Waterlogged Ducks

[nikkichicki]

Thanks for all your help... I put a plastic tray that you put under your house plants.. its about 18 inches in diamiter and I put the water and food in there... So far it is working better. I am gonna get some puppy pads when I go to the store.

Thanks again for your help

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

I had the same problem! the cedar chips got all mucky!, so instead of cedar chips I used straw!, man it is like my miracle! I used to have to clean it 1 every other day (What a waste of cedar chips) but yeah. With ducks im all the way with hay. Cedar chips work better chicks, hay is better for ducks.


I have 4 messy 6 wk old rouen ducks!.

 

[okie16]

How old do the ducklings have to be before they can go outside? Our's are 2 1/2 weeks or so old, and is there a minimum temp. They can with stand?

I clean out the shaveings around the water every morning. They are getting so big I would like to put them out side.

 

[Henrietta23]

Quote:
What a great idea! I even have some already. They'll go in my duckling brooder if I'm able to get some soon.

 

[Henrietta23]

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Do you mean pine or cedar. I thought cedar was a big no-no for chicks (and most other critters)?

 

[FLFarmGirl]

I too can understand about the messy ducks. We got ours Sunday morning. They are in one of those metal round feed tubs I found up in the hay barn. I thought I was going to lose one the first night from too much water. Had to take the water out for a bit and put it back in and now it is fine. I add a few new shavings in the morning and in the afternoon while they go out to play in a make shift yard and swim in warm water with my kids in udder aaahhhh I strip the pen and add new shavings and fresh water and feed. Mine have a light and seem to still need it but not like the chicks we have in another brooder. We are going to have a pen ready for them by the weekend so they can go out safely on their own during the warm days we are having here in Fl. They are fun to watch. We are hoping to put in a pond this summer so I hope that will help ease the care, though we were hoping to put some fish in the pond and I read somewhere that they will eat them. My kids are enjoying them so that is all that matters to me.

 

[newnanchic]

our ducks are 3 1/2 weeks old and they are outside in a pen with no light or heat and they are fine. WE made them a big box with hay in it far a bed and 2 pans of water that I have to change 3 times a day to keep it half way clean. We are in Ga. and it does not get below 45050 this time of the year. This is our first ducks and I agree they are messy... but cute!!! And I love them.

 

[Cara]

We kept ours in a cage with a wire floor, and a slide out pan underneath. One day I forgot to empty it though, and when I tried to the next day the pan bent and I covered our mudroom floor in watery duck poop

My husband was down the other end of the house and gagging. Ducks smell so gross, just like pigs.

 

[OOGBirdLady]

I have 12 babies right now all about 3 days old. I have cedar shavings covered with paper towels to keep the babies separated from the shavings. for the water.... you can use thins around your house to solve this. I have two waterers. put a plastic lid ( lid from say a food container that would normally hold your food in the fridge.) flat , put one on either side of your brooder so they can pick and chose. the plastic is your base. it holds the spilled water from getting onto the bedding. I use a plastic solo cup for the actual waterer. cut the cup in half so the birds can still reach into the cup. then cut some field wire or chicken wire( super cheap at any hardware store) and cover the entire bottom portion of the cup. it allows the birds to still dip their beaks in completely while not actually getting their bodies wet.
I still change out the bedding pretty often because I have so many babies right now. mostly for health reasons. but it is much easier to change the paper towels that are soiled and youll still have clean shavings underneath. then youll only need to change out the shavings every other day or so. hope this helps!!