need duckling bedding advice

[jujubean99]

I was wondering when I can change my ducklings bedding from paper towels to shavings, I know I am not supposed to give them shaving when they are too young, because they will eat them. They are about3 days old and they are bantams if that makes a difference. Thanks!

 

[Bleenie]

I used Straw & wood pellets right away for my babies. I used to use shavings but the pellets are cheaper and work SO much better.

even when they break down you can turn them to dry them out and use them a little longer. I have a red heat light on the brooder so they dry out FAST under it.

(in an effort to 'recycle', i tried to burn the used pellets in the fireplace and they wouldnt light!! they're fire safe!

)

 

[duckyfromoz]

I usually put my ducklings onto shavings around 3 days old. By then they have learnt where the food is and dont bother with the shaving much except to play with.

 

[katharinad]

I use dog pee wee pads from Walmart. They are so nice. They absorb and dry out the poo really fast, plus they neutralize the small. All you have to do is fold them up and off into the trash. Clean up is really fast. Not as cheap as the other options, but very convenient.
Katharina

 

[Amiga]

I think every little brood is different. Mine EAT wee-wee pads, and until they were about six weeks old, ATE shavings. We stuck with towels as long as they were in their brooder. Now that they are outside, I use a combo of hardwood shavings and pine pellets. I may switch over more to pine shavings which are less expensive, but to which I am allergic. But outdoors, there is plenty of fresh air and it ought not be a problem. The ducks now just root around in shavings, no longer ingesting them. The used shavings can be composted, creating fertilizer.

The advantage to towels is that the rinse water from cleaning the towels is primo fertilizer water for my garden. Another advantage is that they are reusable.

Also note that some types of shavings produce great volumes of dust - which you breathe, which the ducklings breathe, and in my case, which landed heavily upon everything in the room, requiring major cleanup. If you are brooding them in a shelter outdoors (I can't remember your setup), then the dust is less of a problem, natch.

 

[katharinad]

My ducks started to nip on the pee wee pads when I realized that they were just bored. They now have cat toys (the ball type that tingles) in their box and you can hear them play with them all the time. They only need the toys when they are cooped up because of weather. Right now I keep them outdoors all day and bring them in at night. They usually just crash out. We have more bad weather coming so they will feel couped up again. I also have one towel in the box, because that is where they like to lay on. I need to mention that I only have two ducklings in the box.
Katharina

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I buy organic grain from a local mill and they sell it in bags that are made of woven nylon. I used that in the bottom of the plastic tub for the first 2 weeks but have them on wire now. Another 2 weeks and they will be out in the duck coop.
I changed the bag only once a day but use a plastic butter bowl with a small portion cut of the top so they can dunk their heads and not make a huge mess. Still they made a mess but I was able to keep it clean almost all day with 11 ducklings.

 

[Amiga]

Nadine, great ideas!

katharinad, I have a "toy" rope hanging from the top of their playpen, and they really like it. They just seem to really like opening the wee wee pads and ingesting the soft absorbent material inside. sigh.

Mine are in tonight because I don't feel comfortable with them outside when the temperatures are in the 30s F. Not until they are older. This fall and winter should be no problem.

 

[DaKid]

I started with paper day old ....then I when with shaving 3 days olds and now I'm thing about using play sand seeing that there a week old and the paper and shaving gets really nasty and wet .......