I wished sombody had told me!!

[cawooduck]

Quote:
Thank You, this is what I was explaining to my husband that we need to do for our ducks.

No problem Luvducks, i quickly decided after a week of raising baby wood ducks that i would need something more practical than changing papertowel up to three times a day!!! That brooder has also raised tons of baby chicks and some turkey poults as well. I made another differently designed brooder for my quail that would work for ducklings as well.

Here's with the top off, wires in the middle between two areas with shavings and heat lamps:

Here's the brooder fully enclosed:

The center of the brooder has a wire door that opens to change food/water, the tops on either side of the wire door ( where the lamps are setting on) are removable to clean out the shavings.

Take care!!..............Jason

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
They are about a month old and yes they are outside now. I guess I will just have to deal with the mess!!!

My babies are 3 weeks will be 4 weeks Wednesday and still inside..They are messy I clean them out 3 times a day..They need it more some days....I am going to keep them inside for a few more weeks atleast until 6 weeks and then move them to the garage to a bigger cage..Then after feathered start introducing them to the adults...

If yours aren't almost completely feathered by now, you should probably go ahead and move them. Most likely they are too warm, which is causing them not to feather properly. By 6 weeks old, my babies were on the pond with the 'big ducks'. They were completely feathered. Now, at about 4 months old, if they didn't stick with their own 'groups' I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

They need lots of water. Lots and lots. They dont make any spit, and cant eat food without water. Plus they need it to clean their vents and spread oil and keep clean/dirty.

Ducks are just messy. but the good news is theyre hot, and a group can go outside at a much younger age than chickens.

 

[Kats]

I think these problems must depend on duck breed. I have Muscovies and they are no messier than chicks. Admittedly, I get them into the barn, where the water is in an outdoor cage, when they are less than a week old, but there's no muss or fuss in the basement before that. I put them on wood shavings from the time they hatch.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Quote:
This is true. Our mallard was a clean, careful little thing.

Our pekings are probably messier than most pigs.

 

[DiVon80]

Quote:
You are funny! A rain slicker! HA!

Now that you say Its tru. Just a lil different kinda mess. I like my ducks.

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Quote:
My babies are 3 weeks will be 4 weeks Wednesday and still inside..They are messy I clean them out 3 times a day..They need it more some days....I am going to keep them inside for a few more weeks atleast until 6 weeks and then move them to the garage to a bigger cage..Then after feathered start introducing them to the adults...

If yours aren't almost completely feathered by now, you should probably go ahead and move them. Most likely they are too warm, which is causing them not to feather properly. By 6 weeks old, my babies were on the pond with the 'big ducks'. They were completely feathered. Now, at about 4 months old, if they didn't stick with their own 'groups' I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

My babies just turned 4 weeks I have NEVER had a duck be fully feathered at 4 weeks!!

 

[rebecca10782]

Quote:
I agree with Wifezilla. . .we need video, please!

I was just being sarcastic

I just wear old clothes when going into the coop. Once when we first got chickens, I actually wore a cashmere sweater into the coop and fed them oatmeal

I learned my leason

But know that I think about it, I should get a rain slicker and then I won't have to worry about how I am dressed when I go out to say hello. I do always wear my knee high rain boots into the chicken area. Then all I have to do is spay my legs down with the hose when I leave.

 

[Sillystunt]

My duck Gary is not so messy but poops everywhere!!!!!!!! We put a kids hard pool in the pen for him and he swims and chills out in there. He follows me around the yard and lets me pet him. He nibbles on my legs while i walk and tries to trip me, lol I kinda like him more then the other pets we have...heheheh

 

[Blueroo63]

sounds like your enjoying your new ducks ,may I also suggest you try a few geese to run and play with them

sorry could'nt resist I hate duck for that reason .my only ducking are done on the pond out beside my house,never hatching a duck again