Your opinions on duck brooder area needed

[chickens really]

@chickens really Also plan on doing fermented feed, so hopefully that will cut back on the smell a little.

I've never used that so have no comment.

 

[MerryMeridional]

Definitely and proper water containers work best for Ducklings..Less spills. Ducklings only require the sleeping are of the Brooder heated. I use a 175 watt red head bulb in a safe lamp for livestock.

I know they are supposed to be a lot hardier than chicks, but I wasn't sure how temp controlled their area needed to be. The weather may be cooperating so I can move them to the coop with no problem.

Okay....I'm feeling a little better about this. Thank you for all your input!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Yes, I do. I need to put a thermometer in there, I really am not sure how cold it is.
This is our outside temps currently, but it is trending to warmer:
View attachment 1702115






I think you've convinced me to use the tote and fill it with shavings! I bought a "bale" of it today for $5. Clean = maintaining my sanity, and for $5, I can do that.

I used pine shavings in mine when I hatched. bought a pair of heavy rubber gloves for myself so I could basically reach into the brooder and grab out the wet poopy shavings every day and replenish with new. I put the used ones in my garden for mulch. It worked well for me.

After they outgrew the big rubbermaid tub we graduated to a kiddie swimming pool. I stood cardboard up all around the pool so they couldn't get out. I put heavy things behind it like their food buckets and a bale of shavings etc. Sam's club has nice heavy cardboard that is on their pallets between the layers of product that they're selling that are much taller that I used after they outgrew the other.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use Fermented feed for all my birds from hatch on so try it and see if you like it. I have been feeding it for at least 7 yrs now.

Also puppy pee pads can work for their first week with towels underneath that way you don't have to worry about them eating on the shavings until they have found what their food is. Usually after a week I put in shavings. The thick not the kind that's similar to saw dust. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/ a good pic of a cheap waterer for ducklings.

 

[MerryMeridional]

I used pine shavings in mine when I hatched. bought a pair of heavy rubber gloves for myself so I could basically reach into the brooder and grab out the wet poopy shavings every day and replenish with new. I put the used ones in my garden for mulch. It worked well for me.

After they outgrew the big rubbermaid tub we graduated to a kiddie swimming pool. I stood cardboard up all around the pool so they couldn't get out. I put heavy things behind it like their food buckets and a bale of shavings etc. Sam's club has nice heavy cardboard that is on their pallets between the layers of product that they're selling that are much taller that I used after they outgrew the other.

I was looking at kiddie pools online. I fell down that rabbit hole pretty hard and was reading about kiddie pools, outdoor pools, tubs.... for a couple hours. I hate buying something that can't be reused for something else, but then I ended up looking at the expensive ones (maybe for their pool of water outside after brooding), then I talked myself out of it. Considering the things at my disposal, I think I will make use of that 50gal tote, then transition to the coop. I plan to handle them a lot and have them around the dogs a lot. My animals need to learn to cohabitate! (within reason....)

How long do you think a bale of pine shavings lasted you? And do you do FF? I am really wondering how much of an effect the FF has on their waste amount and watery-ness. I have heard it improves that drastically, but I've never kept ducks, so I have no reference point.

I use Fermented feed for all my birds from hatch on so try it and see if you like it. I have been feeding it for at least 7 yrs now.

Also puppy pee pads can work for their first week with towels underneath that way you don't have to worry about them eating on the shavings until they have found what their food is. Usually after a week I put in shavings. The thick not the kind that's similar to saw dust. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/ a good pic of a cheap waterer for ducklings.

I definitely have towels that I could layer on the bottom under shavings. Any comments on the FF situation? Have you ever fed your birds dry feed before the FF or were you FF always and forever?

Thanks for the waterer design!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I started all my birds off on dry but when I got to reading of the benefits of FF I tried them on it and they like it and so do I. I’ll get you the link to the recipe I use.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ter-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video.65375/

I started out using the recipe where you had to drain. I almost gave up on ff till I found this one.

 

[MerryMeridional]

I started all my birds off on dry but when I got to reading of the benefits of FF I tried them on it and they like it and so do I. I’ll get you the link to the recipe I use.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ter-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video.65375/

I started out using the recipe where you had to drain. I almost gave up on ff till I found this one.

Thanks for the link, I think I saw it before but lost it. It's bookmarked now. Do you an all flock crumble or pellet? I really wanted to do whole grains but that was the first thing mentioned on your link, that maybe the results are less than ideal!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use a crumble but I have used pellets they break down fine . I do put a cup of grains in the bucket along with the crumble. For my new ducklings though they just get the crumble until around 6 weeks old

 

[DuckyDonna]

I was looking at kiddie pools online. I fell down that rabbit hole pretty hard and was reading about kiddie pools, outdoor pools, tubs.... for a couple hours. I hate buying something that can't be reused for something else, but then I ended up looking at the expensive ones (maybe for their pool of water outside after brooding), then I talked myself out of it. Considering the things at my disposal, I think I will make use of that 50gal tote, then transition to the coop. I plan to handle them a lot and have them around the dogs a lot. My animals need to learn to cohabitate! (within reason....)

How long do you think a bale of pine shavings lasted you? And do you do FF? I am really wondering how much of an effect the FF has on their waste amount and watery-ness. I have heard it improves that drastically, but I've never kept ducks, so I have no reference point.
I found medium size kiddie pools at Aldi last summer for $5 each. I bought 4! I use 2 of them in the duck runs all summer when it's really hot and since they were so cheap I bought more than I needed for backup in case one springs a leak. In fact, I have one that has a hole in it that I will use for a brooder this spring and an even bigger pool (that I had previously used in the yard that was just too much trouble to keep clean) for when they outgrow the smaller kiddie pool. After that, it's time to go into their own outdoor pen.

I believe I bought just 2 bales of pine shavings and I still have 1/2 left over. I think it helped a lot to pick the wet and poop shavings out by hand everyday and my vegetable garden loved it!

No, I don't FF. I just use Dumor chick starter from TSC and add brewer's yeast to it. I have waterers and feeders that I made myself after researching and they really worked very well for me with little mess and waste. I'd be glad to show you pictures if you'd like.


I definitely have towels that I could layer on the bottom under shavings. Any comments on the FF situation? Have you ever fed your birds dry feed before the FF or were you FF always and forever?

Thanks for the waterer design!!

 

[MerryMeridional]

@DuckyDonna that's a good idea, to check sales and stock up on those items, like kiddie pools. I can definitely spring for a $4 pool .

What kind of feeder did you use for the babies? I was thinking a low tupperware with a lid, with a hole or two in the lid, to keep them from getting in the dish, but with enough room to put their head down into it. Unfortunately I just took all the recycling away so I need to look around my house for something. Dangit! I knew I should have kept that hummus container. Reduce, reuse, recycle...

1 more day til the duckies land!!