Are my ducks afraid of the dark?

[Cjturner]

As soon as we go to bed, we turn out the lights and leave the ducks get loud. The first few nights we would go down and calm them and as soon as we left they would start again. We thought maybe they were afraid of the dark and left a light on for them but as soon as we leave they would start again. They are 2 weeks and a few days old and live in our dining room right now. It echos through the house at night. Is this normal? Does my daughter now have to camp out in our dining room? Will we ever sleep again. Lol.

 

[Ratchnick]

Do they have heat?

 

[Cjturner]

Yup they have heat, water and food. They have a spot they can go if they need to cool down too.

 

[Ratchnick]

Yup they have heat, water and food. They have a spot they can go if they need to cool down too.

The light that your turn off is the light in the room? Not a bulb over the brooder? Whats the temp in the brooder?

 

[Ratchnick]

If they are loud and annoying its usually that they are cold.

 

[Ratchnick]

Its possible they are imprinted to you. Its only mildly annoying now, when they are bigger the entire neighborhood gets to hear them quack all day.

 

[Cjturner]

The lights we turn off at night are the dining room lights not the broader. The warm side is at 90°f and the coll side is room temperature.

 

[Cjturner]

Its possible they are imprinted to you. Its only mildly annoying now, when they are bigger the entire neighborhood gets to hear them quack all day.

They have imprinted on my daughter. She does spend alot of time with them. They would quiet down when she went downstairs and act excited to see her. Maybe our ducks are spoiled?

 

[Cjturner]

Our Brooder is 5' x 2' with a warm side, cool side, food/water area and a wet area. They have 2 bells hanging and a mirror and a tennis ball they push around. Am I missing anything?

 

[KaleIAm]

My ducks don't see well at night, and I suspect all ducks don't. But this never makes my ducks call out, it just makes them find cozy corners to rest in until morning.

Since the ducks aren't cold I am leaning more towards that they want attention. My ducks call loudly anytime they hear me or see me - and they aren't imprinted and they live in a barn.

I recommend being careful leaving a light on at night for your ducks. They may need a heat lamp now, but for after they are fully feathered you might consider discontinuing it. My avian vet recommends keeping pet birds on a natural daylight schedule for reproductive health and longevity.