When can baby duck have a pool.

[PhlyinPheBee]

How old should little duckies need to be for a very shallow tub to swim in???

 

[LauraSBale]

I just read that they have to have the adult feather, because of the oil on them, the baby's dont have that yet, as in age they are ready i dont know.
I think of getting some ducks and i just read that last night. sorry could help with the age

 

[roosters97]

I was wondering the same

 

[Barnyard]

I know they need to be a couple of weeks old before you put them in the water, and that is only for a few minutes. As to when they can be on a pond or have a pool, I was told 12 weeks.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

I put my little ducklings in a small like foot bath (tub) with warm water & sat & watched them . I only had them in for about 5 -10 minutes. As they matured I then put them in a shallow bathtub of water under supervision too. I never left them or took my eyes off of them. (Edited to add) make sure you towel them off well & put them under their heat lamp so they don't chill.

Now they are feathered out & can go outside (if warm enough) in a tub, mine is just one for cement, so they can actually touch bottom & get in & out themselves & they have the oil glands now.

Just make sure you always keep an eye on them while they are tiny yet.

 

[Becky89*]

Quote:
I use a little kiddy pool for all my ducks I don't even let the "younger" ducks go near the pool till they are full grown just so I don't have to worry all the time about them.

 

[chickenlittle32]

I allowed my ducklings to swim after they were a couple days old. Supervised of course. For about 5 minutes at a time. I found this site first. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisingDucklings.html

 

[Wifezilla]

You can put them in warm water for short swims when they are only a few days old IF YOU SUPERVISE and then quickly dry them and put them back in the brooder.

After 1 week their little oil gland develops and they start creating their own oils. It takes them a little while to get the hang of oiling their feathers, but they are pretty water proof after 2-3 weeks.

In these videos, the little duck is only about a week old. The bigger duck is a week older. As you can see, they had NO trouble swimming.

One week later, they learned the art of "pea diving"

You do not need to wait until they get their adult feathers for them to swim.

 

[ml]

I use a plastic snow saucer for thier first pool. It is low to the ground and they can get in and out easily. They move up to low kitty litter boxes and with supervison. They do grow up fast the little ones.

ML

 

[SGM]

I let my ducklings swim at just a couple days old. I use nice warm water in a paint roller tray (obviously a new one that's never been used). They get to swim in the small body of water first. I do this once a day till they're getting a bit big for the tray. Then I move up to a larger container. I like the paint tray because it has a natural incline so the babies can walk out of the water easy. The bigger tubs I use, I put bricks in with graduating sizes so they can get out of the water. I don't do long swims at first.

My 2 week old ducklings now go for swims in the bathtub, again with warm water. They dive, swim and play the whole time. I still put a brick stack island in the middle of the tub so they can get out when they wish. I also sprinkle chick starter around when they go for swims. What a huge hit that is. They love sifting for chick starter. I do it over the side of one brick that's just under water but 1/4-1/2" deep. They absolutely love play time. Still once a day.

I haven't started taking our new 4 for swims. Just got them yesterday afternoon. Today will probably be their first swim. I'll start again with the paint roller tray.

Now everytime we do swims I dry the ducklings off as best I can with a towel and put them strait back in their brooder. All this happens inside. We have a room we brood and incubate in so its a warm room anyway. They have done very well with all of this.