Do ducklings create as much dander as chicks?

[HappyWIgardener]

It is unseasonably COLD here and so I need to move to brooder plan B. My 15 Indian Runners are due to arrive tomorrow...so I need to set up a temporary brooder in the house. I am concerned about all the dust they may create. Our first year raising chicks we brooded them in the partially finished basement for a week, and it was obnoxious. The only area that our cat can't access happens to be food storage and laundry, among other things. I think of the nightmare of having to dust off all these storage items...(and then there's the smell factor...) Any suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well not too much you can do about the smell factor except clean, clean ,clean, ducklings poop a lot. But thank goodness they don't have the dander chicks do. Not saying they don't have any but nothing like chickens. Maybe use some old sheets to hang up over the food stuffs?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/duckling-care-brooder-ideas.64854/ Be sure to post lots of pics. My Runners will be 2 yrs end of this month I just love baby pics.

Welocme to BYC and duckdom!

 

[HappyWIgardener]

Thanks, Lydia! We are excited to have ducks around again; its been years, and the last ones were Muskovies. No one liked them much.

Great tips in that link. The kids & I will enjoy perusing it!

I will need to learn how to sex them, since we only plan on keeping 5-6 and selling the rest after brooding.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

To have dust and dander everything needs to be dry. Nothing remains dry around ducklings! There are things you can try on the link from Miss Lydia. I hatched six ducklings a few weeks ago. By last Friday, at two weeks old, their 3' x 2' brooder which opened to a 6' x 3' pen with a baby pool, was having to be cleaned three times a day and quickly becoming too small. They went to their new home in a horse barn that afternoon. I hope your weather warms soon. They are fun and worth it, but a lot of work. Good luck!
This is at three days old before the pen and baby pool.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I understand there are quite a few videos on you tube for sexing has to be done when super young like right when you get them but can also cause injury to the duckling if not done proper.

Too bad your all the way to WI, I could handle a few more ducklings. Love them Runners.
Their Motto is One for All and All for One

 

[HappyWIgardener]

cheezenkwackers, what kind of ducks are those--Khakis? Long ago we had a trio and they were the nicest ducks. I just vaguely remember brooding them with a whole bunch of baby chicks; it was amazing how those three little ducks made more mess than all the chickens! Thus, we decided to brood these runners a month ahead of the 20-some variety chicks coming in May so the ducks would be out before then. The plan was to brood them in our big 18' x 32' professional greenhouse in its large raised beds. I figured it would be perfect: Nice & toasty during the day, with the exhaust fan/thermostat for temp control if it got too hot, plenty of space, and easy to deal with the mess. Thought it would be simple to add a few heat lamps to turn on at night... This was my train of thought when I ordered them in January, dreaming of spring, while under several feet of snow. Trouble is, we got another foot of snow (literally!) dumped on us last week, and the night temps are still way below freezing! Last night the temp directly under the lamps was only 60°! Sheesh. I'm almost ready to move out of unpredictable north central Wisconsin...

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

You could set them up in a kiddie pool. I only have 4 and my initial set up was a plastic tote, now it is a kiddie pool. They still manage to get stinky (more so the older they get because they play in their water more), but not particularly dusty. I spot clean twice a day and change out the whole pool once a week.

 

[HappyWIgardener]

I would have tried a pool in the basement, but I don't have one, and they aren't being sold anywhere here yet. Currently I have a deep 5' x 2' wood hauling sled set up as my basement backup. Either way, It's gonna be awfully cramped quarters for 15 ducks. I may need to move them out to the greenhouse during the day and bring them inside just at night.

It occurred to me this afternoon that I could make a hoop "tent" inside the greenhouse by inserting PVC ribs into the beds' sides (they are cinder blocks, 2-high), hanging three heat lamps--one per rib--and covering with a large tarp for nighttime. I carefully secured the tarp to avoid fire risk, and have been monitoring the temp so far this evening. At 7:00 pm, mostly dark, it's 32 outside, 48 inside the greenhouse, and 98 under the lamps in the tarp. I'll check it before bed and first thing in the morn to see if maybe it might work! However, Saturday's weather is supposed to be 24° overnight and 3-5 more inches of snow! On April 14th!

Last Wednesday:

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I would have tried a pool in the basement, but I don't have one, and they aren't being sold anywhere here yet. Currently I have a deep 5' x 2' wood hauling sled set up as my basement backup. Either way, It's gonna be awfully cramped quarters for 15 ducks. I may need to move them out to the greenhouse during the day and bring them inside just at night.

It occurred to me this afternoon that I could make a hoop "tent" inside the greenhouse by inserting PVC ribs into the beds' sides (they are cinder blocks, 2-high), hanging three heat lamps--one per rib--and covering with a large tarp for nighttime. I carefully secured the tarp to avoid fire risk, and have been monitoring the temp so far this evening. At 7:00 pm, mostly dark, it's 32 outside, 48 inside the greenhouse, and 98 under the lamps in the tarp. I'll check it before bed and first thing in the morn to see if maybe it might work! However, Saturday's weather is supposed to be 24° overnight and 3-5 more inches of snow! On April 14th!

Last Wednesday:
View attachment 1333735

Yeah, that white stuff looks gross! I already had the pool for my dogs to use in the summer.
You might find them at the big box stores (Lowes, home depot, etc) Even though the weather isn't cooperating, the gardening and summer stuff should be out (due to marketing).
But, I am sure there are alternatives. Maybe one of those black plastic watering troughs that they sell at tsc?
Of course the new greenhouse plan sounds good too!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

cheezenkwackers, what kind of ducks are those--Khakis? Long ago we had a trio and they were the nicest ducks. I just vaguely remember brooding them with a whole bunch of baby chicks; it was amazing how those three little ducks made more mess than all the chickens! Thus, we decided to brood these runners a month ahead of the 20-some variety chicks coming in May so the ducks would be out before then. The plan was to brood them in our big 18' x 32' professional greenhouse in its large raised beds. I figured it would be perfect: Nice & toasty during the day, with the exhaust fan/thermostat for temp control if it got too hot, plenty of space, and easy to deal with the mess. Thought it would be simple to add a few heat lamps to turn on at night... This was my train of thought when I ordered them in January, dreaming of spring, while under several feet of snow. Trouble is, we got another foot of snow (literally!) dumped on us last week, and the night temps are still way below freezing! Last night the temp directly under the lamps was only 60°! Sheesh. I'm almost ready to move out of unpredictable north central Wisconsin...

The babies are 3/4 Khaki, 1/4 Appleyard.
I love the hoop house idea! My big ducks night pen is basically a hoop house covered in tarp and mesh. I add gallon jugs full of hot water when the temperature is really low.
I grew up in the north, can’t say that I miss that much snow. Good luck! Be sure to let us see pics of the cute babies!