Duck Bedding

[ticks]

I have my ducks right now on pine shavings. It is gross and I must change it everyday. It gets really nasty if I don't and bugs get inside and probably lay eggs. what should I use instead of pine shavings?

 

[zatsdeb]

how old are your ducks? are they in a confined small area?? My ducks are free range, and they sleep on either straw or hay in the barn that is on the floor, or they sleep in the grass. I don't have the mess cause they don't go in the chicken house.
I did have them in the chicken house and the big mess was mostly because they mess up the water! they will empty any waterer pretty fast. I have heard of using bottles, the upside down ones you use for rabbits and they are better.
the water is what makes the bedding worse!

 

[ticks]

They are four weeks

 

[farmgirlie1031]

I don't use bedding for now. I just hose down their concrete floor every day. Sometimes twice a day. As it gets colder I will use straw and scoop in out as often possible. Mine are in a horse stall that has a concrete floor so I never used it for the horses anyways. And their pool fits right in the stall with them so I know right now bedding would just get totally soaked but when it gets colder pool will come out and bedding will go in.

 

[lilchick]

Mine free range during the day and sleep in their 8x10 barn each night..
I use pine shavings and put their waterer down in a feed pan so they don't get the floor so wet...
I use a shovel and scoop the barn out every 2 weeks...
messy but worth it!

 

[ChickenToes]

Do you keep their feeder and waterer inside their coop? That can create a huge mess because ducks are such messy eaters.

 

[ticks]

Quote:
Yes, It is in their brooder.

 

[dixygirl]

Is it safe to leave them over night in the coop with no water during the summer heat?

 

[ticks]

Quote:
Well they sleep at night, but I sleep in some days. I put their feeders and waterers on tin pie plates. It works to keep all of that bad stuff out of the brooder.