Getting Babies This Friday

[Hatching2024]

Hey everyone.
I am planning to get the baby chicks and ducks this Friday. So far, I have the brooding boxes-2 boxes for each the ducklings and chicks, (so I can just pop them in a clean box then take the box and clean it), heating plates, Feeding dishes and water dispenser for the chicks. I'm not sure what to do for the ducks. I'm considering finding small cat bowls, with grippy bottoms. I also decided to line the duckling's brooder with newspaper, and layer with those rubber drawer liners.

Tuesday I plan to get everything else they will need for the first month (minus the coop and house, we're building those). What are some things you guys would recommend? I am also looking into ways to maintain the coop and house, once they are built, so I am open to suggestions there too!

Thanks in advance!

 

[homesteading101]

Lots of ventilation, 2x4 roosts, put a 1x4 or plywood in front of nesting boxes so they can't kick bedding out, functional way to clean coop and compost if need be, make it tall enough you don't have to crouch or bend over for anything

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

So exciting!! Be sure to share pictures when you get them.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hey everyone.
I am planning to get the baby chicks and ducks this Friday. So far, I have the brooding boxes-2 boxes for each the ducklings and chicks, (so I can just pop them in a clean box then take the box and clean it), heating plates, Feeding dishes and water dispenser for the chicks. I'm not sure what to do for the ducks. I'm considering finding small cat bowls, with grippy bottoms. I also decided to line the duckling's brooder with newspaper, and layer with those rubber drawer liners.

Tuesday I plan to get everything else they will need for the first month (minus the coop and house, we're building those). What are some things you guys would recommend? I am also looking into ways to maintain the coop and house, once they are built, so I am open to suggestions there too!

Thanks in advance!

I think wood chips are best for ducks. Tractor Supply sells them, the white bags of low dust pine shavings.

 

[Jenbirdee]

dont give new ducklings water in a bowl or they will swim in it and get wet and cold and can die. I use a waterer something like this
https://www.qcsupply.com/420311-plastic-poultry-waterer.html
and a feeder thats similar shaped.
IF you feed ducklings anything other than starter crumbles with 1 TBSP nutritional yeast per cup added, then you can put a small dish of chick grit down for them. never mix grit into food.
I always have used pine flakes for my ducklings without a problem.
As they grow I set the feeder and waterer up a little higher on something like bricks .

 

[Hatching2024]

So exciting!! Be sure to share pictures when you get them.

Will do!

 

[Hatching2024]

dont give new ducklings water in a bowl or they will swim in it and get wet and cold and can die. I use a waterer something like this
https://www.qcsupply.com/420311-plastic-poultry-waterer.html
and a feeder thats similar shaped.
IF you feed ducklings anything other than starter crumbles with 1 TBSP nutritional yeast per cup added, then you can put a small dish of chick grit down for them. never mix grit into food.
I always have used pine flakes for my ducklings without a problem.
As they grow I set the feeder and waterer up a little higher on something like bricks .

Ihave something similar for the chicks. I was concerned about the ducklings not being able to dunk their heads? It's my understanding they need to be able to dunk their head to rinse their nasal passages?

 

[Jenbirdee]

Ihave something similar for the chicks. I was concerned about the ducklings not being able to dunk their heads? It's my understanding they need to be able to dunk their head to rinse their nasal passages?

when they are babies they can clean the nares in these waterers because their little bills are so tiny.
You can also take small platic containors with lids and cut holes into the lids to make just enough space for their heads.
@Miss Lydia makes them for her ducks and has pictures Im pretty sure

 

[Miss Lydia]

when they are babies they can clean the nares in these waterers because their little bills are so tiny.
You can also take small platic containors with lids and cut holes into the lids to make just enough space for their heads.
@Miss Lydia makes them for her ducks and has pictures Im pretty sure

If you are going to have more than 4 ducklings you may want to have at least 2.

 

[Hatching2024]

View attachment 3757831If you are going to have more than 4 ducklings you may want to have at least 2.

oh that's fantastic! I love it!