Allow plenty of space, keep bedding clean and dry, offer shade in summer and shelter in winter, and your flock will repay your efforts a hundredfold. We are using a product called Dry Den. Some people may not realise that ducks are as easy to keep as chickens but to ensure this special breed of poultry is kept happy in the backyard there are a few measures which need to be taken (and maintained). White wood shavings (dust extracted, not sawdust) is one of the most popular bedding materials for chickens, ducks and other poultry as they are relatively cheap, very absorbent and easy to … Adult ducks can be fed on layers pellets and wheat. Here are 10 tips for the most perfect duck coop so you can get ready to raise ducks or improve your current duck living quarters. Place several inches of bedding in the bottom of the container. This post gives a simple guide and my six recommendations for keeping ducks in the backyard like: eating and drinking needs, habitat requirements, sociability, and general care. Today we are making some changes to the duck brooder to help control the mess they make! You will need a large plastic storage container to keep your ducklings in. What type of litter do you use and what does your routine maintainence look like? Feeding. Keeping ducks in the garden or on a smallholding means that you will need to consider birds that are flightless or have their wings clipped. To take care of ducklings, place them in a cardboard box lined with clean towels about 24 hours after they’re born. For more information on how to keep ducks, read Keeping a Few Ducks in your Garden by Francine Raymond (Kitchen Garden Hens), and The Domestic Duck by Chris and Mike Ashton. I mentioned before that ducks are messy and this is a step you will want to follow to help keep your brooder box neat and dry. The best way to keep this from piling up is to clean up any spills as they happen. Please note this article on how to care for wild baby ducks pertains to wild Mallard ducklings only. How to Take Care of Ducklings. I know they're ducks and want to be wet, but the bedding … I having been using bedding, but my ducks are about 8 weeks and 5 weeks. They are small pellets that turn into sawdust when they get wet. Keep Your Chicken Coop Smelling Fresh with These 5 Tips. Place several inches of bedding in the bottom of the container. But learning how to wash a down comforter and care for similar items—like feather pillows, sleeping bags, and jackets—is easy. I don't think that's going to work with my ducks! It will easily keep bedding out of the food and water as well. If it isn’t too bad I use a clean cat litter scoop to get the worst of it … On top of this set-up, you will put the food and water. You will need to replace the bedding every couple of days. We feed our adult chickens and ducks the same food. Duckling Bedding . How to Wash and Dry Down-Filled Items Washing pillows and comforters sometimes falls to the end of the laundry list. We are using a product called Dry Den. It is better now that my five Anconas have access to a large run and spend most of their day outdoors, but their house still ends up wet, messy, and attracts lots of flies. This softens the wheat and aids digestion but also stops crows and other birds from coming and having a free meal and potentially bringing in disease. I have year old ducks and chickens, but recently got two more ducklings that are approximately a month old.