Where to put ducks to sleep??? HELP NEEDED

[JNC]

They do need water and food when they are ducklings. When adults if it’s only for the night it’s as @Miss Lydia says. Not needed but not forbidden

Never knew that. Not even water at night? If I start doing this will it hurt them since it would be a sudden change in their diet? I always give them access to food and water 24/7

 

[Miss Lydia]

Listen it’s up to you if you want to give food an water inside your coop. Just know getting bedding wet can also grow mold which is very dangerous for water fowl so the best thing to do would be to replace all wet bedding daily with dry so at least you wouldn’t have to worry about that.

 

[CaddyShackFarms]

Think of a duck house like a dog house. You can honestly even use an actual dog house. Just make sure you predator proof it and provide ventilation as stated above. You could cut windows into a dog house and staple hardware cloth to the inside. Then use the wood you cut out to make a shutter for bad weather. Once they are 6 weeks old I would not put food in their house. Just feed them out of their house. It will keep things cleaner and drier. Here is a video where they show how to install a predator apron around your duck area. Otherwise make sure your house has a door you can close at night so predators can't get in.

 

[JNC]

Listen it’s up to you if you want to give food an water inside your coop. Just know getting bedding wet can also grow mold which is very dangerous for water fowl so the best thing to do would be to replace all wet bedding daily with dry so at least you wouldn’t have to worry about that.

Yes your right. It is so messy. And I did have to buy barn lime to get rid of the smell and i have to cover up turds with clean straw every day and i fully clean it every 2-3 days

 

[CaddyShackFarms]

Yes your right. It is so messy. And I did have to buy barn lime to get rid of the smell and i have to cover up turds with clean straw every day and i fully clean it every 2-3 days

Get the water out of there and try using industrial hemp as your bedding. It is more odor controlling and absorbent. Once you get the water out of there and have a more absorbent bedding you may go weeks without having to clean it out. I am actually trying deep litter with my ducks using industrial hemp. I will report back. It is like a dream with my chickens, but ducks are just messier.

 

[CaddyShackFarms]

Get the water out of there and try using industrial hemp as your bedding. It is more odor controlling and absorbent. Once you get the water out of there and have a more absorbent bedding you may go weeks without having to clean it out. I am actually trying deep litter with my ducks using industrial hemp. I will report back. It is like a dream with my chickens, but ducks are just messier.

Even with using straw and removing the water you will improve your situation vastly!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I found straw problematic. It gets wet and STAYS wet.

In my duck house I am using pine shavings and scooping any obvious poops in the mornings. (Following advice I read here on BYC) So far it is working really really well. I keep food and water out of the duck house. I saw what they did with it in the run and decided I don't want that level of mess in their house.

Mine have not had food or water at night since they were 7 weeks old. They are 11 weeks now and no one died from not having either at night.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Mine are a bit over 3 weeks old and don't have food and water at night. They are fine. By the time I lock them in their pen they are so tired they just want to sleep! They have a pool, water and food all day long until I put them to bed. I let them out around 7am and they are great. They are healthy, happy and are growing like weeds. New feathers every single day.

 

[JNC]

Even with using straw and removing the water you will improve your situation vastly!!

Is it fine if I just leave food in there or would it be best to leave both out since they will have trouble swallowing their food?

 

[DuckyDonna]

Is it fine if I just leave food in there or would it be best to leave both out since they will have trouble swallowing their food?

if you are leaving food you HAVE to leave water. NO negotiation there!