How to Fix a Swimming Area for Ducklings

Ducklings can swim from the first day of life, but they cannot regulate their body heat well, and their down can become saturated leading to death from cold or drowning, so care must be taken until their feathers are fully in. Water is an important part of a duck's life as the bird cannot eat without water to wash the food down to its crop, but domestic ducks do not have to have a swimming area to thrive. Swimming will make them happy, though, and keep them clean.

Things You'll Need

  • Kiddie pool
  • Boards
  • Fresh water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Build a shallowly sloping ramp both in and out of the kiddie pool to allow the ducklings a way to get out of the pool easily. They can damage their legs falling out of it, or be unable to escape and drown.

    • 2

      Introduce the ducklings to it slowly after their first week of life, when they have enough body mass to avoid chilling. Allow them to enter the water by the ramp rather than dumping them straight into the water, so they will know where to get out of the water when they are ready. Do not leave them alone in the pool until all their feathers are in.

    • 3

      Clean the water regularly; this is fairly simple with the kiddie pool. Remove the ramps and dump the pool out. Spray it with the hose to get any residue out, and refill with fresh water. Ducks love to swim, but they do poop in the water, so bacteria will multiply and cause illness if not regularly cleaned out.