Ducks absolutely love water. Even though they love it, it can be deadly to very young ducklings. If you decide to buy ducklings and raise them without a mother duck you need to be careful with them getting wet. Ducklings need to be kept warm in a brooder under a heat lamp. If they get wet they can get cold which can be fatal. Ducklings can also get tired and can drown.

Always Be Careful With Young Ducklings and Water

Adult ducks have oil glands that produce oils that make a duck's feathers pretty much waterproof. Ducklings don't produce oils until they are around four weeks old. Because they aren't waterproof, ducklings get soaked and cold when they are in water. Newborn ducklings shouldn't be allowed to swim because they will get cold too easily and can tire quickly and drown. Ducklings, when tired, can even drown in water dishes which is why young ducks should only have shallow water dispensers. It is best to wait until the ducklings are around a week old or older to let them swim. Many disagree on the right time to let ducklings swim. Some prefer to wait until they are four to eight weeks old when they get their feathers and oil glads develop. Others allow younger ducklings to swim for short periods of time which is believed to help them develop into strong adult ducks. source

Smokey, Bandit, Reese, and Sammy's First Swim in The Sink

Today I allowed my week old ducklings to have their very first swim in the kitchen sink. I took precautions to make sure they were safe and didn't get cold. First, I filled the sink with just enough water that they could swim but still stand up. I used warm water to help them stay warm while they played. I made sure they were supervised every second and I only allowed them a 10 minute swim. Because they are young they get tired out really quickly. They were wild during their first swim. I gave them a bit of cut up grass in the water to play with and eat. Ducks enjoy greens, weeds, and flowers as snacks. They need water to be able to swallow so snacks thrown in water helps them take down their food.

Watch My Ducklings Swim!

Soaked and Loving It

You can tell in the pictures the little ones are soaked. Since they don't have adult feathers or waterproofing oils they got soaked and cold after a short time in the water. As soon as they were in the water they were so HAPPY! Ducklings are fast and can swim and dart under the water. They love playing in water and naturally know how to swim.

My daughter is fascinated by the ducklings in their brooder

Once Out Of Water Keep Them Warm

After swimming, put young ducklings back under a heat lamp. My four ducklings were still soaked even though I dried them off. I put the heat lamp so that it would be on its warmer settings to dry them out quick. The ducklings will preen and work to dry themselves off once they are out of the water. You should monitor them until they are dry to make sure they aren't shivering or cold. Ducklings are fragile so monitor them and adjust the heat accordingly. Once my ducklings dried off I turned down the heat so they wouldn't get too hot. Once they were warm and dry Smokey and the Banducks were tired and curled up to take a nap. They cuddled up together to keep warm after an exhausting 10 minute swim.

Practice Good Hygiene When Handling Ducks

One thing I've learned about ducks is they really can poop up a place. When they swim they get water filthy and poo all over in it. You can see in the pictures after only 10 minutes of swimming the water was dirty and full of poop. Ducks and other poultry can carry diseases like salmonella in their droppings. If you are dealing with dirty water filled with poop and handling ducklings swimming in their own waste, make sure you wash up properly. I used anti-bacterial cleaner in my sink after their swim, washed my arms and hands with soap, and threw the towels I dried them with in the washing machine. With a baby in the house I try to keep things clean and safe. When dealing with bird poop you can't be too cautious.

Conclusion

Ducklings swimming in water is adorable and fun. Even though we humans enjoy the show, you should always be cautious letting little babies get wet. Cold and exhaustion can easily kill young duckling. Keep ducklings warm and dry. Ducklings don't need to swim but they love it. Ducks can easily live without swimming but allowing them a dip here and there improves their happiness and quality of life.

Photo credit; All photos and video are mine.