How do yall keep your ducklings dry!?

[aineheartsyou]

Quote:

Works GREAT for ducklings but not so well for goslings because they tear the mulch ring apart.

 

[ducks_rcool329]

Ducklings and dry, well that combo simply doesn't exist. Just clean their liter once every day or two....

 

[fishnet1971]

will them being on the wet towels hurt their feet or anything while they are growing? I am new to ducks too, opps... i mean to chiucks...

I was concerned that being on a damp/wet towl for 8 hours would prune their feet for to long. Sounds kinda dump now that i put it in writing.
The skin on their feet/legs looks like it is peeling.

 

[kuntrygirl]

My ducklings are in breeding pens with the mom. I have dirt floors in the breeding pens. I have the plastic waterers in there with them. At this age (1 week old) I don't have a problem with them staying wet. They are always dry and I don't know how. I guess the dirt floors help. And there really isn't any mud in the pen either. I do have hay spread out in there in addition to the dirt floors.

As they get older, I move them to raised outside coops/brooder that have wire floors. I place shelf grip liners on the wire floor, so not to injure their webbed feet. I place a plastic container (not too deep, so that they do not drown) that is used to store shoes in the coop and I place any type of heavy object in the corners of the plastic container and fill with water. The heavy objects (rocks, etc) prevent the ducks from tipping over the water filled container. As they duck their heads under the water or get in and splash water out, the water falls on the shelf liner and drips out. So, no water remains in the coop. So, this is another way that they stay dry. The grip liners stay in place and are easy to clean. I change them out daily. I place the used liners in a bucket and wash with soap and warm water and let them air dry. I have enough of them to always have extras. I buy them for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree. Here is what I use. I have been doing this for years and I have never had a problem and my ducks AND geese stay dry. Now, if I can figure out why they poop so much, then I would be rich.

 

[fishnet1971]

that's a great idea! the shelf liner will save me lots of towels. I have mine in a plastic tub inside for now. Wish i had the outside type, but it's to cold here right now.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Paper towels are expensive and you can go through a lot of old towels (to include a lot of washing and drying) if you are putting those down. The shelf liners are so very cheap. I spent about 5 dollars and I have enough liners that lasts about 5 days if I forget to wash them out (but I don't forget).

In Louisiana, we are pretty warm here at this time of the year, so that is the only reason why I am able to put them outside in my open air raised coops.

 

[shelleyd2008]

When my ducklings are 2 weeks old or younger I use a quail chick waterer for them. They have no trouble drinking from it and that's all they can do...DRINK. I also use pelleted bedding which helps greatly with absorbing water. Once they outgrow their quail chick waterer they graduate to a coffee 'can' (plastic Maxwell House) with a hole cut in the lid so they can stick their bills down in it. It is never full which helps keep them from playing in it. But they still make a mess...just not as bad