Wet Bedding and Smelley

[aaronsmommy22]

I bought 4 ducklings at tractor supply and sunday they were a week old! i have them in a nice size place with a heating lamp and food dish and waterer. i spread out wood shavings on the bottom but they are gettin it all wet with the waterer. i mean its completely wet within like 3 or 4 hours im up to cleanen it out twice a day now but when they get it so wet and poop and step all in it its cuasing it to really smell and the hubby is starting to complain, now granted we love our little babys im just tryin to find sumthen that can keep the area clean if not ill be spending a bunch of money on bedding a week. any ideas or what you have ur ducklings in would help thanks much

 

[TLWR]

I used towels for bedding. Rinsed off each morning, hung on the deck to dry and when I had 3-4 of them, threw them in the wash and repeat.
I had puppy pads under the waterer. Which worked great until they were not quiet 2 weeks or so and that pad was just always soaked. I then put the waterer in a cake pan and that helped for a bit (still a puppy pad under it) and then they were soaking everything again.



They are going to make a mess with water. All you can do is try to minimize it.
SOme people cut a hole in a dish so they stick their heads in to get water and find that helps keep the water in the dish instead of everywhere else.
There is a recent thread about a plant base, rubber mulch ring and water that seems like it should work pretty well.

 

[aaronsmommy22]

I was thinken bout trying a towel under the waterer but will the heat lamp make the towel to hot or anything like that? also when would be good for me to keep the lamp off them? i work 9 hours a day so while im at work its on them but when i get home i keep it off them til i go to bed then put it back on them..

 

[NajmoNests]

Baby ducks are water nymphs

They can flood any brooder in 3 minutes flat! Try using something under the water dish with lip such as high cookie sheet, serving tray. Just dump, rinse tray often. Replace only wet bedding. Use the soiled bedding/slop outside around bushes or plants. My broodies move into kiddie pool with chips at a week old, with lamp.

 

[hennyannie]

Try putting the water and food inside of something. I am using a cut off bucket, about 3inches high. Mine are alot older so you may have to start out with something shorter. They go in the bucket to eat and drink and the water stays in there keeping the shavings dry. My ducks went in without assistance right away.

 

[NajmoNests]

Try putting the water and food inside of something. I am using a cut off bucket, about 3inches high. Mine are alot older so you may have to start out with something shorter. They go in the bucket to eat and drink and the water stays in there keeping the shavings dry. My ducks went in without assistance right away.

I think that is a GREAT idea! Will give that a try on my newest hatch.

 

[julie75]

I agree to put something under the waterer. For my ducklings I have a gallon waterer that I sit on a lid from a 5 gallon bucket. They still drink out of the water, but the lid catches the splashes that they make cutting down on the mess. I'm not sure how big your brooder is, but with mine I do not put any bedding material on the side where I keep their food and water. Hope this helps.

 

[aaronsmommy22]

i put bedding all over so there is bedding where their food and waterer is so maybe i should try to keep the bedding outta there..i'll upload a picture so everyone can see what i have them in and what would be best.

 

[MissusDee]

Ducks are messy. Next bunch I brood, I want to try what Wifezilla did here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=182467