First time duck and chick owner

[Whooper]

I have recently received an early Mother's Day gift consisting of 7 chicks and 6 ducklings. (Best Mother's Day gift ever!) I have them in desperate brooders only because I couldn't find anything big enough to put them in around my house. I check on them about every hour and my ducklings are always out of water. I clean them both out once a day and the ducklings shavings are soaked. What can I do so this doesn't happen. I understand that thy are just plain messier than a chick and that's okay with me but there's gotta be a way to make this a better situation.

 

[quailman97]

I have raised many ducks and ducks always want to get wet and swim but if you will hang the water so they just can reach it with their heads then it should stay clean and wood shaving can hurt young chicks and ducks but you can use hay or straw that is cut up in 1 to 2 inches and a few long pieces and that works really good, hope this has helped you

 

[Whooper]

Thank you but I don't think I can hang my waterer up. But if I just put it up a bit it should help?

 

[quailman97]

Yeah, that should do it and something I like to do to all my chickens and chukars is put 1/2 tsp of vinegar to a quart of their water it kills
bad germs and makes them healthy

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Whooper, and

! Great to have you here. Yes, you are experiencing what ducks do. Here's what I do to keep them drier (you can't keep then dry). I elevate 1/2 of the brooder by placing some short pieces of 2 x 4 in one end of it. Over that a piece of plywood or paneling (even cardboard would work but you have to replace it one in awhile). I put the shaving on top of the plywood. The other 1/2 I have nothing but their food and water. Yes, it gets messy in that half but at least their bedding area stays dry. Good luck to you!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Whooper]

Thank you. It's a good thing these things are cute cuz if its not one problem it's another. Now my chicks are starting to jump on top of their tub. I don't have any extra screen or anything to put on top. They are a week old today. Would it be too early to put them out in a coop with the ducklings and hear lamp during the day and bring them in at night?

 

[Whooper]

I have put my waterer up on a container which has made a world of difference. This site is amazing. How do I start a new thread? "Face palm"