cave will have to be adjustable to grow with the group. Mine cave will have 2 heating pads and made of 1/2" hardware cloth. I have 12 Ducks coming as well. There's nothing wrong with having them outside if they have protection and heat.
Good Luck and I hope you have healthy happy birds.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I ordered small pet pen and use this to make my brooder
My ducklings are 3 weeks and as they got bigger I made it bigger by adding more panels
I only have 3 ducklings in this
I have cats as well but keep them away from the basement

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you have any fencing, you can make a temporary pen, maybe 6'x6' (?) with a cover to keep cats out and a skirt to keep other pests from going under the fencing. Add a wire cave with a heating pad over it, just tall enough for the birds to get underneath. The Ducks have to be kept at body temperature 92° to 98°. The cave will have to be adjustable to grow with the group. Mine cave will have 2 heating pads and made of 1/2" hardware cloth. I have 12 Ducks coming as well. There's nothing wrong with having them outside if they have protection and heat.
Good Luck and I hope you have healthy happy birds.

98 is why to warm for ducklings unless you want to roast them. Actually 85* and out of drafts is ideal. then drop the temp 5* each week until they are at same temp as their surrounding.

 

[indianaducks]

How long are you keeping them indoors? From personal experience, the first 2 or maybe 3 weeks is doable with that many ducklings in a very large tote/tub. But after that, they are going to outgrow pretty much anything you can come up with. And they are going to be hugely messy as well. You might have to build something and keep them in your garage, or if its warm enough outside, move them outside but keep them safe from predators and any other birds you have. We had 12ish and struggled with keeping them in the brooder after about 3 weeks. We kept expanding and coming up with new ideas and it would work for a few days and then they'd outgrow it again and yeah.... good luck! If you come up with a brilliant idea, please share!

 

[indianaducks]

98 is why to warm for ducklings unless you want to roast them. Actually 85* and out of drafts is ideal. then drop the temp 5* each week until they are at same temp as their surrounding.

I agree. Mine usually have a heat lamp really warm for a week tops, and then the next week I raise it quite a bit. I remove heat much sooner with ducklings than I do with chicks. Mine are usually kept in a heated garage and then I just lower the garage temp until its roughly in line with outdoor temps. And I try to pick a nice warm, sunny day to move them outside.

 

[rjmyooper]

I was thinking incubator temps which are much higher.
My bad.

I agree. Mine usually have a heat lamp really warm for a week tops, and then the next week I raise it quite a bit. I remove heat much sooner with ducklings than I do with chicks. Mine are usually kept in a heated garage and then I just lower the garage temp until its roughly in line with outdoor temps. And I try to pick a nice warm, sunny day to move them outside.

 

[indianaducks]

I was thinking incubator temps which are much higher.
My bad.

That makes sense!

 

[Yardmom]

I have brooded that many. The 30 gallon tub may get you passed the first days when they are more fragile. You are correct about the 50 gallon tub getting too small pretty quickly. We have an outdoor brooder that we made. It has a wood box that is 3x3x3 and hardware cloth section 3x5. After a couple weeks that becomes just sleeping quarters and we attach a half circle of fence for space to use during the day. I do have a heating pad in the box the first few weeks.