How long to leave wheat in water and how much for three ducks?

[vanillachai]

Hey everyone. I have three growing ducklings of my own for the first time, and I'm going to be having them out in the same yard as my chickens soon.

I've heard of putting wheat in a water bucket for the ducks so the chickens can't eat it but the ducks can. Does anyone have any experience with this? How long can the wheat be in there in hot weather and how much should I put in at a time for three female* (A very likely guess. Just waiting for one to give me a full quack to be sure.) ducks: a Rouen, Welsh Harlequin, and a Cayuga.

 

[Amiga]

It will take a little experimenting - I would start with a quarter cup and see how it goes. For sprouting wheat I soak it overnight, 12 hours or so.

 

[vanillachai]

It will take a little experimenting - I would start with a quarter cup and see how it goes. For sprouting wheat I soak it overnight, 12 hours or so.

Thanks for the tip. Not using sprouting wheat at the moment, but I'll keep that in mind. Any idea how often I should change the wheat-water bucket if they don't eat it all before it goes bad? Is it obvious when it's been outside too long, or should I just change it every so often, like daily? I'm worried about how fast it will spoil in hot weather.

 

[Amiga]

I would give it a sniff test at the end of the day. For sprouting I change water after 12 hours.

And I have given wheat seeds (some call them wheat berries) in a bowl of water. It's not an issue - the ducks usually eat them within the hour.

 

[vanillachai]

I would give it a sniff test at the end of the day. For sprouting I change water after 12 hours.

And I have given wheat seeds (some call them wheat berries) in a bowl of water. It's not an issue - the ducks usually eat them within the hour.

Will do. Thank you for your help!