Duckling update~we're done at 2!

[Shiloh Acres]

My ducklings are older, I have 16 of them, and there is no mama. But here is what I do.

I still provide a gallon chick waterer mostly because they CAN'T get in it, and that will keep them with semi-clean water half the day. Two waterers will provide water all day for mine.

They also have the shallow pan I gave them at first (about an inch deep but very large) which is now becoming useless to them. I also added a number of rubber pans, an old fridge drawer, and several long deep planter boxes now that they can climb in and out of those.

They will of course dirty the swimming water AND drink it. But it keeps them from dirtying the drinking water much so it stays almost clean. Mine are also older, as I said, and temps have been over 100, now down to low-mid 90s. They are in a very large pen so mess isn't a problem. They keep cool enough this way and have plenty of clean drinking water.

I say all this just because when I raised only a few ducklings, I was always trying to keep them from dirtying their drinking water. Now that I have enough that they DRINK two gallons a day, I have learned it's much easier to let ducklings be ducklings and give them plenty of water to play in, in you can, and that keeps the drinking water MUCH cleaner (as well as them not emptying it every 20 minutes from trying to play in it).

 

[~gd]

We use metal paint roller trays. Swim beach complete with ramp.

So do I! When they get about a week old I give them the top to a plastic 50 gallon can tilted and braced to one side, it is shallow at the botton edge, deeper in the middle and the other (upper) edge is used as a sunning station until some brave duckling jumps off the upper edge. Then they all have to do it, run around the outside, get in, Swim and jump again until they get tired. Funny!

 

[Henrietta23]

That's a great idea too! Lots of lids around here.
Is a chicken waterer deep enough for them to flush their nostrils when they're bigger?

 

[~gd]

That's a great idea too! Lots of lids around here.
Is a chicken waterer deep enough for them to flush their nostrils when they're bigger?

None that I have seen, but I don't claim to have seen them all....

 

[Henrietta23]

So waterer for cleaner water and a shallow tray for swimming/flushing.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I just use a cheap 1-gallon chicken waterer for them, but even the huge one I used to have they probably couldn't flush their nostrils in.

So essentially the answer is no. They do scoop water with the bottom bill and drink it, and that's about it. Which is why it stays clean and filled for a few hours. That only works because they have other sources of water to play in. My first small batch of ducklings, the chick waterer alone was a dismal failure.

Just got back from filling up duck water for the 2nd half of the day ...

 

[Henrietta23]

I just use a cheap 1-gallon chicken waterer for them, but even the huge one I used to have they probably couldn't flush their nostrils in.

So essentially the answer is no. They do scoop water with the bottom bill and drink it, and that's about it. Which is why it stays clean and filled for a few hours. That only works because they have other sources of water to play in. My first small batch of ducklings, the chick waterer alone was a dismal failure.

Just got back from filling up duck water for the 2nd half of the day ...

Gotcha!
Yeah, I'm off for the summer so I'm down in the barn freshening water for all the critters mid day. Fun in our current torential rain!!

 

[BeccaOH]

I've got an auto waterer from Wal-mart. Here It is about one quart with a tray that is perfect for them to step into. They do get it dirty with food fast no matter what I do.

 

[Henrietta23]

I've got an auto waterer from Wal-mart. Here It is about one quart with a tray that is perfect for them to step into. They do get it dirty with food fast no matter what I do.

That's clever and a good price. I'm hoping they won't be here much longer......

 

[Henrietta23]

I watched both of them drink out of the chicken waterer today. It seems to be working for now. I got a paint tray and will put it out for them when they're a little more active and I can keep an eye on them.
They still spend most of their time under mom but it's chilly lately, only in the high 60s so they must need the warmth. No other hatches. When do I make her give up? I can see one egg is broken at the top, not like pipping, but cracked. I'm worried that could get messy. I wish I could get it out! But mama isn't going to let me do that easily!