I have no idea what I am doing

[Tlmcq]

Ok I need some advice. I've completely lost all patience and all I've done is yell tonight. Im sure this is all my fault and probably gave him too much freedom but he is unbearable when he is put back in his cage. Even worse is the coop if we close him in the run and try to leave him he jumps so high and hits the bottom of the coop and ends up on his back and has a hard time turning over. I don't know what to do any more. I'm terrified to leave him in the coop for fear he will hurt himself and He drives us crazy in his little cage. The only thing that works is out and about which doesn't work for us every moment we are home. Advice?

Put a picture of yourself and a stuffed animal in there with Lucky. I've been brooding my new set of ducklings in a baby pool with cardboard ring wrapped all way around. Kiddie pool is easy to clean and bigger than a tote since they grow so quickly. I used a pan with grate for food and water to keep clean longer as water runs thru grate and into pan instead of in pool and shavings

 

[Nikki89]

How can you use a heating pad in a incubator??

 

[Steven Mazzo]

Put a picture of yourself and a stuffed animal in there with Lucky. I've been brooding my new set of ducklings in a baby pool with cardboard ring wrapped all way around. Kiddie pool is easy to clean and bigger than a tote since they grow so quickly. I used a pan with grate for food and water to keep clean longer as water runs thru grate and into pan instead of in pool and shavings

Awe so cute. I wish I could used the pine shavings but he starred fishing around for the little pieces and ate them

 

[Steven Mazzo]

How can you use a heating pad in a incubator??

I don't think you can. If you thinking about what I did, I had a cardboard box with towels and a heating pad but I would not recommend doing what I did. My situation was kind of an emergency and I had to use what I had in the house. To my amazement it was working so I was afraid to change anything so I stuck with it lol

 

[Tlmcq]

Yes I buy the big ones but they do nibble around in em. I actually switch it up with corn cob bedding and puppy pads too. Now that they're a couple weeks old I put some straw over puppy pads more than anything

 

[Ravynscroft]

Thdre ya go, Steven! Try some straw!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Do you guys think they really eat the shavings or just nibble? I watched mine a lot and it seemed to me like they play with them more than eat them I suppose they swallow a tiny bit but it never seemed like they were really going to town eating it.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Do you guys think they really eat the shavings or just nibble? I watched mine a lot and it seemed to me like they play with them more than eat them I suppose they swallow a tiny bit but it never seemed like they were really going to town eating it.

Most of the time they just nibble, but sometimes they eat some little pieces... and then there are some that think it's an all-you-can-eat buffet, lol... just have to watch and see, and change it if needed...

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Just wondering if I need to switch to straw next time in case .... Does it hurt them if they eat a little of it? One funny thing I noticed is occasionally there will be a red shaving mixed in and they notice them right away and play with that one red shaving! I've even watched them fight over the red shaving lol. It must taste different.

 

[biophiliac]

Most of the time they just nibble, but sometimes they eat some little pieces... and then there are some that think it's an all-you-can-eat buffet, lol... just have to watch and see, and change it if needed...

Exactly! I think most first timers panic over this(me), but soon learn to observe and chill. I was going to say straw is not as good, but seems like others use it fine!