Someone here suggested using puppy pads for brooding ducks due to how absolutely messy they can be. I took the advice and LOVE the results. I had gotten the EcoGlow for my chicks and the ducks love it too! What's really nice about it is that is, after they play in their water they go under the EcoGlow and dry off and warm up. I don't have any cold ducks to worry about. So they can swim to their little hearts content. I used a small plastic food container for the water so they CAN swim and splash and play to their little hearts content. Which they do!! They really seem to love our little water feature for them. Standard small, round feeder with chick starter and brewers yeast for food. Happy little ducklings.