Couple of Questions....

[beckella]

Hi all,
I am new to ducks...we have 2 pekin, 4 cayuga, 1 welsh harlequin, & 1 magpie...all between the ages of 2-3 months. I absolutely love my duckles (as we call them) and my hubby has built a palace for them and our chickens & soon to be goats.

I had a few questions though...

-They are a pretty long ramp to get into the barn...I know they can get down it but will they be able to get up it??

-In the summer I don't mind them sleeping outside (they're in a fully enclosed pen w/ covering on the top) but will they get cold when it gets cold out?

-They have food and a kiddie pool outside - do I need to provide them with seperate drinking water? The kiddie pool gets pretty nasty pretty fast and I can't imagine that it is good for them to be drinking that??!?!?

Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you all soon!!!

Beckella

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have a kiddie pool and three other water containers around the yard- But still by the end of each day they are all a muddy mess.

If the ramp is too long or high they may shy at going up- But you could try putting some straw bales as barriers just to give them confidence until they are used to it. Alo a few peas or some tastey treat may help encourage them to go up there too.

Mine used to sleep out in winter But I now have night pens mainly due to the increase in numbers- but it doesnt get frezzing here at night too often- and certainly never snows. Can they get into the barn during the night from their pen if they get cold?

 

[beckella]

Quote:
Thanks for the response!

That's a great idea about putting the bales as barriers...I'm going to have my hubby work on that tomorrow! We tried the peas to entice them up the ramp but it didn't really work. As for being outside at night...they have access to the barn if they can climb the ramp!!! We were talking about putting a little shelter in the run too....

Beckella

 

[Bleenie]

I wouldnt worry about the ramp...my fat Muscovies do just fine getting up and down the short, kinda steep ramp into the coop..even the extra fat boys

Sometimes they cheat and just hop onto it about half way up, lol.