My transition brooder... what am I doing wrong??!!

[Isaac 0]

Not much you can do, you have two ducks in a fairly small area, so waste/water buildup is going to be more concentrated, we have to remember they are waterfowl, the "water catcher" idea will help to point, but won't totally eliminate water/waste spillage. You need a bigger pen.

 

[Isaac 0]

A three-week old duckling drinks around 0.17 gallons of water daily. I do agree that they should have a waterer that they can adequately dunk their heads in throughout the day.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I am a teacher and used to have to leave mine overnight with similar results. I did what the others have suggested, took a gallon milk jug and cut out holes only big enough for their heads, not their bodies, about half way up. I found there was still water in the jug in the morning and I usually have 4-8 ducklings at a time. Move the food a little ways away as well. Ducks love to get a bite of food, then a drink of water, then food, etc.. But, they dribble that water everywhere in the process. If you put a little distance between the two it helps some.
If you want a good, simple book about duck care I really liked, Duck Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Ducks . . .Naturally, by Lisa Steele.

 

[TomCahalan]

The best way to cut down on the dampness and smell is with fresh air. Put them outside as soon as you can. The rule of thumb is that they need 90F at birth, and you can lower that 5-10 degrees per week, until they hit 8 weeks. At 8 weeks they can handle almost anything. That's without supplemental heat.

Having a heat source, even a weak heat source, makes a huge difference in what they can handle. Same with a wind break.

 

[tribalacres]

Excuse me pine pellets???

Yeah, Pine Pellets. They work wonders.

 

[mandymcg05]

Two ducklings cannot possibly drink a gallon of water a day... I'm pretty sure they couldn't even drink one quart of water a day.
They're playing in it.
You've got to block them from playing in it.

That’s exactly what they’re doing. The entire lasagna pan under the waterer is FULL everyday. It’s insane!!! Lol

 

[mandymcg05]

The best way to cut down on the dampness and smell is with fresh air. Put them outside as soon as you can. The rule of thumb is that they need 90F at birth, and you can lower that 5-10 degrees per week, until they hit 8 weeks. At 8 weeks they can handle almost anything. That's without supplemental heat.

Having a heat source, even a weak heat source, makes a huge difference in what they can handle. Same with a wind break.

They are in our insulated garage right now all day and night without a lamp. But the weather is getting between 80-90 during the day so it’s just a little cooler in the garage. Temp varies at night so I’m hoping to get them out there in 3+ weeks

 

[mandymcg05]

Yeah, Pine Pellets. They work wonders.
View attachment 2175807

Well I’ll be a monkeys uncle!! I never thought about using them!

Ok. So I’m trying that photo you posted with the cut out in the Tupperware and the pee pads. They can dunk their heads in the waterer and then dunk them in the lasagna pan. Which I think is how they’re making their big big mess.

I know and completely understand they are messy, wet, stinky, cute af creatures. I know that. But I knew there was an easier way for me to not go through Almost two gallons of water day!! Lol.

 

[TiaNicole]

I had that same problem with my girls! They’d make a huge mess! I ended up making the brooder bigger and setting a tray under their waterter and also moving their food to the opposite side of the cage. Don’t get me wrong when I get home from work the tray under their water is completely full of water but it keeps their brooder a lot more dry! Here our my before and after brooder updates!