At what age can newborn ducks go into water?

[mvmortimer]

They can swim easily and well at just a few days old. However, its not that the down gets soaked and weighs them down, its that they can't keep warm, because the evaporating water is cooling their bodies, so they go hypothermic, easily. Very easily. When the real feathers are in (this age varies with breed) they can keep dry, so can swim all they want.

Here is what we do-

Small batch of 'pet' ducks": I let my 11 yo swim them from day 3. The water must be warm, only a few inches deep, and they must have a way out and in. This only goes on for 5-10 mins once a day, and in the sun. After, he must dry the ducks and put them back under the heat lamp, on dry bedding.

Large batch of 'commercial/meat/egg ducks': I offer them a kiddie pool once every duck in the group is feathered and not before. They must have a way in and a way out. Ducks that aren't as sharp are at risk of not being able to figure the way out and getting chilled. So make sure they all know how before you walk away the first time.

For Girls and Guineas-

How to manage water when I'm not home- Give them a large waterer which is situated inside a dog bowl or large pan and raised up on a brick. Most of the splashing ends up in the bowl. I use a 1g water inside a large dog bowl. I have a small brooder water attached to a mason jar sitting on the lid of a travel mug, inside a soup bowl as well.

Also, I use a wire bottom grow out pen for weeks 3-6. I put a bell waterer inside, with a 5g reservoir. They can splash all they want and the ducks stay dry.

After week 6, they can drink their water outside the coop and splashes go on the ground.

You are very knowledgeable and it was wonderful to read your advice I have A wild duck that laid eggs by my fence about 125 feet away from the water we mowed the lawn and now the mother is gone and has not come back the babies are brand spanking new and I don’t know what to do normally I Don’t jump in because sometimes that’s worse but these babies are so no about 5 feet away I put a little shallow dish with a tiny bit of water in it in case the mother doesn’t come back until I get some good advice

 

[Miss Lydia]

find a wild life rehbber in your area. they will take them and care for them until time to release them. You can bring them inside put them in a box with heat lamp over them so they stay warm if newly hatched they won't need food and water right away and hopefully the rehabbers will take them before they need fed.
How long has mama been gone? are you in the USA what state? or county maybe we can help you locate one.

 

[Janet Lindquist]

I asked the man at the feed store, as they had a notice up that stated "your ducklings can swim after 4 wks of age. He said that the down on baby ducks can get saturated and weigh them down. They don't have that problem after their grown up feathers come in. I have let my 1 day old ducklings in water--but it was about 1" deep. I found out from experience that what he says makes sense. One little duckling got in a small pail of water (for the duck parents) and couldn't get out!! It started hollering it's head off and mommy came and picked it up by the back of the neck (like cats and dogs do to their babies) and took it out!! One other day another baby duck got in water too deep, and I ran and rescued it! The mama duck thought I was hurting her baby and she flew at me flapping her wings!!!

I've had duck for many years and many that have hatched out their ducklings....Ducklings can be given water on a cookie sheet when the ducklings are still young. The mother will keep them from the water until she feels they are ready to go out of the nesting area. It should not be hot in the area where the chicks are in the summer. Also, you shouldnt let a duck hatch out eggs past August, as the eggs ducklings may get too cold in the first few weeks, Heating a duck nesting area is unwise, Ducks usually stop laying in the heat of the summer as molting starts. When the Mama duck brings the ducklings outside, that is an indication you can introduce duck "crumbles" food on one cookie sheet and water in another. close by. Dont panic if Mama duck is eating the food and drinking the water, she is teaching them what to do.

 

[SueT]

These ducklings are at Big Spring Park in Neosho, MO. The water is cold and moving pretty fast, but mama didn’t seem to be worried about them. They were able to swim back upstream and get out of the water. I am not sure how old they were, they had all started wing feathers, but they were mostly downy.