Duckling Brooder Setup Pictures Wanted!

[Isaac 0]

Holderread waterfoul farm recomends wire for the first two weeks and i must say its very clean and they cant eat it. Also metzers points out that deep water is not required for ducks as long as they are not in dusty conditions. I know this is controvetsial information but what im trying to say is there is more then one way to do things and rarely is only one of them correct. Certainly you dont want to burn your barn down with an unsecured clamp light but lets try to me more open minded and less judgemental about peoples duck raising.

I'm glad you took the time to do yourself some research.


Holderread is nationally known as one of leading breeder's in waterfowl, but his book does contain some misinformation, that is in his personal opinion that ducks could be kept on wire, In my personal opinion, I believe ducks should be kept on a soft, clean bedding material because in the wild, that's what they'd likely be on, and I think as us duck owners we should take the responsibility to replicate wild ducks living conditions to ours, of course, you can't apply all of it, but a clean, soft bedded, spacious would be best. I have personally seen birds being housed on wire, they did not look healthy, and had quite of existing problems when I saw them.

I'm aware that Metzer suggests that, but have you ever took the time to actually see how some of their birds look? I'll save you some time.

https://www.metzerfarms.com/GrowingDucklings.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=25897202

http://www.liveducks.com/diary/metzer.html


These birds do not look happy/healthy, lots of them have wet feather, along with sticky eye, likley due to their opioion that a deep water source is not needed.

I'm not really sure who's being judgemental here?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

I'm glad you took the time to do yourself some research.


Holderread is nationally known as one of leading breeder's in waterfowl, but his book does contain some misinformation, that is in his personal opinion that ducks could be kept on wire, In my personal opinion, I believe ducks should be kept on a soft, clean bedding material because in the wild, that's what they'd likely be on, and I think as us duck owners we should take the responsibility to replicate wild ducks living conditions to ours, of course, you can't apply all of it, but a clean, soft bedded, spacious would be best. I have personally seen birds being housed on wire, they did not look healthy, and had quite of existing problems when I saw them.

I'm aware that Metzer suggests that, but have you ever took the time to actually see how some of their birds look? I'll save you some time.

View attachment 2229598

https://www.metzerfarms.com/GrowingDucklings.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=25897202

View attachment 2229600

http://www.liveducks.com/diary/metzer.html


These birds do not look happy/healthy, lots of them have wet feather, along with sticky eye, likley due to their opioion that a deep water source is not needed.

I'm not really sure who's being judgemental here?

metzer farms keeps their ducks like that? omg that’s so sad

 

[Pollo Blanco]

110 gallon water trough with the floor grate from a steel dog kennel for a 'roof'. Pine chips on the floor, chicken feeder (yellow) raised in a flower pot. Brinsea heat plate (HIGHLY recommended), infra-red ceramic reptile heater in the light fixture (75watt; again, HIGHLY recommended).

Another handy tool has been a handheld pyrometer for checking the surface temperature of the chips below the two radiant style heat sources. 95 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit seem to be the norm. I have a professional grade pyrometer, but one from Harbor Freight should be plenty for poultry needs.

Noteworthy too is the water vessel to the right. Construction is fairly easy and fairly cheep. Three gallon water jug, $14; two-and-a-half gallon bucket, $4;
1/4" elastomer tubing 2 1/2 feet, $2.

Drill access holes using a 2 1/8" hole saw in top edge of bucket just below the handle reinforcement rim. Drill a 7/16th hole in the center of the cap after discarding the gasket. Split the elastomer tubing lengthwise and place over the top rim of the bucket. Fill bucket with one gallon of water. After filling water jug, place cap back on bottle, cover 7/16th hole with your finger and place jug on top of the bucket. You now have four gallons of water available for your ducks, with minimal ability for them to make a soaking mess.

 

[Isaac 0]

metzer farms keeps their ducks like that? omg that’s so sad

It does appear that *some* of them are kept in such conditions. If you look at the link, some are kept in more 'natural" conditions and look quite healthy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Love it! Do you have an up-close picture of the waterer you use?

 

[Miss Lydia]

View attachment 2229628

I change the bottom as they grow so they have deeper water. Even mama duck this year used this one

 

[Isaac 0]

I change the bottom as they grow so they have deeper water. Even mama duck this year used this one

Do you just use a knife to cut it out?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Box cutter!

 

[Pollo Blanco]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8XWKn1Y7vyYH36aY7
any recommendations on how i can improve this? i think it’s pretty good

Add walls to contain the poop to the pen and take advantage of the inexpensive and widely available food and water containers that keep the ducks from eliminating in their food and water.

Additionally, extra precautions must be taken with ducklings and swimming, which is another reason to not have water containers the ducklings can climb into.

 

[Ratchnick]

I'm glad you took the time to do yourself some research.


Holderread is nationally known as one of leading breeder's in waterfowl, but his book does contain some misinformation, that is in his personal opinion that ducks could be kept on wire, In my personal opinion, I believe ducks should be kept on a soft, clean bedding material because in the wild, that's what they'd likely be on, and I think as us duck owners we should take the responsibility to replicate wild ducks living conditions to ours, of course, you can't apply all of it, but a clean, soft bedded, spacious would be best. I have personally seen birds being housed on wire, they did not look healthy, and had quite of existing problems when I saw them.

I'm aware that Metzer suggests that, but have you ever took the time to actually see how some of their birds look? I'll save you some time.

View attachment 2229598

https://www.metzerfarms.com/GrowingDucklings.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=25897202

View attachment 2229600

http://www.liveducks.com/diary/metzer.html


These birds do not look happy/healthy, lots of them have wet feather, along with sticky eye, likley due to their opioion that a deep water source is not needed.

I'm not really sure who's being judgemental here?

Holderread sent me instructions when i ordered ducklings that recommended wire. It was not a missprint in an old book. Just because you saw ducks on wire that were not happy does not mean ducks cant be happy on wire. Keep in mind we are talking about brooders here, specificly the first two weeks.