Can't keep enough water available - need ideas fast!

[kayla_sayswa]

First time duckling owner here and I have 15 that are now 14 days old. They are freaks of nature, I swear - I've never seen anything grow so fast!

I have them in a 30"x60" wire cage (wire floor) and bed down one side each evening with fresh hay for them to lay on. It turns into a poopy mess so that gets changed every day. No big deal there.

But water?

How can they possibly empty two full one-gallon waterers over night? It's been bone dry the last few mornings. And bone dry again my mid-afternoon. I'm going away for the weekend and my help is only able to come in the evening. I also work full time so I can't be down there for a mid-day fillup.

Could I let them out in a big pen (it's about 12'x24') but they'd be with 2 older ducks and about a dozen pullets? I did let them out for a bit yesterday and the two older ducks kept biting them!

How do I keep up with their water needs while also keeping them safe ?

 

[duckyfromoz]

What do you provide their water in?? You can make some containers up that they cant get into to spread it around so much- or put trays underneath to catch some of the mess as well .

 

[peepsandquacks]

I have 2, 4 week old ducks, and I mix the food in with the water. I have a 1 gal waterer, and I will fill it up, flip it over and quickly full up the back half of the dish part with food (not where the spout is, but the other half). That way, if they go on a drinking/spraying spree, they eat as well and fill up faster and stop.

I also give them baths 1x a day so they can do most of their duck water party in there and get it out of their system.

It has worked so far! 1 gal lasts me 24hrs.

 

[kayla_sayswa]

I'm using the standard chick founts - the plastic gallon jug with the base. I fill both of them. I'm not concerned about the mess underneath - that just gets hosed off. It's simply how do I keep enough water for all 15 of them to last for 24 hours? I only have so much room in the cage so I can't put in a 3 gallon waterer - it won't fit.

 

[Lund Poultry]

first off, I would move them into something MUCH bigger. I would go to F and Fleet, tractor supply or maybe you have something laying around that is like 4" deep and round. Then take and make a wire ring around it with wire so they can reach through the wire and drink, but not swim/poop in it. I use the 2x3 " wire mesh. I make it at least 18" tall or so and cap the open top as well with wire so they can't fly/jump in. Works great even when they get older so they have clean water to drink and then add the pool or whatever.

 

[DurhamDuck]

That's a lot of ducks in a sort of small area (my ducklings have about a 10 x 5 foot area- my back porch actually). I would give them a larger area, then I use an INFANT baby pool that I put only 2 inches of water in. They have access to it all day some days (if it's cold I don't put it out), and they have a heat lamp to warm up under after they get out.

I have 10 ducklings and use the infant pool plus a 2 gallon water fountain, I fill the fountain about 3 times a day.

 

[kayla_sayswa]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. I am going to whip up a temporary pen for them inside the very large pen where the pullets and ducks are living now. It'll be about 10' x 9' which should be good enough for a while.

Do you think this waterer would work for them if I cover the opening so they can't jump in it and place it on something to catch the waste (to keep their living area dry as possible)?

 

[DuckDuckDuckGoose]

Quote:
That looks like a good waterer and just wanted to give you a good suggestion on diminising the wet from spillage. You put it on a rubber car mat. U know, the kind that have lips all the way around. then you just dump the spilled water out of that and it keeps the floor fairly dry, except for the water the flick around with their beaks! don't know what to do for that! LOL
Hope this helps,
t.

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
That looks like a good waterer and just wanted to give you a good suggestion on diminising the wet from spillage. You put it on a rubber car mat. U know, the kind that have lips all the way around. then you just dump the spilled water out of that and it keeps the floor fairly dry, except for the water the flick around with their beaks! don't know what to do for that! LOL
Hope this helps,
t.

Boot trays under the waterers help as well....line it with wood chips and it ...kinda...keeps the wetness to a minimum...

 

[kayla_sayswa]

Excellent suggestions! I feel so unprepared for these ducklings. Spring has not been kind to us and we're behind in all of our projects, but I wasn't about to tell Holderread's to postpone my duckling order! Whodathunk in January when I ordered them that I wouldn't be ready by mid-May.

Hopefully I'll get everything set up and then I'll post some pics for any feedback.

I actually have some duratrays used in bunny cages leftover I could use to catch the mess - it would work the same as the boot tray or floor car mats.