Friday, November 29, 2013

Scrubby Ducky

Last weeks cold snap gave me a serious problem in my coop. A mother duck hatched out 7 ducklings. Our raised coop floor got very cold even with heat lamps. The next morning one duckling was dead and the rest were close to it. I brought 2 inside to be warmed by my husband and put together my indoor brooder box.

I had to leave mama duck outside and brought all 6 ducklings inside. I can raise baby poultry but an adult duck is no fun to have in the house.

By the next morning the baby ducklings had settled down in the brooder box. They made a mess and needed a bath. So we filled the tub half way with lukewarm water and dumped them in, supervised. I cleaned their brooder box while they swam about. Now everyday they get a bath and I can clean out their box.

In a few weeks they should be able to stand colder weather. I will put them back outside with their flock.
Until then, they get supervised 15 minutes to swim. Then they are taken out to dry off under their heat lamp.

Six ducklings and my cat, Ump watching over them.

The warm dry fresh clean cage. Food and water and dry pine shavings. 
This is the good life for these baby ducks.


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