OMG its a disease!

[Chicken Fruit]

We have a mallard duckling, and decided she needed a friend. We ended up with two pekings. lol.

GOD they are MESSY ducks! I should have just held out for another mallard or a rouen. How the heck do you keep them from being so smelly?

 

[chickabator]

I have no clue I am doing the same thing right now I have 3 pekin ducks in a brooder in my living room right now. I have to change them out 3-4 times a day. mine are 1 week old now and stink to high heaven and are the messiest things I have ever seen they will soak their bedding down and then chirp like crazy till I get up out of the bed and change them. I wish I could figure out how to keep them from splashing their water out everywhere!

 

[Calebs Acre]

I have had call ducks, black east indies, khaki campbells, rouens, indian runners, silky ducks, muscovies and...pekins. (Plus geese). I had so many more problems with the pekins than any other duck! They ate like pigs and were so sloppy. Then, they attacked and killed two pekins ducks just a bit younger. We should have rescued the younger ducks earlier, but it was stupidity on our parts.

Then, they killed a runner duck. When we gave them to someone, within a couple of hours, they were surrounding a newly killed bunny rabbit.

The smell was just horrible, compared to the other ducks, I think because of more water and more food. I had the splashing problem too with the youngsters I had. Now, I only spent a couple of months with this particular pair of pekins, and perhaps I had an isolated experience, but I would not want pekins ever again.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Ducklings are ducklings! You are not going to be able to stop them from being messy or stinky. The only thing you can do is change them several times a day.

 

[purr]

I went through the mess last year.But they are totally worth it , I love my ducks

 

[Shanay235]

Quote:
If you figure this one out let me know. Eight years into raising ducks and every idea I've ever had has failed.

 

[Mikhail]

What Gumpsgirl said. They're very messy, especially with their water. with two of my ducks, I have to change their water several times a day. they get food and anything else they've had in their mouths in it. Its ridiculous how fast it gets dirty. With my other ducks, I use a kiddie pool for a water bowl and that dosn't get dirty as fast for some reason. i can change that only once a day and it hardly even needs it.

 

[Calebs Acre]

Forgot to add....they are all too cute to resist!!!

 

[citalk2much]

Instead of the bedding try a dasie mat
We use a dasie mat then a towel on one side as a little dry spot
Still have to clean it 2 times a day. But oh so easy just spray it off.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Wow I didnt realize the mess was so bad for everyone else. These guys are pigs, but not any more work really- just more food and water.

You guys should all try the little feed and water set up I have, they really cant make a mess in the bedding with it- just all over themselves.

And use pelleted bedding, it lasts for days and days without changing.

My biggest thing with them is the smell. I think it must be their body odor, because the mallard doesnt stink at all!