Dh's gift from sister and their containers

[BeautyBuffs]

DH's sister decided he needed two ducklings for his birthday/easter. No idea what their breeds are but was told they are a little over a week maybe two weeks old. We had no set up for them to stay in and this is what DH put together for the little things. Does anyone see any possible issues arrising from this set up? the tube connecting the totes is a coffee can that has had the edges sanded smooth, there is rocks to allow entrance into the can and the can has rounded smooth indentions in middle to allow gripping while moving from container to container. Any guesses on what these little ones will grow up to be. the multi color one has what looks like freckles on his beak and feet and the dark black one has what appears to be a really bad hair do sticking straight up.

 

[Kevin565]

My guess would be a ancona or magpie and a black runner or Cayuga

 

[tia]

If you have water in the second tub I would wait a bit. You will want to supervise them while they swim. I wait until they are much older before letting them swim. You have to even be careful that they don't fall in their drinking water when they are that little. I use a small margarine tub and cut away part of the lid, so they can just get their head in to get a drink. I would just use the one tub. As long as they can get their head in the water they do not need water to swim in.

 

[lovesgliders]

With that set-up I would worry that the ducklings won't understand the tunnel concept and may get dehydrated if that is their only source of water; they are not like ferrets and hamsters and have no urge to burrow or explore like those critters do.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Remove the slotted feeder. Drain the water from the second tote as it can cause them to become water logged, cold and die. Use a shallow bowl with marbles or clean smooth rocks for water. Use an open bowl for their food as well. Their heads will quickly be too big for the feeder you have now.

I would get a 55 gal Rubbermaid container for them or something larger as they will out grow the box quickly too.

You have a great toss it together when you weren't expecting them set up. You can search the duck area for brooders, there a number of posts showing what others use as well.

Enjoy your ducklings.

 

[BeautyBuffs]

Thank you so much for all the input. I have changed out the feeder and blocked off the one tub, added just water in cut down butter bowl with some rocks in it to keep it from tipping over. They do not appear as easy to tame as my chickens were lol. Such characters though.