How long can my chicks and ducklings go without water?

[StarryMaus]

This Friday I have to go away for around 15ish hours, I have six chicks of varying breeds (mostly normal sized but a few bantams) and 5 Muscovy ducklings. They'll all be around 4 weeks by that time and they drink their water very fast. They're also all in the same brooder. Will they be okay without water for a while? Is there some way I can make it so they have water for longer? All help is appreciated

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Buy a fountain waterer.

 

[FrostRanger]

Sounds like you need a bigger waterer. Also word of warning, this isn't an issue with chicks but evidently if ducklings have been without water for a while, they can gorge out on water and drop their temp enough where they can die, if you find them without water give them warm water rather than room temp to be safe

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Buy a fountain waterer.

That can still empty within an hour or two with ducklings.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

That's true, you might need two one gallon waterers. rember to get the deep ones so the ducks can submerge their whole bill in the water. Also word of warning: It depends on the age, but young chicks don't do well with ducklings. The ducks are rough and wet, both are things that are hard on chicks.

 

[StarryMaus]

That's true, you might need two one gallon waterers. rember to get the deep ones so the ducks can submerge their whole bill in the water. Also word of warning: It depends on the age, but young chicks don't do well with ducklings. The ducks are rough and wet, both are things that are hard on chicks.

Taking this advice I convinced my mother to buy a much larger waterer, and with the young chicks and ducks part, my ducklings are fairly gentle and the chicks seem to be the ones stepping all over them!

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Good, sometimes they do fine together. But sometimes you start to lose chicks. So I wanted to pass it along.