Letting ducks swim

[Onlyducks]

I read here all the time that people are letting their ducks swim, even as ducklings. I don't have a swimming area for my ducks, and the ducklings are not ever allowed to swim. The adults will sit in their water dishes sometimes, and I do let them "wade" in mortar mix tubs, but they don't really swim. Does anyone else just give their ducks water for drinking and not swimming?

 

[Mashallaharabia]

They are WATER BIRDS, for god's sake give them a pool and let them swim!!! Mine have insane running, flapping, and diving pool parties. Withholding swimming water from a duck is like keeping a horse in a box stall all the time, when it is MEANT to be on open grassland. Cruelty. I feel very sorry for your ducks.

 

[Amiga]

With ducklings, their swim time needs to be closely monitored, and they can get chilled, and sometimes cannot get out of the water when they are tired. So under supervision, bath time (no soap) seems good for getting rid of all the little cruddy things that get in their feathers, eyes, nares and ears.

I have swim pans - kiddie pools - for my adult ducks, and they enjoy it. It is enough to float in, to splash and dive in, and it helps get rid of the cruddy things that get in their feathers, eyes, nares and ears.

 

[Lanicus]

Unless you live in the city or largely populated area, I can see why you don't let your ducks swim much but I don't know why you wouldn't let them swim if you are able to let them. Ducks are made for the water and enjoy swimming very much. Ducklings can be allowed to swim but they should be supervised since their down isn't as waterproof as feathers and they could drown.

 

[Mashallaharabia]

If you let the hen hatch her own ducklings, they will pick up the oils from her feathers, and SHE will supervise them swimming. You don't need to watch them constantly.

 

[Onlyducks]

Marshallaharabia: I'll mark you down as a "let them swim"

Maybe there's at least one of the readers that does not have a pool for the ducks? I did say I have pans about 18 by 24 by 4 inches for them to wade in and wash their faces and for breeding. It's not like I put them on sand and denied them access to any water. Just not a pool.

 

[Mashallaharabia]

They need water deep enough to immerse themselves. I have children's plastic pools, the largest and deepest size.

 

[onionheadtg2014]

I don't currently have a pool for my ducks and they are just fine..... I have four ducks 2 Pekin and 2 Khaki Campbell..... I will be getting them like a kiddie pool from Walmart later in the spring but for right now the chickens are too small and they live together so I am waiting..... I wouldn't let them live their whole life without water but they are perfectly fine without that much water..... Just make sure that they can get their nostrils all the way in their container to wash and clean themselves and all should be well....... Hope I could help.....

 

[CHchickie86]

My ducks are 7 weeks old, I do have a kiddie pool for them but they're not interested in it at all. They have a large feed pan that they can wade into with enough room to dip their heads in and throw it over their backs. The dimensions of your pans are fine but I would find a few with some more depth, 4 inches isn't very deep. My feed pan that I have water in is almost 8 inches high.

 

[Richb353]

The $16 for a 5' round kiddie pool from Lowe's is money well spent. Here is a pic of my little ones at about a week old:



After a few hours of swimming, I would empty the pool, put a layer of straw on the bottom, and return it to its role as brooder until the ducklings were big enough to move into their outside pen.

Enjoy,
Rich