When do I let ducklings swim?

[Camtheduckguy]

So my ducklings are hatching. Do I let them swim the next day because that’s what the mother does?

 

[casportpony]

They can swim as soon as they can walk if they hatched under a duck, but if they were hatched in a brooder they will *not be waterproof*, and a waterlogged duckling can get hypothermic (too cold) and it can drown if the water is too deep and it can't get out. Ducklings that hatch under momma ducks get oils transferred from the momma duck which makes them waterproof.

This is what Metzer Farms says about swimming:
"Ducklings and goslings can be introduced to swimming water as early as one week of age but you must be very careful. They must be able to walk in and out of the water very easily. The water should not be too cold and they must be able to find their heat lamp for rewarming without difficulty. As they have no oil on their feathers at this age, they cannot be in the water for long periods or they will become waterlogged and chilled. Do not allow this to happen! But this exposure to water speeds the development of their oil gland and they can probably be swimming freely by five or six weeks of age."
Source: http://www.metzerfarms.com/RearingInstructions.cfm

 

[Antcohan]

I wouldn't because they would get cold. I believe They can swim early on when they are with their mother because she puts oils on them to keep them dry. I would wait at least a week and then closely watch them while they are swimming for short periods and make sure to dry them off and have a warm area in the brooder so they dont get cold.

 

[casportpony]

I wouldn't because they would get cold. I believe They can swim early on when they are with their mother because she puts oils on them to keep them dry.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

If you are keeping them under a monitored heat lamp indoors, and you fully dry them before putting them back in the brooder, they can swim earlier than 1 week. Swimming stimulates oil production. The biggest issue is that they need water that isn’t very deep at the first go. Warm water deep enough to play, shallow enough they touch bottom. Then thereafter keep swimming sessions short; ducklings can absolutely drown. Watch them every moment, and if possible heat up the room they swim in.

 

[PaulX]

I've let my ducklings swim since 3 days old (we have a very warm climate so no possible hypothermia here), and now at 11 days they already look waterproof. They dived and dived and dived and they didn't look wet at all. I still always monitor their swimming though.

 

[Kkrista123]

Warm climate here in the summer, cooler in the winter but never below freezing. Usually the low of winter is 20 degrees F. So I allowed my duckling in the water at a very young age and used a hair dryer on low setting with heat set to "cool" setting. Now my duck loves the hair dryer and bath time. It's really up to you because you need to be prepared to dry them 100%. If you don't want to worry about the whole drying process, just keep hatchling clean with a warm rag and wait until 4 weeks to introduce a swim time! Just remember, no waterlogged hatchlings!! Swim time should always be monitored at the younger ages too, just like a baby!

 

[Camtheduckguy]

HE keeps getting into the water dish

 

[chickens really]

You can make simple water dishes they can't get into. Also less spills. Your Ducklings can swim. Just put them back into the warm Brooder to preen themselves dry.