Advice needed - bitten off more than I can chew

[ruthhope]

@ruthhope it’s 100w, shall I go down to 50?

I use black reptile heat lamps not 100 watt bulbs.

Do you have a thermometer in with the ducklings? Can you raise the lamp you have and shine it to the side so the little ones can move to where they are comfortable?

For week 1 ducklings need to be at 90F 32C; week 2 at 85F 30C, week 3 at 80F 26C, week 4, at 75F 24 C

 

[Jenbirdee]

if you use a cardboard box to be extra careful with the heat lamp, I had a red reptile bulb that melted thick, rubberized plastic on the side of my stock tank that i use to brood ducklings

 

[Mrs Rusty]

@ruthhope it’s 100w, shall I go down to 50?

Or nearest

if you use a cardboard box to be extra careful with the heat lamp, I had a red reptile bulb that melted thick, rubberized plastic on the side of my stock tank that i use to brood ducklings

thank you @Jenbirdee that’s a good point. I think I’ll try and keep them where they are in the Guinea cage and raise the bulb somehow. It sits just inside the cage at the moment, will probably have to snip some of the bars off so they don’t overheat as they have like a white coating on them. Can never be too careful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You need to find out what the temp is inside their brooder it might be best to turn the light off if it's too hot. Actually, I start my ducklings out at 85 and drop it 5* each week there after.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

To be honest my duckings by a week old like 75-80 temp
80 is more after a bath by 3 weeks mine are not using heat at all
If they are moving away from heat they are to hot and it needs to be moved higher up or lower reptile bulb
You said you are only keeping a few are you waiting to sex them or could you send some back now giving you less work ?
2 is a piece of cake to look after
So easy
I had over 30 here st once this summer and yikes that was crazy
Although only for a few days it was so much work

 

[Mrs Rusty]

Hi @New duck mommy 2021 wow that does sounds crazy, but what an experience.

I can’t give them back yet as not sure the farmer will be wiling to take care of them like I am, they will be wilded once they go back, free ranging in the barns etc. I’ll have to sort the bulb out today and find a way to raise it. Or switch it off completely and just leave it on after bath time to dry out and warm.

 

[Sosalty]

Metzer farms advised 90F 32C the 1st week, yet the ducklings slept huddled as far as they could from their heat lamp so I backed the heat down 5F. They may need the extra heat if they sleep on a cool surface or reside in a drafty location.

About your cat, my 1yr old fully boy kitty thought they'd be great to play to death when introduced. 2nd time 1 of the duckies ran up to him, pecked his soft nose. He was perplexed and didn't move back much. So little duckie stepped closer and attempted to peck his eye out. Luckily, he instinctively dodged as he would've a snake striking! I thought it would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Alas, he's a bit fearful of any close duck encounters but relaxed until they're a foot or 2 away. My other 2 cats are a bit curious but keep their distance. All 3 lost their desire to stalk 'em after 3-4 encounters. Every cat could be different, yet try putting yours' in close to the ducklings, with hands on kitty a few times. If kitty loses interest, you could taper his/her supervision; maybe less to worry about in a week or so.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Getting their numbers down will help. (How many do you think you'll keep?) They feather in quickly. With dry and shelter from wind they can take relative cool, 60-65F around 3 weeks.

 

[Mrs Rusty]

Metzer farms advised 90F 32C the 1st week, yet the ducklings slept huddled as far as they could from their heat lamp so I backed the heat down 5F. They may need the extra heat if they sleep on a cool surface or reside in a drafty location.

About your cat, my 1yr old fully boy kitty thought they'd be great to play to death when introduced. 2nd time 1 of the duckies ran up to him, pecked his soft nose. He was perplexed and didn't move back much. So little duckie stepped closer and attempted to peck his eye out. Luckily, he instinctively dodged as he would've a snake striking! I thought it would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Alas, he's a bit fearful of any close duck encounters but relaxed until they're a foot or 2 away. My other 2 cats are a bit curious but keep their distance. All 3 lost their desire to stalk 'em after 3-4 encounters. Every cat could be different, yet try putting yours' in close to the ducklings, with hands on kitty a few times. If kitty loses interest, you could taper his/her supervision; maybe less to worry about in a week or so.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Getting their numbers down will help. (How many do you think you'll keep?) They feather in quickly. With dry and shelter from wind they can take relative cool, 60-65F around 3 weeks.

Hi @Sosalty thats great news about the kitties. My hopes are they can be tolerant of one another. One of my cats won’t even look at them, or be in the same room, in fact I’ve had to move her litter tray out of the room. She is so shy and weirded out by anything new. The other one I wouldn’t trust with a barge pole haha. I think we might keep two, although at this point I’m not sure as it’s been full on taking care of them myself. No doubt I’ll change my mind when hubby returns from work in a weeks time and takes over. Bath time (or kitchen sink) is fun. I really love that part x 2 a day

 

[NatJ]

...about the heat lamp. The way it is set up, I cannot alter it so it is further away from the ducks until hubby returns and I don’t have anyone I could ask. Today I noticed they are moving away from it, but not enough room in the brooder for them to move away enough. I was wondering if it would be ok to remove it? Our house is warm at a constant 70f and stays the same temperature day & night. The ducks really are big now and huddle together, totally unsure what to do for the best. I don’t want to kill them being too warm, so surely huddling together would be better in this situation.

Quick way to test your idea: turn off the heat lamp or unplug it, and watch how the ducklings act.

If they act fine with no heat, then leave it off. If they act chilly after some time passes, try using a bulb with lower wattage.

I see other people have recommended you measure the temperature with a thermometer, but you really do not need that when you have actual ducklings or chicks or whatever to do the testing for you. They will be happy to tell you if the temperature is wrong, by how they act and what sounds they make.

it’s 100w, shall I go down to 50?

That is definitely worth trying. I would start with whatever wattage you have available, or can easily get, and see how the ducklings act. If you have to go buy one, then yes 50w would be a reasonable thing to try.

 

[Mrs Fryzzle]

Hi there, new duck mum to x 7, 7 day olds. I feel like I need some support as really struggling. They hatched in the incubator last week and are in large Guinea pig cage with heat lamp in our back lounge. They are healthy as can be, having Bath time every day, but boy they take up a lot of my day. My husband wanted to hatch them with the intention of keeping a couple and the rest going back to the farm where we got the eggs from. However, he has been called away to work for two weeks and I’ve been left to navigate this never done before task. Main issue, the brooder is not big enough now, I can’t see us making it another 8 days before my husband gets home to sort it out. I’ve two indoor cats who are extremely well behaved around them, but a playpen type thing not an option as the cats will be able to jump in it - they’re safe where they are as hubby meshed it before he went away. Trying my hardest here, but need solutions. We’re in UK so they can’t go outside as a bit chilly and don’t have housing for them yet. I didn’t realise this would be so consuming, or they would grow so quick. I’m spending most of my days trying to find solutions to something that I thought would be a shared experience. Please help

We have used an old plastic swimming pool before, saw it done on Youtube. It is better- easier to clean and keep them all. Also/ or a big rectangular storage tub/box.