duckling questions?

[itsasmallfarm]

hello every one.

i just got 2 new ducklings a day ago (blue Swedish ducks) that are 5 and 8 days old, and now have a few simple questions (i hope there simple )

okay so i got them in there brooder and have them set up with feed and water, and as there ducks love to play in the water, creating a big mess of the shavings/wood pellets. so right now i have them on dog pee pads, the soft cotton with plastic bottoms. the water is now in a plate (to help combat the mess). but i have had them set up less then 24 hours and already need to have a change of bedding. so here are my questions.

1. what to you use for bedding for the ducks? we also have chicks in other brooder containers, with wood pellets/shavings.

2. what to you use to combat water, i have read using a small wooden stand with hard ware cloth and put the water on top. but any ideas would be helpful.

3. next when can they have there first supervised swim again there 5 and 8 days old.

but that's just a few questions i have. thanks for any help itsasmallfarm out.

 

[yorkie6]

Go ducks!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE ducks!!!!!! Ducks are very messy with water, i guess you cant really do much about that. But wood shavings sound good! I've seen ducklings in pools swimming when they look to be about a week or so old, but we waited till when they were about a month or so, but i like the sound of a week or two old, they need to be familiar with deep water, not only is it good for them to learn to love to swim, but its also SO adorable to watch!!!!!! Make sure though that they aren't to tired,and always watch them when they are that young. Hope this helps!

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Go ducks!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE ducks!!!!!! Ducks are very messy with water, i guess you cant really do much about that. But wood shavings sound good! I've seen ducklings in pools swimming when they look to be about a week or so old, but we waited till when they were about a month or so, but i like the sound of a week or two old, they need to be familiar with deep water, not only is it good for them to learn to love to swim, but its also SO adorable to watch!!!!!! Make sure though that they aren't to tired,and always watch them when they are that young. Hope this helps!

awesome thank you,

 

[TLWR]

If you do a search on here, you'll find several options for water for ducklings. If you can control the water mess, the brooder will be easier.

If you put the water on top of something that will collect the mess and keep the ducklets out of it, then you are well on your way.
Many people try a small container with a lid and cut a hole out of the lid to allow them to get their heads in, but not their bodies. Then put that on a platform over something that catches the splashed water.


Swimming - you can let them start now. Keep an eye on them and watch for them when they tire out and then scoop them out, dry them off and plop them back in their brooder so they can get to their heat to finish drying. Unless you are somewhere it is warm out and they can just keep running around and dry off.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

If you do a search on here, you'll find several options for water for ducklings. If you can control the water mess, the brooder will be easier.

If you put the water on top of something that will collect the mess and keep the ducklets out of it, then you are well on your way.
Many people try a small container with a lid and cut a hole out of the lid to allow them to get their heads in, but not their bodies. Then put that on a platform over something that catches the splashed water.


Swimming - you can let them start now. Keep an eye on them and watch for them when they tire out and then scoop them out, dry them off and plop them back in their brooder so they can get to their heat to finish drying. Unless you are somewhere it is warm out and they can just keep running around and dry off.

thank you, right now the water is on a platform and that seems to work for the time being and now am going to let them go for a supervised swim