Question about duckling bedding

[Tiggrsbounc]

Hey all!
With the first 3 ducklings I used the bottom of a large dog house and lined it with shavings. I cleaned it out and changed bedding every 3 days. Worked okay but 1 week in and I realized they were making a mess because they splashed water everywhere. I found a solution that sorta helped thanks to a thread on here-biscuit/cookie pan under their waterer.

The biggest issue became hauling that huge dog base out of my house and the smell after a few days. I don't expect them to smell wonderful and I know ducks are messy but I think the shavings helped things smell worse.

After much reading here, I think I want to use the absorbent pads this time around instead of shavings (or at least to start with) but I'm wondering about something.
Would the ducklings be okay (and comfortable) if they were just on those pads? Should they be on something softer? or should I add some cushioning under the pads?

Thanks!
Julie

 

[CayugaJana]

I’ve used both and I think the pads smell worse than pine shavings.

 

[CarleeAnn]

On rainy days I began to clean my ducklings brooder indoor and I found it so much easier and not that messy that I just kept doing that.. I used a large storage bin though, so it had walls and was open on the top.

I would used pine shavings and at first I would line under it with over lapping paper, then I could roll up the paper and shavings and put it into a Walmart bag. I would then wipe it down and fill it back up. Eventually I stopped using paper and just used shavings, I would get two Walmart bags- one to scoop the bedding and one to put it in and then use the remaining one gather the rest.

 

[chickens really]

Try these for water containers..

 

[happy duck]

I put a tray under my water and still mess. I want to see were this post goes! I am another wandering duck owner.

 

[Tiggrsbounc]

On rainy days I began to clean my ducklings brooder indoor and I found it so much easier and not that messy that I just kept doing that.. I used a large storage bin though, so it had walls and was open on the top.

I would used pine shavings and at first I would line under it with over lapping paper, then I could roll up the paper and shavings and put it into a Walmart bag. I would then wipe it down and fill it back up. Eventually I stopped using paper and just used shavings, I would get two Walmart bags- one to scoop the bedding and one to put it in and then use the remaining one gather the rest.

That sounds like a great idea! It would be nice to not have to drag that base outside every few days. How deep were your shavings?

 

[Tiggrsbounc]

View attachment 1338368 View attachment 1338369 Try these for water containers..

I really like the second waterer pic-now that I think about it, it was when they got a little older that they were using their beaks to splash it everywhere so maybe my waterer was just too low and helped lead to the mess.

 

[CarleeAnn]

That sounds like a great idea! It would be nice to not have to drag that base outside every few days. How deep were your shavings?

I would say maybe two inches deep at most. I would also spot clean it if possible and add some on top of really stinky poos if I wasn’t going to clean it for awhile.