Keeping clean

[MallardDuckling]

All my ducks have quite a bit of white on them, and it's always there bellies and tails that get dirty. I try and hose them down real good, and it gets most of it off, but is there a way to keep the white of a duck clean?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Never let them touch the ground. Actually the more space they have the cleaner they will stay. We have silver Appleyards and white Muscovy and both stay white as long as they can be out free ranging. If we have to keep them contained they get dirtier.

Cleaning the pool water daily also helps.

 

[MallardDuckling]

That seems to make sense. I'm sorta of a clean freak and clean their cage and everything daily. At night is when they really tend to get dirty.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

They are ducks, if clean is your thing, ducks aren't the right bird. They like it wet, muddy and foot stomping fun.

 

[MallardDuckling]

I don't mind them getting dirty with mud, or making mud holes. I just don't want my birds covered in poop. It's not healthy for them.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We change out the bedding in their houses every 2-3 days. This plus the access to clean water every day. We never have them covered in poop. Someone may get pooped on over night, but that's what their pools are for when they get let out in the morning.

 

[Amiga]

I use straw bedding, and once a day do "room service," laying down another light layer of straw. After a week or so, it all gets moved to the compost pile or gardens as mulch, and I have some friends who really like using duck straw in their gardens. My ducks stay pretty clean.

 

[new2ducks]

I'm still using up the rest of the pine shavings that I first bought for my ducklings when they were inside. I plan to use straw and can't wait to see how it helps my garden! I have their small bowls of water (which they like to sit in while they eat) and their food dish on a screen on top of a few rocks for the airflow underneath so things won't be as muddy. I also have a mortar tub they swim in and it's up on some boards so the air can pass under it. I plan to move that out when I finish the extra fenced in area outside their kennel. I rake out their area every few days. There's a tendency for those pincer bugs to get in there but I've seen my ducks eat them so it's great!

 

[Chick1043]

They are ducks, if clean is your thing, ducks aren't the right bird. They like it wet, muddy and foot stomping fun.

LOL! I don't know why I found this so funny but I did! I guess because it's sooo true!!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

They are ducks, if clean is your thing, ducks aren't the right bird. They like it wet, muddy and foot stomping fun.

LOL! I don't know why I found this so funny but I did! I guess because it's sooo true!! 

can't you just see it?