NY chicken lover!!!!

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Hey guys ... my first round of babies are in

Congrats!

 

[Henicillin]

Quote:

Hey guys ... my first round of babies are in

We need pictures!

 

[Henicillin]

These ducklings are the cutest things I've ever seen. It makes up for their completely trashing their brooder and needing to be resupplied with water and dry shavings at least twice a day.

 

[happyhensny]

These ducklings are the cutest things I've ever seen. It makes up for their completely trashing their brooder and needing to be resupplied with water and dry shavings at least twice a day.

Still trying to figure out a way to keep ducklings "cleaner" Raise on wire? I will have Anconas hatching on Easter so I would love to hear ideas.

 

[stonykill]

I love my ducks. Messy messy messy. Even as adults. But it is funny when I clean their coop. They get so exited, waddle in, and level out the shavings perfectly. Then usually take a little duck nap.

 

[happyhensny]

I love my ducks. Messy messy messy. Even as adults. But it is funny when I clean their coop. They get so exited, waddle in, and level out the shavings perfectly. Then usually take a little duck nap.

I just got the baby pool set up for ours. They are so funny! Mine are bantam so the baby pool is over their heads. The zoom under water back and forth, splash and flap their wings. Crazy ducks!

 

[TonySorrento]

Quote:

We need pictures!

Well I made the call to leave them at the feed store where they are in a professional brooder and they have been drinking and eating since they arrived in town. I had plans for dinner and I didn't expect them until tomorrow so the last thing I wanted was fretting overnight whether they were going to be ok ... was the heat ok ..were they drinking ...blah blah blah ...

so I will be at the feed store at 9am sharp tomorrow morning ... attached the second heat lamp to the brooder and checked the temps ... I am ready, and tomorrow I will have all day to check on them ... they will be 3 days old tomorrow

 

[Cass]

These ducklings are the cutest things I've ever seen. It makes up for their completely trashing their brooder and needing to be resupplied with water and dry shavings at least twice a day.

Have you tried putting a cookie sheet under the water bin? That helped when my duckies were little....kept the mess local so I didn't have to change ALL the shavings every day.

You could consider brooding them on old sheets/towels that can be thrown in the washer/dryer when soiled. (Shake poop outside first) Someone said they did that with their chicks and it worked well.

Ducklings raised apart from adult ducks are not waterproof until they are about 6 weeks old. They can get waterlogged if they are allowed to "swim" before that age. But they do love to swim, you just have to dry their fluff off (yes, I did that for 4 weeks, every day...

I also only used warm water for them to swim in...am I crazy or WHAT? ) Ducks raised by their mother are waterproof almost as soon as they are dry from hatching because their momma puts oil, from her oil gland, on their fluff. And they sit under her and get oil that way too, so my research said.

I love ducklings. Ducks? Not so much...messy, poopy things.

 

[Cass]

Well I made the call to leave them at the feed store where they are in a professional brooder and they have been drinking and eating since they arrived in town. I had plans for dinner and I didn't expect them until tomorrow so the last thing I wanted was fretting overnight whether they were going to be ok ... was the heat ok ..were they drinking ...blah blah blah ...

so I will be at the feed store at 9am sharp tomorrow morning ... attached the second heat lamp to the brooder and checked the temps ... I am ready, and tomorrow I will have all day to check on them ... they will be 3 days old tomorrow

You are gonna love watching them grow...but look quick...mine are one week old today and already have wing and tail feathers.

 

[TonySorrento]

You are gonna love watching them grow...but look quick...mine are one week old today and already have wing and tail feathers.

Cass, I am so glad this day is finally here! looking forward to seeing them and getting them home ... pics to come