Ducklings Come today! Help me decide!

[chickens really]

I do have a bag full of old clothes I was going to donate. Maybe I'll just pull out some old tshirts for now and lay those down? I will also pick up a bag of the wood shavings. The softwood is okay? I've used these for my horse stalls before and they are pretty decent sized flakes.
I have a small container like what you showed in your first picture Chickens Really.

I'll see how their first night goes and adjust from there

Just make sure the old clothes have no loose strings because Ducklings are like puppies and everything in the mouth...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

That fine processed straw sounds interesting, never heart of that product.
Anyway, a lot of people here have raised their ducklings on old towels for some days, being afraid the ducklings would eat the shavings. I had my Spring Ducklings on pine shavings from their second or third day of life on until they were about three weeks old. Then i switched over to plain old straw.
Don't put too much money down into the bedding, your ducklings will only poop on it!
My experience is that days old ducklings try to eat the shavings first, but very quickly learn that those don't taste very good and just spit them back out. Ducklings are quick learners!
What you should never use as bedding materials are

• Sand - they will swallow it
• Sawdust - they will swallow it
• Newspaper - slippery surface can cause spraddle leg or hip injuries
• Wire mesh - too fine and their toenails can get stuck, too wide and it causes foot and leg deformities
• Plastic tarp - see newspaper
• Hay - soaks up too much liquid, stays wet and grows mold

I'm sure more things can be added to that list, but i guess you get the idea. My next ducklings will be on shavings for 1-2 weeks and then on ordinary straw. Wood shavings tend to stay wet longer than straw and clump together to lock in liquids whereas straw stays more open and lets the moisture evaporate easier.

 

[PaulX]

No advice here but I'm just curious how many you've decided to get?

 

[PirateGirl]

I agree with @chickens really in regards to water containers. This will allow them to fully dunk their heads and keep your brooder dryer and cleaner overall. Pine or straw you will be doing a total bedding change in the brooder every day most likely. Honestly, for ducklings, I'd get whatever is most economical.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can only get fine shavings here which I use to be able to get the thick so now I have to travel about 50 mile round trip to TSC for thick shavings. Pain . But I know my ducklings would have the shavings in their mouths even going on two weeks now so I am using old towels for now. I rather be safe than sorry.

 

[AAcres]

No advice here but I'm just curious how many you've decided to get?

I'm getting 5 khaki campbell ducklings

 

[Miss Lydia]

Look forward to seeing the little ones!!

 

[chickens really]

Mine eat the shavings with zero issues actually. I've never lost one yet and have raised a few hundred now..
A little Grit helps too..Although I only provide if I give snacks..

 

[DuckyDonna]

I'm not sure what "soft wood" is comprised of but just make sure that there is no cedar in it because it's poison for the ducklings.

I have some left over puppy pads that I'm going to try using for mine this time just to use them up but last year I used the bigger pine shavings from TSC and I didn't have any problem either.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Mine eat the shavings with zero issues actually. I've never lost one yet and have raised a few hundred now..
A little Grit helps too..Although I only provide if I give snacks..

You sure they really "eat" them? My ducklings were chewing on them for a while and then just spit them out.