Question for my ducklings?

[DuckLover179]

So, some of you have seen my new ducklings! They are 1 day old right now, so when should I let them get their first swim??? I know to make sure they are dry afterwords. I was thinking about it, do you guys think this weekend would be an okay time to give them their first swim (Supervised)???

Thanks!

 

[tia]

I always wait a week or two... but some do it earlier. I know you have to make it a short swim and keep them very warm and make sure you keep an eye on them because they can drown.

 

[desertdarlene]

Some people give their ducklings a swim at 2 days old (like wild mamas do), but it's always safer to wait if you can. If you do let them swim, make sure the water is warm (comfortable to the touch, but not hot) and they are dry and warmed up afterward. Also, try to limit their swimming time to only few minutes and the water should be fairly shallow. If they look soaked, it may be time for them to get out of the water. They don't have the oils to make their down waterproof like a mama duck can.

 

[Bleenie]

When I let my young babies swim, I would take them out & put them on a folded towel on the counter. At the far end of the towel I would put the blow dryer in between the towel and turn it on the low & warm setting so they dried faster and they really seemed a lot happier having the extra warmth while they were preening.

That probably sounds So unsafe, lol, but I was obviously supervising the whole time

 

[gofasterstripe]

I had 2 staggered ducklings. One was 5 days the other was 12 hours when they had their 1st bath and the both loved it. It was just for 5 mins in warm water in the kitchen sink.