Waterfowl - Raising Poultry - page 186

poults, or keets. They rapidly outgrow the developmental stages that require a great deal
of care.
Founding the Waterfowl Flock
The first two to three weeks of their lives, waterfowl must be closely supervised and
maintained, but once having survived that period of their lives, they quickly become in-
dependent.
Brooding Tubs
The most efficient way to shelter young ducks or geese is with a 110-quart (104 L)
plastic tub that can be obtained from most discount stores. You won't need the lid. The
tub makes an easy place to raise 15 to 20 ducklings and 8 to 12 goslings for the first 7 to
10 days. It's easy to clean and disinfect and can be used for many batches. Mine are in
continuous use from March to October and are cleaned several times a week with a good
bleach solution. These inexpensive brooders last two to three years if you don't drop or
overload them.
Litter
Take several layers of uncoated (not glossy) newsprint and cover the tub's bottom. On
top of the newspaper, on the end where you are going to locate the heat light, place the
excelsior pad that came in the box with the hatchlings. If you don't have an excelsior
pad, then use a few handfuls of dry grass clippings or clean straw.
I avoid wood shavings as the tub can get untidy really fast, and care must be taken
not to use cedar or walnut shavings, as they can be toxic to fowl. Sometimes pine shav-
ings are so fine the ducks pack it to a nasty mess with their little flat feet in no time at
all.
Heat
The heat source to be used depends upon your location. If you have your fowl in the
basement of your house that is reasonably climate controlled, then a 60- to 100-watt
light bulb in a brooder lamp assembly is all that is needed. Use a 100-watt light bulb
during the cooler season and a 60-watt bulb as the year progresses. See chapter 4 , Baby