? Ducks and pine shavings

[fours2many]

I have 2 pekin ducklings. I have them in the same brooder as my chicks. The ducks keep eating the newspaper and pine shavings. Is this bad for them? I know chicks will get blocked crops by eating the pine shavings, but have no idea if ducks have crops.

Thanks, Kristin

If pine is bad for them, what should I use?

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have always raised my ducklings on pine shavings- however I make sure I only but a certain kind. What I buy has the fine dusk extracted is very thin and unlikely to cause issues if eaten. I am aware that others are available at a much cheaper price- carpenters and cabinet makers often sell it cheap- but what you will get is lots of dust, small offcust and splinters as well.

I have never had a problem - they do chew on the shaving-but dont really eat large amounts of it.

 

[darren]

it will kill some ducks they eat it then drink the wood swells up and they die

 

[PetDuck]

it will kill some ducks they eat it then drink the wood swells up and they die

That is so harsh!
Seriosly why put it like that!
No one wants to hear that thier ducklings might die!

On with other things.:
I use old towels.
You change them twice a day.
The ones that have poo on them you take outside, Shake it out, and spray it with the hose.
Hang it up to dry and wait a couple hours.
He has never had any problems with towels.
But if you do use them just don't use ones with any string attached.
They can chew this off and eat it.
Witch will most likely cause problems.
and they love nibbling at the tags witch if sturdy can be left on as a toy...
Good luck with your little crew and have fun!

P.S.
Do you have any pictures of them?!
I would sure appreceat it!

 

[jdywntr]

I use pine shavings after 2 days old. Are you sure that they are eating and swallowing them?
Ducks explore with their mouths so they may be picking them up and "tasting" them. I would make sure that they are literally eating them and then I would explore other options. Pine shavings are SO much easier ( I think ) than anything else.

Also, are you using fine shavings or the bigger ones? The TSC near me sells fine and I forget the other size's name. The fine ones are < 1/2" the bigger ones are >1". If you can find a large shaving they wouldn't be able to eat them (if they indeed are)

 

[tdd2]

Wood shavings (kiln dried pine or hardw
ood, not airomatics like cedar, or raw pine shavings) work great, and are a cheap, clean way to manage duck bedding.

The trick is, as noted above, wait till the littles are a week or two old before using the shavings, until then the littles are so small that there are other, better options available for the relatively smaller mess being made.

From hatch through two weeks, I prefer to use plastic backed paper drop cloths, buy a large one and cut several out to the brooders size.

Cut them so they go up the sides of the brooder a couple inches (we use the bottom 1/2 of a plastic dog crate) and lay them with the plastic down (paper side up for traction)

Lined paper drop cloths are cheap, easy to toss daily and can be had at any home center.

Also, be sure to prevent excess water from getting splashed out of their waterer, either with a shallow cookie pan under the waterer, by placing a small puppy pee pad under the waterer (wet pads can often be hung out for a day to dry, and be reused), or by segregating he water drinking area from the rest of the brooder with a small plastic dish tub modified with an opening for them to get in and out through.

As for the safety of wood shavings, kiln dried wood chips do not magically 'swell' like balloons when they get wet....they simply get wet.

Wood pellets, on the other hand can expand to 3-4 times their size, due to being compressed by machine during manufacturing. I do not recommend using wood pellets.

I have used, and currently still use, pine/hardwood shavings for all of my ducks, without any issues.

Hope that helps!

Dan

 

[happy duck]

Were can I buy larger shavings? I know this is an old post so I do not know if you guys reply. Fine if you don not.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I buy horse bedding large flake at our feed store. It comes in large white plastic wrap.

 

[happy duck]

Ok so maybe TSC or R&J feed?

 

[MeganFair]

Yeah, any seed’n’feed should have pine bedding available. We prefer going to a local feed store, but TS should have em too.