Water, water EVERYWHERE (Chicks & Ducklings question)

[MissMonty]

Alright so we bought our first chicks earlier this year (we have 11 total right now, one didn't make it) then we have 6 ducklings. They have been doing amazing and are getting big! We have had them roughly 3 weeks now.

I will not lie, this has been a huge learning experience for me. First thing I learned is I will probably never have chicks and ducklings together in a brooder, talk about a mess....

Well temporarily until we get another set up solution they're still together. Between the chicks and mostly the ducks they have water everywhere.....

We currently have them in our garage and there is always a huge wet area thanks to them (this is even going through all the shavings I put down...)

So I'm trying to look for a better solution for water for the brooder.

Currently we have been putting a 1 gal waterer on top of paver stones so it raises it up. We end up having to refill it 2-3 times a day, sometimes more often. Its mostly from the ducks flinging it all over creation.

Has anyone ever tried side mount water troughs for them? I am not sure if it will stop the mess completely but I'd like it to stop soaking the whole brooder.

We went ahead and bought one of these hoping it may help some. I personally think the ducks are just going to end up in it causing an even bigger mess.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042LE1DA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Anyone have any other ideas?

Thankfully it'll be getting warmer soon and they're getting older so I can't wait until they're in a coop where we can have an area that they can splash and go nuts. But for now I'm ripping my hair out!

 

[Pyxis]

Skip that and make a duckling waterer for them, it really cuts down on the mess. There are two types, one made out of containers like cottage cheese containers and one made out of one gallon milk contains or water containers. For the cottage cheese type, you cut a small hole in the lid that they will drink out of. For the gallon milk kind, you cut a hole a in the side that they stick their heads in to drink from. It really cuts down on the splashing and mess.

Pictures of what I mean:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5586903/width/350/height/700/flags/LL

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5522592/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL

It also helps a lot to make a catch pan under the waterer to catch what they do splash out, like what is pictured here:

http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/1/15/900x900px-LL-15e1f577_DSCF3490.jpeg

 

[lazy gardener]

What ever you come up with for a waterer, it has to be such that the ducklings can immerse their nares in the water, as I'm sure you are aware. But, it has to be such that a chick can't possibly get through the hole and fall into the water. Chicks are born with a desire to think of new and exciting ways to commit suicide. I can just hear the conversation now: "Hey, Hilda... see that new hole? Bet you can't jump through it!"

Wet bedding and chicks do not get along together. The wet bedding can lead to chilling, and also predispose the chicks to coccidiosis. My first choice would be to divide the brooder. I would also build a platform covered with 1/4 or 1/2" hardware cloth with a catch tray under neath it, make it big enough to hold the waterer in the middle with a minimum of 4" of wire around the perimeter. Make it about 2" deep.

 

[Folly's place]

x2! Separate brooders will be best, and carefully set up waterers, and dry bedding for everyone. Mary

 

[MissMonty]

Skip that and make a duckling waterer for them, it really cuts down on the mess. There are two types, one made out of containers like cottage cheese containers and one made out of one gallon milk contains or water containers. For the cottage cheese type, you cut a small hole in the lid that they will drink out of. For the gallon milk kind, you cut a hole a in the side that they stick their heads in to drink from. It really cuts down on the splashing and mess.

Pictures of what I mean:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5586903/width/350/height/700/flags/LL

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5522592/width/500/height/1000/flags/LL

It also helps a lot to make a catch pan under the waterer to catch what they do splash out, like what is pictured here:

http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/1/15/900x900px-LL-15e1f577_DSCF3490.jpeg

Thank you for posting those! That looks pretty easy to make. The duck water containers, then are they usually hung or sat on the ground?

I really like the idea of a catch pan. I think I am going to have to look into trying to come up with a way to do that.

What ever you come up with for a waterer, it has to be such that the ducklings can immerse their nares in the water, as I'm sure you are aware. But, it has to be such that a chick can't possibly get through the hole and fall into the water. Chicks are born with a desire to think of new and exciting ways to commit suicide. I can just hear the conversation now: "Hey, Hilda... see that new hole? Bet you can't jump through it!"

Wet bedding and chicks do not get along together. The wet bedding can lead to chilling, and also predispose the chicks to coccidiosis. My first choice would be to divide the brooder. I would also build a platform covered with 1/4 or 1/2" hardware cloth with a catch tray under neath it, make it big enough to hold the waterer in the middle with a minimum of 4" of wire around the perimeter. Make it about 2" deep.

x2! Separate brooders will be best, and carefully set up waterers, and dry bedding for everyone. Mary

I have started to get to the point this is my thought at all. Right now they're in a BIG dog cage. Its the biggest wire crate you can buy (I have spoiled dogs LOL). I was about to move them to something bigger so maybe since the chicks are still small compared to the dog cage I'll leave the chicks in that and move the ducks to the next brooder I was going to use. Then I should be able to do a lot more duck specific things for them.