Sawdust as bedding?

[OzarkEgghead]

Hi y'all...

I've raised chicks/chickens for a decade but this is my first foray into ducks. I have 9 absolutely ADORABLE Ancona ducklings that are a week old now.

Initially, I started them out on a thin layer of soft hay bits that fall from the bales for our other livestock. It's very soft & lies nice & flat in the large Rubbermaid trough I'm raising them in. It's worked well to this point but now the little cuties are splashing SO much water around that I'm having to change their bedding 3 or 4 times per day! I'm using the dish with holes cut in the top method for watering them but they still manage to be little Messy Marvins .

I have bags of pine sawdust pellets that I use in the horses' stalls. If you dampen them even slightly they fall apart into sawdust. Can I use the sawdust pellets for their bedding if I dampen them enough that they fall apart & no longer look like feed pellets? Basically, is sawdust a safe bedding for ducklings?

 

[Debbie292d]

We use those in our coop and brooder whole, not wet, but I can't see those working for ducks unless they have no water around where they bed at night.

If they are used with say a small bucket of water in their "coop", they'll splash that water all over the place. The pellets then turn to sawdust (which you were already going to do) as they absorb the water. The water continues to be splashed on what is now sawdust which has reached its max absorbency. It's going to stay wet, which is unhealthy and could start fostering mold.

If you wanted them for their "coop" and have no water in it, then they'd work great! I have no issues with chickens or chicks eating pellets.

 

[NatJ]

We use those in our coop and brooder whole, not wet, but I can't see those working for ducks unless they have no water around where they bed at night.

If they are used with say a small bucket of water in their "coop", they'll splash that water all over the place. The pellets then turn to sawdust (which you were already going to do) as they absorb the water. The water continues to be splashed on what is now sawdust which has reached its max absorbency. It's going to stay wet, which is unhealthy and could start fostering mold.

Yes, they will need frequent changes to avoid mold, but I would expect them to absorb water more effectively than the hay that is currently being used.

I'm using the dish with holes cut in the top method for watering them but they still manage to be little Messy Marvins .

I've seen some pictures of a water container sitting on top of a wire rack, which is sitting in a tray or pan. That way the water splashes go through the wire and are caught by the tray but the ducklings cannot walk in the spilled water or spread it further. I think the ones I've seen were using a cooling rack and baking pan from the kitchen, but I imagine you wouldn't want to use them for food again after using them for ducklings.

I have bags of pine sawdust pellets that I use in the horses' stalls. If you dampen them even slightly they fall apart into sawdust. Can I use the sawdust pellets for their bedding if I dampen them enough that they fall apart & no longer look like feed pellets? Basically, is sawdust a safe bedding for ducklings?

Unfortunately, my experience is about the same as the previous poster on this: those pellets are fine for chickens, but I have no duck experience, so I can't say whether they would work for ducks or not. Personally, I would try them whole, not dampened, and let them fall apart with the first few splashes of water.

@JacinLarkwell do you have any experience with sawdust as a bedding for ducks?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yes, they will need frequent changes to avoid mold, but I would expect them to absorb water more effectively than the hay that is currently being used.



I've seen some pictures of a water container sitting on top of a wire rack, which is sitting in a tray or pan. That way the water splashed go through the wire and are caught by the tray but the ducklings cannot walk in the spilled water or spread it further. I think the ones I've seen were using a cooling rack and baking pan from the kitchen, but I imagine you wouldn't want to use them for food again after using them for ducklings.



Unfortunately, my experience is about the same as the previous poster on this: those pellets are fine for chickens, but I have no duck experience, so I can't say whether they would work for ducks or not. Personally, I would try them whole, not dampened, and let them fall apart with the first few splashes of water.

@JacinLarkwell do you have any experience with sawdust as a bedding for ducks?

No, I use shavings, not the actual powder from saw mills.

 

[deer trail duck farms]

for young ducklings i think personally fine wood shavings work the best. can go a couple days without changing and if its outside can stir it up and extend the life some. and doesn't break the bank

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Hello. I have used pine shavings (not the fine stuff) from Tractor Supply. I tried using "chopped straw" from the neighbor, he uses it with his calves. It stinks and doesn't absorb like pine shavings. Will not be doing that again. lol! I have looked at the pellets a few times but haven't been brave enough to try it.

This is my first year with ducks too. I hatched out 10 (one passed away). 9 ducks and 2 geese April 6. I read about ducks being messy, especially with water. I never, EVER in my life thought they could be THIS messy. Fresh water option or a full on mud puddle? Mud puddle wins EVERY SINGLE TIME. It is like having feral tiny toddlers running around the yard. But, I absolutely LOVE every single one of them.

Honestly, I have found this to be a trial and error thing. What works for some may not for others due to climate, schedule ect...

Renee