First Ducklings , first time owning them....

[StormyMoon]

This is Jelly Bean

This is Jelly Bean and Rupert

When is it safe for them to discover water as to stand or swim in?

Thanks

 

[asher]

What cuties!!!

I do not remember when I let mine swim. It seems like I waited until they were feathered in, but I may be wrong.

 

[CMV]

I bathed mine every couple days, but made sure they had a heat lamp waiting for them when bath time was over. I didn't give them access to water on their own until they were fully fledged at about 6 or 7 weeks.

They're cute. Enjoy them.

 

[StormyMoon]

ok Thanks !

I am going saturday to get them a special waterer from the feed store I am having hell keeping them out of their water bowl and they keep dipping their crumbles in the water.
They gave me non-medicated chick feed for the ducks so the feed is really tiny they are very active, I got 2 cause they said if I only got one the one would get lonely.
Its pretty hot here 90 - 100 degrees during the day so they stay really warm.

Thanks for the info

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
Ok thanks

Yea I was worried about them getting a chill , I have a warm brooder for them with heat lamp but I don't keep the water in there with them , when we take them out during the day I just keep really close so i can put my hand in front of them , in the picture one has his foot up there lol i keep pulling them away from it but they want in it really bad.
I check on them at night if they are up I get them some water but if they are sleeping I dont bother them.

 

[gryeyes]

StormyMoon, here's what *I* did for my duckling waterer: Get an empty plastic Cool Whip tub. Cut an oval slice out of the lid. Put a nice clean rock in the bottom of the tub. Put the lid back on, fill it with water, and use IT. The ducklings will dunk their heads through the slice to drink and to clear their nostrils, and the splashing will be cut down a great deal.

As for swimming, I put some warm water in an upside down cake cover and used it for their daily swim session. At first, they only got about 10 minutes, then a few more....

and after a while, had to graduate them to a plastic dishpan, because they grow SO FAST. I always towelled them off afterwards and put them directly under the heat lamp after a swim. They would stay there if chilled, or move away if they didn't need the heat.

 

[kitkatbahr]

Your ducklings are cute! I do believed you need to give them access to drinking water at all times though, as they need it to swallow their food. The cool whip container idea is a great idea, or a butter tub or anything like that. Especially if it is that hot there, they need water. Even though they make a mess, it is still necessary. As for swimming water, put them in a shallow pan or something like the upside down cake cover and stay with them and watch them. Then towel then off and put in warm brooder when done. I only have one right now. She is two weeks old tomorrow. I have been letting her swim in my kitchen sink!! LOL. It is stainless steel and easy to clean up when done. I just put the plug in, run lukewarm water (not too hot or cold) just enough so she can stand up good in it. Then I put her in it (AND NEVER WALK AWAY OR LEAVE HER ALONE). They are very fast and can get out and off the counter before you know it. Anyway, I play with her in the water and throw peas in there for her, etc. She loves going under the water for peas. It is so funny watching her. I only let her stay in their for about 10 minutes, then take her out, dry her off, put her back in the warm brooder.

In the brooder itself, she has a chick waterer that she can drink from. She does make a huge mess sometimes, but I use paper towels as bedding and it is very easy to change them out. My brooder is a large, plastic rubbermaid type tote. I have paper towels in the bottom, a beanie baby toy, a rubber ducky (for friends for her), a small food dish with her crumbles in it. On top is a screen secured with bunjie cords, then a towel over half of the tote, then the tote lid on top of that turned sideways to cover only 2/3rds of the brooder (to protect her from my cat). Then I put two heavy books on top of that so the cat cannot knock the lid off of it. Oh, I also have a heat lamp shining down into it (clamped on to the side of the tote) to keep her warm. It is on the end where the tote lid doesn't cover it. To get her out, I just move the books, take off the lid, move the towel and lift a corner of the screen. When done, I tuck the screen back into the bunjies. It sounds complicated, but it isn't really. I just have to make sure Xena, my cat, cannot get into the brooder with her. She is very interested in the duck. She even lays on the tote lid. I think she likes the heat lamp.

Good luck with your babies!

Kathy

 

[Amiga]

Beautiful little ones!

Ditto on water available at all times, until they are at least six weeks old (Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks says "several weeks old.")

It is a challenge because they love to splash, but there are many ways to manage it. I like gryeyes' idea - used it myself. Wifezilla has a very nice brooder setup that avoids many problems with water mess.

There are some good discussions here about brooder setups and managing watery messes.

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
OMG that is too cute, thank you for the great idea, I have several of the cool whip bowls and lids around here so I will do that......
We did bathe them yesterday when we got them from the feed store they were really nasty looked like maybe other ducks had pood on them they had geese in there with them too , which were really big , they towered over the little ducklings.

I put a little warm water in my bath room sink and let them wiggle a little in it they cleaned them self off pretty good i had to help just a little other than that I was worried cause everyone saying they shouldn't be in water till they get bigger feathers.

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
I have seen how quick they can be I had to rub my eyes it was so animated it was hilarious the kids were playing with legos those big fat ones and jelly bean hopped up each one as they were stacked like stairs, and then as fast as jelly bean got up she was down. I say she I have no clue whether she is a she or a he lol.

We are using the rubbermaid also cause they are easier to clean and move around but I haven't used the lid with it they are to tiny to get out of it and since we have them inside nothing will get in. We do have a cat but she has never been out of my bed room cause we have 2 american bulldogs if she ever slipped out side she would become dog food really fast. We are in the process of putting up a privacy fence around the dogs area they have a large area to run in when they are out of their kennel. This way nothing gets in and nothing gets out.

Cats do like heat , mine will sit right smack up against our heater in the winter.

We are having fun with Jelly Bean and Rupert they are both very active little duckies