By Drs. Julie Ashley and Blayne Mozisek
Brooding ducklings, goslings, or a mix of poultry species requires special attention. Their needs differ from chicks, and without thoughtful management, problems like chilling, bullying, or nutritional imbalance can arise.
● No swimming early: Ducklings and goslings should not have access to open water for the first several days. Their down isn’t waterproof, and they can easily become waterlogged and chilled. Wait until they are older and feathered before supervised swimming.
● Feed requirements: Use a waterfowl starter diet — never substitute chick starter. Ducklings need higher niacin levels for proper leg and bone development. Using the correct feed prevents leg weakness, bowing, and lameness.
● Social needs: Ducks and geese are highly social. A single duckling or gosling may cry excessively and fail to thrive. If you only have one, provide mirrors for companionship until another bird can join.
● Water access: Waterfowl need constant access to drinking water deep enough to submerge their bills. This keeps their nostrils and eyes clear. However, design the setup to prevent soaking bedding, which can quickly lead to chilling and mold growth.
TPD Tip: Place waterers on a raised grate or tray so spilled water drains away. This keeps bedding drier and reduces the risk of fungal growth.
● Avoid mixing ages: Larger or older birds may outcompete or even injure smaller ones. Even a one-week age gap can give bigger babies a strong advantage at feeders and waterers.
● Species behavior: Chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese all have different feeding and social behaviors. For example, ducks are messy with water, which can make conditions unhealthy for chicks.
● Supervision required: If mixing species or ages, close observation is essential. Watch for bullying, feather pecking, or piling, and intervene quickly if issues arise.
● Ducklings and goslings don’t need deeper waterers for drinking, but they do need enough water depth to dunk their bills and nares (nostrils).
● Bill & nostril flushing: Ducks clear feed dust and mucus by dipping their bills fully and expelling water through their nostrils. Without this, their eyes and sinuses can get crusty, inflamed, or infected.
● Eye health: Dipping the head helps keep their eyes moist and clean — preventing “sticky eye” problems.
● Choking risk: Shallow “chick waterers” that only allow sipping may cause food to gum up inside the nares and throat.
● If ducklings can submerge their whole body early on, they’ll soak themselves and the bedding → chilling, wet litter, and mold issues.
● **The balance:
○ Provide a waterer deep enough for bill dipping but not wide/open enough for swimming.
○ Commercial duckling waterers or modified chick fonts (e.g., with cut-out sides) work well.
○ Raise the waterer on a grate or tray to drain spills and keep bedding dry.
● Disease considerations: Different species may carry pathogens harmless to themselves but risky to others (e.g., turkeys are highly susceptible to Histomonas carried by chickens). Housing species together increases disease risk.
Red Flag: If you notice younger chicks consistently pushed away from feeders, or waterfowl making bedding perpetually wet, it’s time to separate groups for their health and safety.
**** With waterfowl, focus on proper feed, safe water access, and companionship.
With mixed species or ages, remember that bigger isn’t always better — separation often means healthier, safer birds.
Prevention is easier than correction: set up the brooder thoughtfully to avoid bullying, chilling, or disease spread.
● Myth: “All baby poultry can be raised together the same way.”
● Truth: Ducks, turkeys, goslings and chicks all have unique needs. Mixing them without adjustments can lead to stress, poor growth, and preventable disease.
| Category | Chicks | Ducklings/Goslings | Turkeys/Gamebirds | | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | Starter Protein | 18-20% chick starter | Waterfowl starter (20–22% protein, higher niacin) | 28%+ turkey/gamebird starter | | Feed Form | Crumbles (small, uniform) | Crumbles or waterfowl-specific crumbles | High-protein crumbles only | | Water Needs | Shallow chick waterers (prevent drowning) | Deeper water to dip bills, but managed to prevent wet bedding | Shallow waterers, poults often need help learning | | Social Needs | Thrive in groups, but single chicks may cope if handled | Very social; single ducklings may fail to thrive (mirrors help) | Very social; poults do best in groups or with chicks to teach them to eat | | Special Risks | Overheating, coccidiosis if poorly managed | Wet bedding → chilling, mold, leg issues without niacin | “Blackhead” (Histomonas) if housed with chickens; poor eaters early on | | Activity Level | Moderate | Very active, messy | Often slower to start, need extra encouragement | | Housing Notes | Standard brooder setup works well | Extra care to keep litter dry and clean | Require close monitoring of crop fill and feed intake |
Your turn: Have you raised mixed species or ages together? What challenges and solutions worked for you? Share your experience below
CEO & Founder of Poultry Doc, Inc