ducks NEED water??

JudyMcKinn

Songster
13 Years
Jan 24, 2007
691
6
164
SW MO
Seems like I have read that you have to have enough water out for ducks that they can completely submerge their heads, for health reasons, and they they don't do well, or die?, if they can't do this? I am sure a pool so they can swim is very wanted, but is it true they have to at least submerge their heads?

Also, what kinds of ducks can you get in the bantam variety?
 
Ducks need to be able to clear their nostrils when they eat. They must have water available. Having a pool to swim is a plus. They mate in the water.

Baby ducks you cannot let swim at will but they do need water to drink and rinse their nares.

You need to check out some books at the library on raising ducklings. Read. Read. Read. Make sure you know the needs and can provide for them before getting the ducks.

Ducks are super cute but they are also SUPER messy. Wet and sploppy and poopy is their trademark.
 
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Man, you aren't kidding about that, Priss. Dang they are sloppy.
I decided to make a new coop in the spring for the ducks. they get along fine with the chickens, but they are so so sooooooooo sloppy. Water EVERYWHERE, feed flying in the air, sheesh.
BUT, I love my Rouens
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I have Runners in the incubator
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Hugs and good luck Judy!!
Christina

PS- my ducks use the water form the waterer to do their business. On days that it is above freezing, I fill a tub for them to wash/bathe and they LOVE it, but they are not unhealthy without the daily swim...
 
Not all ducks mate in water, but wild ones do. Domestics like khaki's and runners don't HAVE to have a pond, but they really do enjoy them and it is so fun to watch them playing.

They do love eating their food with water and their water will be a mess every day.
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They do mate on land but fertility is suppose to improve if they have swimming water. I have some calls that refuse to swim or dip their heads. If I pick them up and put them in they just get right out again, needless to say they get eye crunchies and are not very clean. I have 54 and have 5 non swimmers, dont know why:/
 
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all ducks need water deep enough for them to submerge their nostrils to clean out their sinuses. as for swimming water, they love it, but it isnt necessary.

bantam ducks are : Call Ducks, Black East Indies, Australian Spotted, Mandarin ducks, and mini appleyards.
 
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That's for sure! I raised 6 in the house last March as it was far too cold for them to be outside. Talk about a mess! I had them in the dining room and fed them a slurry of organic cornmeal/oatmeal, free ranged egg yolks, dash of sea salt and home made yogurt. They would get a big mouthful of the slurry, grab a drink of water and then shake their heads! I bet I wiped down wall and table/chair legs at least a dozen times a day!
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Hubby said never again, but now he's already talking about getting more.
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yep as everyone is saying they are messy little buggers. I have controlled it slightly bu keeping my 4 week olds in a rabit hutch with a realy nice soft fine mesh that I dont think is hurting their feet. I tried all other kinds of bedding but all were a disaster now the poop falls onto a tray with wee wee pads and bedding so that I can clean it every-other day. They dont seem to mind as long as they have food, they get very chatty if the bowls are empty for more than 30 seconds. Soon I will set up their outdoor coop and run with pond access but thia darn snow is messing me all up! I put mine in the tub everyday for an hour or so but i also use a waterer that with a nipple, this way they cant make a huge wet mess in their brooder. I highly advise them to all duck owners.
 
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I used to have khaki's, blue Swedish, Cayuga and Faw and White Runners. They seemed to mate just fine without water and the egg that I hatched did well. I had 15 though, penned and it was a disaster, just a mess all the time no matter what I did. I now have just three ducklings and don't intend to have many more.
 
4 seems to be working well with a pen, hutch and free run of the back yard. I think the key is to give ducks plenty of space...the mess gets spread over a larger area and it isn't as noticeable
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