How much water should ducklings drink???????

[digger MN]

I just got mallard ducklings Monday and tonight they have been drinking water for about 20 min. Do they drink that much all the time? Thanks for any help. By the way they are less than a week old.

 

[AnaD]

I was wondering myself. I've been watching mine run back and forth from water to food for quite awhile...

 

[Wifezilla]

Ducklings are fluffy little gluttons. If something is wrong, they are more likely to peep like mad. If they are happily eating and drinking, they are most likely fine. Is the light in their brooder in a place that they can get away from it if they feel too warm?

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
Ducks cannot swallow their food without having water to wash it down with, so your ducklings are doing just fine

I just had to go out and refill my ducklings' waterer that was put in their brooder (a small coop) just a few hours ago. Not only do they drink it, but they have great fun playing in it and making a HUGE mess of their clean bedding

 

[Wifezilla]

Here is a video I took of a duckling "drinking".

As you can see, more water went on the brooder walls than in the duck.

 

[digger MN]

Just put them in a new area today. Went from a maybe 2 by 3 foot plastic container. Now they are in 3 by 5 jumbo deck box. Have hay in the bottom. I put wood chips by the water with hay on top because someone on here said DO NOT USE WOOD CHIPS. Are they right?????????

 

[AnaD]

Quote:
Oh! How flipping adorable!

 

[tnchickenut]

They drink as much as possible... they are waterfowl, afterall.

It's not unusual or even alarming if they drink straight for long lenths of time. And actually, a duck without water to drink can suffer MUCH FASTER than a chicken without water. They can choke on food if they don't have water to wash it down... so they often take a bite of feed, take a sip or two, then some more feed, then more water... ect ect.

Like someone said... if they are eatting and drinking and just "chirping" quietly.... they are fine. If they act like a cat got them... then something is wrong.

 

[emsdial911]

Quote:
Ducks cannot swallow their food without having water to wash it down with, so your ducklings are doing just fine

I just had to go out and refill my ducklings' waterer that was put in their brooder (a small coop) just a few hours ago. Not only do they drink it, but they have great fun playing in it and making a HUGE mess of their clean bedding

I saw a duckling the other day that took too much food in and couldn't find the water. He was shaking his head back and forth with his mouth open and food was flying everywhere. Looked funny seeing food flying but I felt bad for the little fellow. Make sure they have plenty of water at all times.

 

[DuckieLover2014]

Oh! How flipping adorable!

How cute.. Thanks for sharing..