Eating their bedding.

[DuckMadness]

My ducks keep trying to eat their shavings I have as bedding. I don't know if it's bad so I try my best to stop it before it happens can anyone offer some insight?

 

[Miss Lydia]

My ducks keep trying to eat their shavings I have as bedding. I don't know if it's bad so I try my best to stop it before it happens can anyone offer some insight?

Young ducklings should be kept on old clean towels for the first week or longer depending on the ducklings. These are ducklings right?

 

[DuckMadness]

Young ducklings should be kept on old clean towels for the first week or longer depending on the ducklings.  These are ducklings right? 

Yes

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes

Use the towels for a while they can be shook out washed and reused. Then in a week try again with shaving and see how they are doing. Usually once they know what food is they aren't as apt to eat shavings. It just takes a while. Old blankets work too.

 

[DuckMadness]

Now they are eating the towels...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Now they are eating the towels...

They can't actually eat the towels though, Do you keep feed out for them 24/7 that is very important with babies that they are able to eat when then want too.

In case these are you very first ducklings https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[chickens really]

Not to contradict Miss Lydia.....She is fantastic.......I have 10 ducklings on pine shavings .....They are 7 days old...Been on shavings since 2 days old....They will nibble on them....I give my Ducklings a bit of grit to help with the eating of the shavings.....Zero issues and all are doing great....A little grit very couple of days is good....


Cheers!

 

[DuckMadness]

They can't actually eat the towels though, Do you keep feed out for them 24/7 that is very important with babies that they are able to eat when then want too.

In case these are you very first ducklings  https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

Yes I keep the feed out and full 24/7 it's like they are trying to forage already and I put two things of water in when I got to sleep cause they drink it so fast hahaha and these are my first 2 ducklings. I had gotten 2 before and wasn't prepared and they died regrettably but I'm doing much better with these two.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes I keep the feed out and full 24/7 it's like they are trying to forage already and I put two things of water in when I got to sleep cause they drink it so fast hahaha and these are my first 2 ducklings. I had gotten 2 before and wasn't prepared and they died regrettably but I'm doing much better with these two.

You sound very much like you want these 2 to make it. Ducklings don't have hands as we all know so they find out about things with their bills tasting what is good to eat and what isn't. If they are nibbling on the towels it's okay they are learning. Read the info I gave you it tells alot about caring for your ducklings. When you have time please post a pic of them we love baby pics.

 

[DuckMadness]

You sound very much like you want these 2 to make it.  Ducklings don't have hands as we all know so they find out about things with their bills tasting what is good to eat and what isn't.  If they are nibbling on the towels it's okay they are learning.  Read the info I gave you it tells alot about caring for your ducklings. When you have time please post a pic of them we love baby pics. 

Here yah go this I literally just took haha they still nibble on the towel but they've been losing interest as they've been eating more. I had a bottom of a water bottle that I was putting their water in but they kept knocking it over so I cut a hole in a 1 gallon jug and they are getting used to that.