What do folks use after the incubator?

[Scottishnewbie]

so hopefully in a couple of days,we will have some ducklings hatching. Once they are dry and come out the incubator, I'm wondering what is the best thing to use and also where to keep them so any advice and/or suggestions will be gratefully received please?

I do have a heat lamp and feeders and know not to let there near water for a few weeks but i dont know if a cardboard box will do the job or not???

many thanks

[Snadger]

This is what I use for chicks!

Brooder For Fowl

[MaureenHall]

I use an old vivarium with a heat lamp for the first few weeks, gradually moving them to a large dog cage outside during the warm days (if we ever get any!!) and back into the unheated vivarium at night, then when they're about 6 - 8 weeks old, depending on the outside conditions and feathering on the chicks, they move outside to a small run and a converted rabbit hutch. Oh yes, I also switch the light off at about 9pm so they have a period of total darkness, just as they would if they were with a mummy hen (they still have the heat though)

[matthew2riches]

When I hatch at home I use a plastic tray out of a childrens sand/water play table thinggy. Works wonders and is easy to sterilise.

[Bramble-Poultry]

We use plastic boxes - the sort you buy to store stuff, slightly bigger than stacker boxes. we cover these with a pond net type lid and use a 60watt fireglow bulb in an anglepoise lamp.

After a couple of weeks when they are a bit bigger and don;t need heat all of the time we pop them in an indoor rabbit hutch, Still use a fireglow bulb in angle poise lamp. haven;t used brooding lamps for years now as they are too energy hungry, never had a problem with 60watt bulb works great even here in the depths of winter and we have no central heating to boost temps

Another method of heating, better for colder weather than a 60watt bulb is a teraccotta pot and a 25watt bulb, use a lamp fitting through the hole in the pot, pop a bulb in it and stand the pot end down (so chicks can't get inside it) they snuggle up to it and it radiates heat - great also being 25watt - less electric - eco chick brooding