Safe or not?

[AshleyNicole06]

Getting ducklings SOON!! Is it safe just to use a plastic tote with a heat lamp? Our last box thing we built got ruined.. So just looking for an easier way..

 

[21hens-incharge]

It is safe IF its the biggest tote made AND the heat lamp is secured and secured and secured again.

I bet a mama heating pad would work for ducks too.......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...er-picture-heavy-update.956958/#post-14882145

 

[AshleyNicole06]

It is safe IF its the biggest tote made AND the heat lamp is secured and secured and secured again.

I bet a mama heating pad would work for ducks too.......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...er-picture-heavy-update.956958/#post-14882145

Eek okay I don't think its the biggest tote made.. But itd fit the ducks in it perfectly.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They grow amazingly fast!

It won't take long before they can be outside.
How many babies are you getting?

 

[AshleyNicole06]

They grow amazingly fast!

It won't take long before they can be outside.
How many babies are you getting?

3 or 4! So I wouldn't think I'd need the biggest tote. Lol

 

[ChicksLoveOregon]

I was shocked by how fast ducklings grow. My neighbor got baby chicks and ducklings 10 days ago. And the ducklings are 5 times the size of the chicks already.

On the safety issue. I used a heat lamp with a few chicks in a plastic tote. I had no problems. The chicks created much more dust than I expected, but I dusted the heat lamp often. I have since seen so many stories about heat lamp fires. If you already have the set up I would monitor it closely. There are some nice alternatives although I have not tried them. People say good things.

 

[AshleyNicole06]

I was shocked by how fast ducklings grow. My neighbor got baby chicks and ducklings 10 days ago. And the ducklings are 5 times the size of the chicks already.

On the safety issue. I used a heat lamp with a few chicks in a plastic tote. I had no problems. The chicks created much more dust than I expected, but I dusted the heat lamp often. I have since seen so many stories about heat lamp fires. If you already have the set up I would monitor it closely. There are some nice alternatives although I have not tried them. People say good things.

Thanks! Im just looking for an easier way than building one... So I'm open to other options too!

 

[ChicksLoveOregon]

Thanks! Im just looking for an easier way than building one... So I'm open to other options too!

Good luck! It sounds like so much fun. Ducklings are so cute.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Duckies are messy.

A good way to help keep the bedding dry is to put the water on a baking sheet to catch spills.

Ducks need water deep enough to dip their entire bill into.

 

[3bird]

We used a big tote, but even the biggest didn't last long for our seven silver Appleyards. We eventually upgraded them to a kiddie pool with chicken wire fence around it.

We used a painters tray covered with hardware cloth under their water, and that worked great to catch the spills.