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Trying to figure out the best bedding for your duck? This is one of the most important issues for anyone planning of keeping ducks.
All duck keepers have to provide their poultry with three basic requirements.
And they are shelter, water and food.
However, keeping your ducks safe and happy in their shelter is very important. Also, dealing with their bedding is one of the biggest and time consuming task.
If you plan keeping your ducks in a garden or on a small plot of land, you are likely going to keep them locked up at night in a coop.
Which is similar to a chicken coop.
This is likely to offer the best defense against predators. This is why you need to provide them with some bedding in the coop.
Here is are the 5 best bedding suitable for duck. These beddings are chosen among other good ones.
My Top 3 Best Beddings for Ducks
Last update on 2024-08-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Standlee Hay Company Flock Fresh Premium Poultry Bedding
- Absorbs moisture
- Attracts harmful compounds
- Neutralizes odors through ion exchanges
- Rereleases nutrients through composting
- Environmentally sustainable
Last update on 2024-08-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This fresh premium poultry bedding is an excellent choice in all-natural and biodegradable bedding for livestock, which includes ducks.
It is composed primarily of chopped straw and also enhanced with zeolite granules.
This chopped straw bedding, makes ideal for composting.
And also having an encouraging sun-cured alfalfa, which makes the ducks able to move the bedding around with their claws.
This is an advantage for you. The movement will give you more time in between bedding changes.
This product is an all-natural bedding mixture scientifically formulated.
Flock fresh made with premium chopped straw. This promotes digestive health to the ducks.
Flock fresh reduces ammonia odors and makes it dry. The added alfalfa encourages the ducks to peck through and continually turn the bedding. This helps the coop environment to be healthy.
Pros:
• It’s natural
• It’s ideal for composting
• it’s hyper absorbent
• Scientifically formulated which neutralizes odors.
Cons:
• Straw can get wet and create an environment for Aspergillus fumigatus to proliferate (the fungi that causes aspergillosis)
• Some people may use pesticide residue on it. Ducks are especially susceptible to pesticide exposure.
2. Manna Pro Fresh Flakes
- All-natural & compostable pine shavings for coop bedding
- Low dust
- Ultra-absorbent low moisture shavings
Last update on 2024-08-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Manna Pro Fresh Flakes are excellent choice of bedding ducks.
Harvested from renewable forestry resources, this makes it a sustainable choice for bedding.
The fresh flakes, crafted from pine, creates a fresh, natural and odor controlling scent. This makes the environment healthy.
This bedding is ultra-absorbent because the fresh flakes absorbs more than traditional straw.
This makes bedding suitable for the ducks.
Another important feature of this bedding is that the fresh flakes are screened to get rid of dust. This will help protect the duck.
Pros:
• The bedding is ultra-absorbent
• Harvested from renewable forestry resources which makes it a suitable choice
• All-natural shavings
• Screened multiple times to get rid dust
Cons:
• Can be expensive.
• Sometimes difficult to maintain.
• Some complained the shavings are small.
3. Small Pet select-Pine Shaving Bedding
- US sustainably sourced pine shavings chicken bedding
- Triple Screened, 99% Dust Free
- All Natural, Biodegradable/Compostable
- Expands more then 2.5x
Last update on 2024-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This is an all natural sustainable pine shavings bedding. Good bedding for the duckling brooder.
Pine shavings are very gently on duck flippers, including human feet. They do not cause allergies or respiratory problems in ducks.
This bedding is minimizes harmful phenols and pathogens because it’s heat-dried. It’s a compressed bedding which expands more than 2.5 times.
Pros:
• Bedding is biodegradable/compostable
• 99% dust free guaranteed.
• All natural
Cons:
• lacks fresh and odor controlling scent.
4. Happy Trees Premium Hemp Animal Bedding
- THE BEST CLUCKING ANIMAL BEDDING - Happy Trees Hemp Fiber is the highest quality bedding you can provide for your...
