Can my ducklings be outside yet?

[mom2mnem]

I have four 5-week-old Khaki Campbells. Until now they've been in the garage. They are growing so crazy fast - they need more space and need to get outdoors more!! We've been taking them for outings on nice days and they love it!




I recently bought this chicken coop from TSC:



My question is this: Can my ducks handle being outside yet? I put a board over the door to the outside pen so that I can block them inside. I have a heat lamp rigged inside the coop that has a 250 watt red light in it. How low a temperature can they handle at this point? I am going to do a trial run with the heat lamp to figure out how warm it stays in there, but I don't know what number I am shooting for in order for it to be ok for them.

Also, do I need to keep food/water inside with them overnight? Or are they ok at this point without for just the night?

Many thanks! Ya'll are always so helpful.

 

[Going Quackers]

Quite the coop! and cute duckies! if you can heat, then i'd say your good to go. What is your lowest temp? . as for food/water @ 6wks? i usually still do.. but will depend some likely don't..

I just moved my over 3wk old Pekin's into my duck barn, they were to hot in my house, we finally reach above freezing lol Now we're still going to be below freezing overnight so i need to go check to see if they will need a lamp BUT they are in with the bulk of my Muscovy flock(they have their own stall-(Pekin) to heat up the barn so i may not need too.

Do you have Storey's guide to ducks? their is mention in there on temps and ranges.. offhand i cannot recall them but i do know it definitely depends on the temps in your area and the housing and the ability to use a lamp.

 

[My chicken s]

How long have you have them for

 

[mom2mnem]

Thanks Quackers!

We've had the ducks since they were about 4 or 5 days old. They are about 5 weeks now. Mostly feathered, some fluff still. We are supposed to get to 35 tonight. Beyond tonight it will be 45 at night (at least for the next week or so).

I actually have the ducks out in the coop right now and am trying to decide whether to bring them in or not. It's about 55 outside right now, in the coop it is 70 degrees. If it stays 15 degrees above the outside temperature, that means the lowest would be 50 degrees. Can they handle that?

 

[Sweeney22]

I moved my five week old pekins out today. I did not add a lamp as they seem fine. I am in md and we finally look like temps are going to be better. But like I said I have a heat lamp ready if needed. Today they began swimming five mins after I put them out! They will be seperated from my adult pekins for the week. They can check eachother out through their pen. I think they can handle cooler weather than chicks the same age. I have those too and I am putting them out this weekend. If you have a lamp to use I think it sounds like you will be fine. They just get so messy inside after a while!!

 

[mom2mnem]

OK, that's helpful, Sweeney. I'm in WV, so our temps aren't all that different. I feel a little better now. But I'll still probably wake up in the night and check on their temperature (I have a remote sensor that I can read from bed) Is it sick that I wish I had a remote camera to see them? hahaha

 

[Sfraker]

I have been wondering the same thing with my 6 welsh harlequins. They are 5 weeks old and do not have enough room in there inside pen. I would like to move them outside but I'm worried about them.

 

[My chicken s]

Then it is OK to

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Does this help?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings

 

[Tinkey71]

I have been struggling with this as well- ducks get big a lot quicker than chickens and my hubby and I have come up with 3-4 methods of keeping them penned as they grow. I have 15 , I lost one early on that was crushed because they piled on top of each other to get away from the water they spilled.
Right now they are living in an old sink cabinet on my covered porch with holes cut out and screens for venelation and a heat lamp- there is a tray with bedding on one side and a tray with their water feeder on the other so that if it spills or leaks it stays in the tray.
Ducks are a lot more messy and smelly than chickens as well. I have a large coop ready for them but I’m afraid it’s too cold at night.
They are 4 weeks, I live in Florida it rarely goes below 45 at night, usually at least up to 80 during the day. I wish I could get the light out there. Any ideas?