duck brooder??? now with pics!!!

[AHappychick]

My runner ducks are almost 3 weeks old, that being said they are such little slobs!!! I am struggling to keep their brooder clean (my basement shower with additional level for sleeping)

I was thinking about putting them in this bunny hutch I have, What I would like to do is put a piece of wood on one half of it so they can have bedding and such and leave the other half (where their food and water would be) as just the metal grate so that the poop and wettness could fall into a tray below. Will the grate hurt their feet? They will only have to walk on it to get to the food and water the rest would have a regular floor with chips.

Also can they have a swim now if I am careful and dry them off well? They are dirty and need a bath.

 

[vfem]

They should have no problem having a swim by now! I had my babe's in the tub at 5 days old for 10 minutes. Then after a week we upped the time. By the time they were 3-4 weeks old they would be in the tub for a least an hour!!!

As for the bunny hutch, I think that is a great idea. Mine were in my chick brooder until they just HAD to go outside. I cleaned that thing like twice a day and I couldn't take how messy they were anymore. They did spend half the day in the tub eating and hanging out for the space... but gosh they grow so super fast its scary!!!!

 

[AHappychick]

Ok well I did it and then gave them a bath they are drying now. This is my first time with Runner ducks and the first swim they have gotten it was so cute, really gave new meaning to bath ducky. My DS loved watching them too. Now I just have to go clean the tub because it is almost his turn to "go swimming"

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

your duckies are so cute

 

[shelleyd2008]

My pekin babies are 2 weeks old now, and have had 3 baths. They are just adorable when they go swimming!! I love it when they zoom around the tub! I had thought I would put them in the kitchen sink at first, but was glad I decided not to. They were splashing me when they were in the tub!!
Their bath was a mess tonight! There was baby fluff floating all over the water!! I think they need to bathe to wash the fluff off so the new feathers can come in. I know they were scratching their bellies a lot, and that's where they have the most pinfeathers starting!
Don't you just love their little dance? It's called 'flap your wings, shake your tail'! Mine do it all the time when they are swimming!

Baby ducks are so cute!!

ETA: You should have the water where they can stand up okay in it, at least till they get most of their feathers.

 

[AHappychick]

Oh really I had the water deep so that they could swim, I will make it more shallow today... Mine do the ducky dance also! Very cute!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yeah, it just needs to be deep enough that they can 'swim' when they pull their legs up. Mine get it deep enough that it almost touches their bellies when they are standing. But they are so cute!! If there were a better market around here for ducks, I would probably hatch nothing but!! Well, those and quail

 

[vfem]

awwwwww... they are WAY cute!!!

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
Well today I gave them a bath/swim and had the water at the level you said. They really enjoyed it, much more than yesterday's swim even. Thanks so much!