I've Notice This About My Ducklings. Have You Notice This About Yours?

[BirdBoy88]

I have Seven 3 day old Ducklings....

and i kept wondering why there water kept getting so dirty so fast.. so after cleaning the water jar again after 4 times earlyer.. i sat down an watch them to see if i can see why ..so i sat an saw nothing then i notice there food was kinda low so i added some more an sat back down and i notice that my ducklings will take a mouth full of food.. then walk over to the water jar an put the food in the water...then eat it.. and it's the only way they will eat there food

does anybody know why ? is it normal?

 

[Katy]

Very normal. That's one reasons it's so important that they've got access to water when they've got food in front of them. A duck can choke to death if it doesn't have water to wash it's food down.

 

[Sparrow]

It's completely normal and necessary for them to mix food and water together in order to swallow it. You just have to get used to changing out the water at least twice a day. I always find "bilge" in the bottom of my duck waterers, it's a brown paste made from the food that falls out of their mouths when they are eating. NEVER let them have access to food without having water nearby, they can choke.

 

[BirdBoy88]

oh ok now i understand

water will always be access to 24-7

Thanks

 

[GoodEgg]

Then when they get bigger and they are out in the yard, they stuff mouthfuls of dirt into the waterer ... just for variety.

I do love my ducks though.

trish

 

[kodiakchicken]

Mine LOVE it when I throw handfulls of grass and dandelion greens in their swimming pool. Basically, anything they can get in water they will!

 

[GoodEgg]

OH yeah ...

I used to pull huge tufts of tall weeds with seedheads, and some thick ground weeds too, and throw them all in the water for my ducks. Sometimes i still do that, if they weeds grow up that high.

They absolutely LOVE it. I think it's much more natural for them to be able to swim along and dive for weeds, and dabble in the water for food.

The geese will eat them too.

I love to watch them enjoying their tub or pool of weeds.

trish

 

[gervais22]

How about sprying the food with water or making mash, with hot water??? try a bit and give it to them is a seperate bowl!!

I want to see them again where's the pic's mark????

I got 12 more coming this weekend, what about the quails?

 

[Harley's girl]

Quote:
My jumbo Pekin has been doing that!

She has her very own pool and let me tell you it doesn't stay clean for long. LOL

 

[GoodEgg]

Mine have a kind of trough ... it's really a large mixing tray for cement. I think it holds around 100 gallons. I clean it every day, and there is anywhere from 1/2" to MORE of mud caking the bottom under the water, each day.

They must work HARD to transport all that dirt into the water.

I just dump it in place, so it makes a little muddy "pond" on the ground until it soaks in. They LOVE snorkeling through the mud and muck. That's probably when most of it gets re-deposited in the trough.

trish