Duckling water

[slymama]

We got 15 welsh harlequin ducklings yesterday and have them in a brooder box with one of those waterers that a quart jar screws into. They are going through this water, spilling most of it, within an hour and a half. Is this normal duck behavior or is something not quite right with our system? Only had them 16 hours and already changed bedding twice because it was so wet.

 

[Going Quackers]

Welcome!

yep, normal.. maddening but normal lol

Anyways, this link will provide you with some useful ideas...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

I found by using the plastic container in bowls with cut-outs "reduced" the mess, it's never fully contained sadly, that is ducks for you.

 

[Amiga]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

See if these help.

 

[DuckyGurl]

I recently got a dozen ducklings, and that behavior is COMPLETELY normal. Crazy annoying, yes. But normal. I made a modified form of this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

It is working GREAT! The pan under it is absolutely full every time I change it. And heads-up, you are gonna want to be investing in a gallon waterer very very soon. And the best is yet to come, mine are two weeks and they are unbelievably messy. I can't imagine how bad it would be if I didn't have the water saver.

 

[Onlyducks]

You can just put the water in a shallow pan that is big enough to hold the water in the mason jar waterer. The ducks will splash around, but they won't get the water all over the brooder. Any of the suggestions should work. When they older, they will sit in their water dishes--a full-grown Muscovy female will climb into a 5 quart ceramic crock pot crock used as a water dish. They just love their water.

 

[slymama]

Thanks y'all! Got a 5 quart waterer today so that is already better. All these suggestions are great, gonna put some in action ASAP. Somehow my partner & I didn't know just HOW messy they would be! Learning as we go, it's been a crazy 36 hours though.

 

[Amiga]

I remember the steep, steep learning curve. The reality was so much more involved than the original concept of, hey, I have a slug problem. Ducks will solve that.

And I would not trade it for the world - love 'em!

 

[slymama]

Yep, Amiga. Pretty steep. Now the water is semi under control thanks to a pan underneath. BUT, the new problem is feather eating. 8 of our guys are 2 weeks old and 7 are 1 week old and they were all together in a 4x2.5 space. I separated them so 7 are in another dog grate, 3.5x2. Aye! I hope this solves the problem! Any feather eating ideas? Following storeys guidelines for feed but our local feed store was out of non medicated starter/grower so we had to get game bird starter and grower. Storeys guide recommends mixing this to 1 part broiler mix and 1/2 part oats so that's what we've had to do until we can get the right feed next week.

 

[Onlyducks]

No answer on the feather eating—haven't seen that. But on the "adventure" side, my five pekins are half-grown, living in a 3 by 3 foot "brooder". They keep running into each other, dumping the food and are not a happy group. The weather here is cold and wet (that being the bigger problem) and they lack enough feathers stay outside yet when it's raining. So it's off to the greenhouse tomorrow. We did that last a year for a couple of days, but it's supposed to snow again on Sunday so it may be more long term! No matter how well you plan and think things are going to go a certain way, the ducks, the weather, something comes along as you have to go to plan B or plan C, etc.

On the feather eating:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/326283/urgent-ducks-pulling-out-wing-feathers-bloody
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-young-ducks-from-eating-each-others-feathers