Set up a spacious, draft-free brooder with proper bedding

Prepare a brooder using a large plastic storage tote, stock tank, or sectioned-off area with solid walls at least 18 inches high. Ducklings grow remarkably fast — they double in size every week for the first few weeks — so start with at least 1 square foot per duckling and be prepared to expand. Line the floor with pine shavings (not cedar, which is toxic) at least 2 inches deep for traction and moisture absorption.

Why It Works

Ducklings need a contained, warm space that protects them from drafts while allowing enough room to move toward or away from the heat source for self-regulation. Solid walls block floor-level drafts that can chill ducklings rapidly. Pine shavings provide traction that prevents spraddle leg (a painful condition where legs splay outward on slippery surfaces) and absorb the enormous amount of water that ducklings splash everywhere.

Tips

• Never use newspaper, cardboard, or smooth plastic as the brooder floor — slippery surfaces cause spraddle leg within the first 48 hours
• Rubber shelf liner under shavings provides extra traction and protects the container floor
• Plan for rapid growth: a 50-gallon tote works for 4–6 ducklings for the first week only; by week 3 you'll need a stock tank or larger enclosure
• Change bedding daily or every other day — ducklings produce wet droppings and splash water constantly, soaking bedding far faster than chicks