1.5 week old ducklings outside

[HMSmith]

Hello,
Being a new duckling momma, I need some opinions..
My 4 Ancona ducklings are currently being brooded in a large wire dog crate with straw and a towel in my kitchen. I recently upgraded their water container which has cut down on their space. I know they aren’t big enough to go outside and forage but they are way to quick to roam my livingroom, even with 4 of us watching them. What are the cons to me putting them in a big hard sided kiddie pool (the colorful ones at Walmart) with some straw in the bottom, outside so they can get their “wiggles out”. It’s been 72- 80 in the afternoon. I clean the cage when I get home and was hoping if I put the pool in part shade-part sun while I do that, itwould make them happy. Obviously, they would have supervision just incase they try to jump the sides.

 

[Loopeend]

23-26 celcius for other celcius people like me.

Hmm. At that temperature I usually only let them out for 30 minutes during the hottest of the day at most being so young. They don't have their insulating feathers yet.

It is good to do, especially when you have to clean their cages anyway, but I don't think this is a solution for your problem.
You might make the indoor room bigger, or well..just live with it.. eeks.
They have a few weeks to go yet, getting bigger and louder, before they can go outside (or warmer weather).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Outside out of drafts would be fine as long as it’s 80 and they aren’t right in the sun.

 

[Loopeend]

They cost a lot of 'sighs' 'shut up I'm trying to sleep' 'shut uuuup I just gave you food, you haven't even finished it yet' and 'whyyyy do you keep making a mess of everything every 5 minutes' the first weeks when being raised inside. It's a challenge to withold yourself to not just kick them out of the house. And it gets worse the older they get.

I'm confused now if we are talking about ducks or children =/

 

[HMSmith]

They cost a lot of 'sighs' 'shut up I'm trying to sleep' 'shut uuuup I just gave you food, you haven't even finished it yet' and 'whyyyy do you keep making a mess of everything every 5 minutes' the first weeks when being raised inside. It's a challenge to withold yourself to not just kick them out of the house. And it gets worse the older they get.

I'm confused now if we are talking about ducks or children =/

This reply actually answers some concerns I had! Thank you!
My babies are getting louder and I was afraid they were telling me something important. So I get up and check food, water and temp all through the night as if they were newborns. Apparently they are “training me” to come when called.

 

[Loopeend]

This reply actually answers some concerns I had! Thank you!
My babies are getting louder and I was afraid they were telling me something important. So I get up and check food, water and temp all through the night as if they were newborns. Apparently they are “training me” to come when called.

Yes, they can be cheeky like that. They actually like the sight of your face! (that's good!) Attention! They do not like boredom. They will act more like this when getting older. But unfortunately for them; they can't have everything they want ALL of the time just like humans.
If you provide them of food, right temperature, water, clean environment, give them attention when you can, etc. you are fine. They need to accept that you need to sleep.
They can be entiteled brats. The biggest tantrum I have seen from my 1 to 5 year old ducks is when I covered the styrofoam and glasswool and asbestos so they couldn't eat it (like they were doing avidly unfortunately) ... SIGH.
Sorry ducks; you might not understand it; but you just can't have everything in life.
Don't blame yourself for doing your best and them making a fuss.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Hello,
Being a new duckling momma, I need some opinions..
My 4 Ancona ducklings are currently being brooded in a large wire dog crate with straw and a towel in my kitchen. I recently upgraded their water container which has cut down on their space. I know they aren’t big enough to go outside and forage but they are way to quick to roam my livingroom, even with 4 of us watching them. What are the cons to me putting them in a big hard sided kiddie pool (the colorful ones at Walmart) with some straw in the bottom, outside so they can get their “wiggles out”. It’s been 72- 80 in the afternoon. I clean the cage when I get home and was hoping if I put the pool in part shade-part sun while I do that, itwould make them happy. Obviously, they would have supervision just incase they try to jump the sides.

I woud think you could put a kiddle pool in the house too as a step up brooder so they'll have more room and you won't have them running all over the livingroom. If they start escaping from the kiddle pool just get some cardboard (or something) and stand it up along the sides of the pool with something behind the cardboard so they can't push it over. Worked great for me last year.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I had my Spring Ducklings in a kiddie-pool brooder for two weeks in my home-office:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/2019-spring-ducklings.74706/?mp=7#article-74706

 

[Knighstar679]

I housed mine last year in a 4x4 xpen for dogs. Had 8-13 ducklings in it for 4 or 5 weeks. They got kicked outside when they made a habit of escaping and following me into the kitchen for breakfast.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

I just got a new batch of ducks last week. In the past my wife would tolerate them for a few weeks before banishing them to the outdoors. This time she wouldn't let them stay in the house at all! So had to run an extension cord out to the shed to power their brooder light.

In her defense, it was kind of obvious the ducks were at the Tractor Supply store for quite awhile before I bought them, and its warm in my area. Even the nights aren't cold so I'm sure their fine.

I use a giant plastic tub thats about 4 or 5 feet long and about 2 and half feet wide. No idea where it came from as it was here when we bought the place, but it makes an awesome brooder.

I just clamp the brooder light to the side and they are good to go. I still want one of the warmer plates, but as I already have the light I'll keep using it till I can get the heating plate. Maybe when my kids stop costing me so much money lol.