- CLEANER, WARMER, HEALTHIER - Hemp bedding is highly absorbent, meaning less mess and less odor! A high thermal...
- SAVE MONEY - Hemp bedding lasts much longer than traditional paper and wood bedding materials making it the...
- THE ECO-FRIENDLY CHOICE - Hemp grows FAST, needs very little water or fertilizer and NO pesticides or insecticides,...
- GREEN THUMB GUARANTEE - We’re certain Happy Trees Hemp Bedding is the best animal bedding you can find, but if...
Last update on 2024-08-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This is a bale of premium hemp fiber animal bedding for different kinds of animals, including ducks.
There are some features that makes it one of the best bedding for ducks.
It’s a very high quality bedding for your duck. Warm, cozy and comfortable, your ducks will love it.
Hemp bedding is highly absorbent. This makes it less messy and almost odorless.
The bedding has a high thermal rating.
This makes the ducks stay stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer. There’s fresh air to breathe thanks to low dust.
The durability of the hemp bedding makes it an economical choice.
It can last much longer than traditional paper and wood bedding materials. It makes great compost even after expiration.
The fast growth of the hemp makes it needing little water or fertilizer. Also, it needs no pesticides. This makes it eco-friendly and sustainable choice for your ducks.
Pros:
• Naturally processed and free of chemicals and dyes
• It is highly absorbent
• Long lasting
• Easy to use
• High thermal rating
• Satisfaction guaranteed.
Cons:
• It can be expensive but it depends on your budget to determine.
5. AA Plus Shop Straw Bedding
- 100% All Natural Wheat Straw
- Wheat Straw that has been plucked of the wheat seeds before turning into hay bales
- Product comes in slabs for easy placement and less mess to clean up
- Great for Event/House Decoration, Pets Beds and Animal Farm Housing
- What you will receive - 1 Slab of Wheat Straw weighing just above 4lb
Last update on 2024-08-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This bedding is made of 100% Natural Wheat Straws. It also comprise of farm wheat straw.
These straws are great for decoration. Serves as a good bedding for your ducks.
Straw bedding is best for your duck coop. It insulates well and it composts easily. It produces little dust and it makes great duck nest.
If there is any defect to the straw, you can easily clean off with a quick pull off of the material.
Pros:
• The bedding is 100% natural wheat straw
• Less mess to clean up
• Good bedding for your dug
• Comes in slabs for easy placement
Cons:
• Wet straw can create an ideal environment for Aspergillus fumigatus.
Buyer’s Guide – Things To Consider
We have highlighted these 5 wonderful beddings that can go in a duck coop.
However, there are things and factors to consider before purchasing any.
1. What’s the health of your birds?
The bedding you chose to buy must be good. Gentle on duck flippers to avoid injuries and infections. Infections such as bumblefoot (ulcerative pod dermatitis).
And the bedding materials will likely not to cause respiratory issues/infections. Infections like aspergillosis or allergies for ducks or for you.
2. You need to consider economics
This is another factor that should be put into consideration. You should consider which option makes sense financially.
And also, not factoring making expenses to treat duck foot injuries.
3. Weather conditions
The weather conditions should also be put in mind. You have to make provision for more during hot seasons.
4. How many birds you plan to have
The number of birds you plan to have in your coop should be something you should keep in mind when selecting duck bedding.
Availability – Consider which option is easiest to get.
Environment – Put into consideration which option has the most environmental benefits.
Regardless, wet or soiled bedding should never be allowed to stay in the duck house.
This can cause mold fungi which can lead to aspergillosis.
A potentially fatal infection of the duck’s respiratory tract.
The purpose of the bedding materials is to keep the ducks cosy. Also, to protect the ducks from cold during winter.
Do not allow your ducks to be continually confined to spots where their bare feet are on their waste.
They can get nitrogen/ammonia burns on their feet, infections, and worse.
