Duck house help?

[Carrosaur]

So the two ducklings we have now are 2(?) weeks old and 5-6(?) days old. They are being kept in their brooder in the house right now, at what age do ducks need to move out of the brooder and into a duck house/coop. Both of my dogs love the ducks and let them crawl all over their bodies, so I don't expect the dogs to let any sort of predator into our yard (we have a black, metal fence, wide enough gaps for ducks to get out. Help?) they are constantly chasing off coyotes, cats, other dogs, barking at vultures and hawks that are near the house or flying overhead. What kind of protection do the ducks need? Away from the dogs? Outside of the fence in their own coop, or build a coop and put chicken wire around the bottom three feet of the fence?

Thanks!

 

[Richb353]

Welcome,
I started with 11 ducklings in a 5' kiddie pool on top of the kitchen table. That was cool for about the first day, then you realize how quickly they get messy and stinky. Mainly, I wanted to make sure they could regulate their own heat. After about 3 days, they were no longer huddling near the heat source and I moved them into a 3'x5' house in the barn with about an 8' square run with a plastic kiddie pool. The ducklings were put in the house at dark. The house is made out of old fenceposts and looks like a miniature log cabin.

I have a duck pasture a little bigger than a basketball court surrounded by 4' high fence. It doesn't keep any predators out, but it keeps the ducks in. If I'm working in the yard, I'll leave the gate open and the ducks will wander my 5 acre property. Haven't had any problems with predators during the day, but see coyote or coon footprints in the area every morning.

So to make a short story long, I have built an enclosed pen, attached to the old duckhouse, within a fenced pasture. I have 20+ ducklings arriving this week from Metzer Farms. They will be in a shed in the kiddie pool with a heat lamp. Once the ducklings no longer need the heat lamp I'll move them into the pen. Probably after about a week. Here in Florida, I am more worried about the hot, humid summer rather than the cold.

 

[Carrosaur]

Welcome, I started with 11 ducklings in a 5' kiddie pool on top of the kitchen table. That was cool for about the first day, then you realize how quickly they get messy and stinky. Mainly, I wanted to make sure they could regulate their own heat. After about 3 days, they were no longer huddling near the heat source and I moved them into a 3'x5' house in the barn with about an 8' square run with a plastic kiddie pool. The ducklings were put in the house at dark. The house is made out of old fenceposts and looks like a miniature log cabin. I have a duck pasture a little bigger than a basketball court surrounded by 4' high fence. It doesn't keep any predators out, but it keeps the ducks in. If I'm working in the yard, I'll leave the gate open and the ducks will wander my 5 acre property. Haven't had any problems with predators during the day, but see coyote or coon footprints in the area every morning. So to make a short story long, I have built an enclosed pen, attached to the old duckhouse, within a fenced pasture. I have 20+ ducklings arriving this week from Metzer Farms. They will be in a shed in the kiddie pool with a heat lamp. Once the ducklings no longer need the heat lamp I'll move them into the pen. Probably after about a week. Here in Florida, I am more worried about the hot, humid summer rather than the cold.

I live in middle Tennessee, so it is extremely hard to predict the weather, yesterday it was 46 degrees, today it is 73. I wouldn't know wether to build a house that keeps heat in or keeps it out.