Sod for bored three week old ducklings?

[SeaSea47]

About a week ago, I gave my two week old khaki campbells a patch of clover sod from the yard. They went nuts over it, but what I didn’t expect is that they started pulling the clover up by the roots and running around with the roots hanging out of their mouths. I panicked that they would choke on it and took it back and just cut up the clover for them.

But now they are three weeks old and much bigger and I’m wondering if I should try again? I know they’re getting bored in their brooder but we’re having a cold spell for the next few days and I can’t really take them outside or let them swim. I did get a bigger water dish that they can wade and bathe in (it’s 80 degrees in the room they are in) and they get some chopped up lettuce and berries each day, but they need more activity I think. Sod seems like the perfect choice but are they still too young to have full size grass and clover?

 

[fatty and friends]

toys will also keep them from being bored : )

 

[SeaSea47]

What kind of toys do you recommend?

 

[Ratchnick]

At 3 weeks they can go on excursions at 50 or 60 if your monitoring them actively. Certainly give them sod at the very least!

 

[SeaSea47]

Okay, thanks. I will get them some sod again. And maybe try to take them out Thursday when it will be in the 60s. Tomorrow is suppose to be really cold!

 

[SeaSea47]

Well, I got them some toys today and they were terrified. Still not sure about the sod. All of my sod is clover with big roots.

 

[Peas4Ducks]

I think you can definitely give them sod, even with big clover roots, as long as you’re also giving them grit

 

[SeaSea47]

I still can’t bring myself to try the sod but they should finally get to go outside for some time this weekend! I have a new question though - tonight I was tearing up some romaine lettuce for them as a bedtime snack and one of the ducks will sit at the edge of the brooder and watch me and try to grab the lettuce. I held the leaf down for him, and he went to town tearing it up. The others were kind of afraid of it but I tried it again and two others finally joined in. My question is: could I find a way to attach some whole lettuce leaves to the top of the brooder (which is hardware cloth), and let them reach for it and bite it? Is there any danger in that? I am just afraid they get so bored in that thing all day. I’m going to pick them up some mealworms tomorrow too.

 

[Ratchnick]

I still can’t bring myself to try the sod but they should finally get to go outside for some time this weekend! I have a new question though - tonight I was tearing up some romaine lettuce for them as a bedtime snack and one of the ducks will sit at the edge of the brooder and watch me and try to grab the lettuce. I held the leaf down for him, and he went to town tearing it up. The others were kind of afraid of it but I tried it again and two others finally joined in. My question is: could I find a way to attach some whole lettuce leaves to the top of the brooder (which is hardware cloth), and let them reach for it and bite it? Is there any danger in that? I am just afraid they get so bored in that thing all day. I’m going to pick them up some mealworms tomorrow too.

Lettuce toy seems fine. Don't forget to offer chick grit.