My Silkie Hen (Chicken) Has Adopted My Ducklings

[farmgirlsomeday]

Whoa! I hadn't tbought of that :-( Not sure how to handle that. Can swimming wait until after they're at the age where their "mama" has kind of cut them loose?

 

[subhanalah]

It can, but they are going to try to swim in whatever water bowls you have around, lol. Make sure they have access to water to wash their heads in (just in case you didn't already know that).
Some people never allow swimming water for their ducks, they are just much happier and cleaner with swimming access.
You probably don't want them swimming until their feathers come in without close supervision from you anyway since they don't have mom's oils on them to keep them water proof. You would also have to dry them off and keep them warm after a swim.

 

[farmgirlsomeday]

Right now the ducklings are small enough that they are able to fully immerse their beaks and snares (that's the right word, right?) in this chick waterer.

However today I plan to buy a small, heavy crockery waterer to put in the baby coop where I have mama and all the babies, and I think that's a good step 2 baby water solution for the duckies. After doing some reading, I probably won't let them try swimming in anything deeper than their chests untik they lose their down and get actual feathering in all over their bodies.

 

[subhanalah]

Instead of a crock, I would find an empty butter tub (or sour cream or even a milk jug) and cut a hole in it big enough for their heads. If it's short enough you can cut the lid; if it's taller, you can cut the hole in the side right above the water line. Cheap and easy and better than a crock (IMO) because ethey will swim in and poop in the crock.

That looks like a feed hopper and not a water hopper, does it work with the water in a mason jar on top or do you just fill the bottom with water with no jar?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here she is at dusk tonight with the two ducklings plus 5 baby chicks all gathered underneath her for the night.

 

[subhanalah]

Oh, forgot to mention if you're using a galvanized water container, don't use ACV as the acidity leaches the zinc into the water and can poison the animals drinking from it. Just in case you weren't aware of the risk

 

[farmgirlsomeday]

Here are some photos from this morning, when I allowed mama and babies some supervised free range time inside my fenced run. As you can see, my other chickens, who happened to have wandered *outside* the fenced run, into my fenced backyard, were extremely nosy and curious about these peeping little things.

The Gladys Kravitz hens you see peering into the fence are my 2 Easter Eggers, Bunny & Birdie.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here are some photos from this morning, when I allowed mama and babies some supervised free range time inside my fenced run. As you can see, my other chickens, who happened to have wandered *outside* the fenced run, into my fenced backyard, were extremely nosy and curious about these peeping little things.

The Gladys Kravitz hens you see peering into the fence are my 2 Easter Eggers, Bunny & Birdie.

They sure are adorable.

 

[subhanalah]

They sure are adorable. 

x2

 

[Going Quackers]

Here are some photos from this morning, when I allowed mama and babies some supervised free range time inside my fenced run. As you can see, my other chickens, who happened to have wandered *outside* the fenced run, into my fenced backyard, were extremely nosy and curious about these peeping little things.

The Gladys Kravitz hens you see peering into the fence are my 2 Easter Eggers, Bunny & Birdie.

Seriously so sweet!