Raising and caring for ducklings

[Amiga]

Ducklings grow quickly. Our runners doubled in size their first week. I am not exaggerating. So plan for Brooder II now - I went to Brooder III - we had eleven ducklings!

Here are some ideas for water management

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259876/do-your-ducks-have-water-at-night/10#post_13568197

 

[Alice28]

Thanks! I plan to keep them in the house with me for a while so I may venture to the splash time with them never thought I'd be keeping hay in my bathroom a week ago. Haha I do it because it's convenient for changing out the wet hay around the waterer .

What cuties At three days old we put are ducklings in shallow water they could walk in. At five days we let them have there first swim in a shallow tub. Are anconas really liked it, are Muscovy duckling got soaked through faster and didn't want to stay in long. A few days later he was a lot happier in the water and diving under just make sure your right there and dry them off and put them back under there heat lamp. Yours look old enough to have a shallow play in a warm tub see how that goes and then next time let them in a little more water if they like it.

 

[JerseyGlove]

Thanks a million! Do they still require a heat lamp if they are in a very heated room?

 

[JerseyGlove]

Little peep didn't care for her/his first splash time lol. But she/ he loved the cuddles after

 

[JerseyGlove]

I have 4 Muscovy ducklings and one of them has a gooky weeping eye. They seem fairly active and eating and drinking. But can I give them all vitamin water with an antibiotic in it designed for chicks to be safe? Any quick advice would be appreciated !!!! Thank

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 4 Muscovy ducklings and one of them has a gooky weeping eye. They seem fairly active and eating and drinking. But can I give them all vitamin water with an antibiotic in it designed for chicks to be safe? Any quick advice would be appreciated !!!! Thank

If they are all eating and have alot of energy before an antibiotic I'd put some Apple Cider vinegar in their drinking water deep enough for the little one to be able to dunk it's head in the ACV will help clean out any bacteria that maybe in the eye and may clean it up. it's also good for them to drink and us too. you can also use Veterycin spray for wounds and infections[TSC] and Terramycin eye ointment [feed store] I would just not jump into antibiotics unless nothing else worked.also Saline eye wash make it by using sterile water and salt and just gently wash the eye. Vitamin water would be fine too. I'd still try the ACV first. 1Tab to 1 gal of water. put this solution into drinking bowl or waterer. it just has to be deep enough the ducklings can dunk their heads in it.

 

[JerseyGlove]

The yellow one is the one who had the yucky eye. You can see how the fluff around his eye is still yucky but now his eye looks clear. He's eating and drinking well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The yellow one is the one who had the yucky eye. You can see how the fluff around his eye is still yucky but now his eye looks clear. He's eating and drinking well.

Make sure to keep watch on temps in brooder you don't wan to chill them or over heat. and I'd just use the ACV in their water Lil one may just have gotten some dust that irritated it's eye.
They sure are cute.

 

[JerseyGlove]

Also I notice that every once and a while the ducklings look like they are stretching their beaks or yawning is the best way I can describe ... Is this a normal behaviour? I am so new to ducks that I second guess everything.

 

[JerseyGlove]

How can I upload a video? I took a video to capture what the duckling is doing[VIDEO][/VIDEO]