5 week ducklings need heat?

[funnyfarmhouse]

We have six 5 weeks old (white fawn runner I assume) ducklings in a mini coop with a heat lamp outdoors. It turned pretty cold this week and it was only 50 degrees in the coop this morning. Should I be working to increase the heat for another few weeks or let them be? I close them in the coop at night and open to the run in the morning and they want outside and will stay outside until I make them go up. They do snuggle, but don’t shiver or seem phased by the cold.

I don’t see much info on heat regulating past four weeks so I’m confused as to how long to heat their brooder and when to just take out the heat and move them into their permanent coop.

 

[funnyfarmhouse]

Thank you guys so much for your help! Morning pictures for aging

 

[sourland]

I would remove any swimming water so that they don't get wet, but would not provide heat unless they were appearing chilled.

 

[Hei 20]

We have six 5 weeks old (white fawn runner I assume) ducklings in a mini coop with a heat lamp outdoors. It turned pretty cold this week and it was only 50 degrees in the coop this morning. Should I be working to increase the heat for another few weeks or let them be? I close them in the coop at night and open to the run in the morning and they want outside and will stay outside until I make them go up. They do snuggle, but don’t shiver or seem phased by the cold.

I don’t see much info on heat regulating past four weeks so I’m confused as to how long to heat their brooder and when to just take out the heat and move them into their permanent coop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Watch your Runners not having much body fat and being upright they may chill quicker than other breeds. Mine love to stay in their house when it's frigid out. By 5 weeks they should befully feathered. I'd def not have any open water for them to get into.

 

[funnyfarmhouse]

They don’t seem fully feathered yet. They do have some feathers. They were the last of the feed store ducklings and they couldn’t tell me the breed but said they were 3-4 weeks when I got them two weeks ago. I’ll post a pic of them. Nights are 28-35 degrees so I was concerned about pulling the heat just yet.

 

[Quatie]

They don’t seem fully feathered yet. They do have some feathers. They were the last of the feed store ducklings and they couldn’t tell me the breed but said they were 3-4 weeks when I got them two weeks ago. I’ll post a pic of them. Nights are 28-35 degrees so I was concerned about pulling the heat just yet.

Take a picture of them and one of us may be able to confirm the age of the ducks. They go through the feathering process at a pretty standard time frame.

 

[Quatie]

They are adorable. I haven't owned runners, but that is what they look like to me. They look like just about 4 weeks of age to me.

 

[Quatie]

I don't have much experience with young ducks in the winter. During the day, I would think they should be fine, especially if they have shelter to escape to if windy. Thick layer of bedding also helps keep them warm. From my previous research, you should wait till they are fully feathered before handling really cold temps. So I would probably keep it for another week or 2 till they get the majority of their feathers in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’d offer heat especially if being kept in a brooder outside, they have a bit of feathering to do yet. Precious Runners