AAAAAAAHHHHH!! Messy 3 week old ducks

[bock]

Ok, I have 10 ducks and 2 geese that are 3 weeks old tomorrow. They are in a cardboard circle in the barn with 2 1 gallon waterers. This morning I went to check on them, and it was a nightmare! All of their food and water was gone, and ALL of their bedding was soaked with water and caked poop. When can I put them outside? Today is about 55-60F with light rain. I have a fenced in run I let them play in on warm days. If I put 2 dog houses in their with a tarp over the roof for shelter would they be ok? Thank you!

 

[Sweetfolly]

The optimum temperature for a 3-week-old duckling is 66 degrees: http://www.duckhealth.com/housmngt.html

It's still a bit cold out there for them. Is there a way you could rig up a small heat lamp (with just a 60W light bulb or something) in one of the doghouses/under the tarp? If so, you could probably get away with keeping them outside during the day - but I personally wouldn't leave them outside overnight until they were at least 6 weeks old. And watch them if you leave them out in that rain - my three-week-old ducklings would stand outside in the rain, and end up getting chilled if I let them. I learned pretty quickly to get them inside when it was raining, until they were fully feathered.

 

[scorpian5]

When i raise ducks there waters get raised up so they can all just reach them. It keeps them from playing so much.

 

[chickboss]

Sounds like you are going crazy!

How often can you check on them during the night for the first few days/week? With that many snuggling up, I would think it may work. I think if you could stick it out for another week, it would be better. But if you could check on them often for the first bit and be prepared to bring them back in if they are cold in the middle of the night, it may be worth a try to save your sanity. I have just weaned my five week old Kahki's off their light out doors, and I check on them very late, and again very early (before day break) to make sure they are okay. So far so good. Good luck!

Ditto about letting them get wet though. I would be careful.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

I typically take the waterers out at night. When I am at work, they get their waterers in the brooders all day long. When I'm at home, I only put the waterers in for about 15 minutes of every 1 - 1 1/2 hours. They have time to drink but not to empty their waterers out all over the bedding. I tried raising the waterers but they would end up somehow dumping the waterers.

 

[bock]

Thanks, I am going to put them out during the day and bring them in at night.

I recently started having raccoon issues, so will it ever be safe to leave them outside?