i put hay all over the floor in the duck brooder is that ok ?

[chickens&ducks_RULE]

hey, my ducklings are 6 weeks and 1 is 5 weeks and my 2 chicks are 6 weeks

and i put hay all over the floor in there brooder's is this ok ?

and also 4 of the ducklings eat some of the hay is this ok also ?

thanks

~Daniel

 

[katharinad]

Hay should be fine, but you should change it daily until they are at least a 6 weeks old. Ducks are messy and the wet hay can turn moldy really fast without even showing a sign of it. This is due to the fact that all hay has mold spored on them. Mold digested is extremely toxic to ducks. I personally prefer pine shavings, because they are high in tanic acid, which means mold it naturally not present, but it can grow on it if introduced and they shavings stay wet. I found that peewee pads and old bath towels work the best in the brooder. I'm sure there are others that say hay is not an issue, but I bet they also clean it very often to avoid any issues. So you really need to figure out what works best for you. BTW I don't think they should need the brooder any longer at all. Mine are usually out before they are 3 weeks old. With their age hay shouldn't be an issue at all. Keep it dry and clean, and make sure they cannot slip on it.

 

[chickens&ducks_RULE]

hmm in that case i may go back to tea towels

and i cant put them outside yet couse i have 6 pekin bantams out in the grower coop and thay might pick on these ducks couse there still pretty small

plus these ducks aint no were near fully feather'd only now thay are getting feather's

would it be ok to have half tea towel and half hay in the brooder instead of all hay ??

 

[katharinad]

Anything that provides grip and prevents moisture from becoming an issue. My duck house has actually rubber runner mats covered with pine shavings. The runner mats are textured and prevent slippage. I will later exchange them for horse stall mats, because they provide insulation in winter. My duck house has concrete pavers on dirt floor otherwise. Not to good for duck feet.

I know how it is with younger ones. Had to separate mine too. I actually use a 8 foot table without legs to divide the duck house in half. I'm lucky I have two outdoor areas for them to hang around. Kept them apart until the younger ones were 8 weeks old. BTW they feather in faster when they are exposed to the outside. Mine were fully feathered at 6 weeks with a few fluffy feathers in between. They are now 12 weeks and in their first molt. They start to look nicer and nicer by the day.