Duck Hut Is Built!!!

[jessiduck]

Our duck hut got built yesterday and we finished making our temporary covered run this afternoon.
The ducks are outside for their first time tonight and I miss them already! I feel like a nervous mother!
However, they're out just in time for Tuesday when our day old chickens come... Yee-haw!
I will post pictures of our duck hut once I finish making them a home-made sign and painting some flowers onto it to add some cheer!
(~I'll post the day old chick pics in the chicken forum though~!)

 

[Amiga]

Okay, so they are safe and secure, right? Guards posted at all points of entry? Trap doors to capture intruders? Infra-red video cameras in place?

This is how I felt the ducks' first night in their outdoor house. I slept in the living room with the window open so I could hear them.

A storm kicked up, wind howled, rain pounded, and the power went out. Glad I set the electric fence up on a rechargeable battery.

I took my blanket outside and crawled in with them for a while. Which is good. They were all standing against one side of the house, barely moving (quite nervous). After I laid down on my blanket, they settled in. In a bit, I went back into the big house.

 

[jessiduck]

LOL! I wish I could put video cameras out! And if I could afford electric fencing I would

. It's supposed to rain tonight/tomorrow so I know I'm going to be a wreck! I cried last night out of worry because it dropped to 38 degrees!
I made the decision to leave them outside though, and they were fine.
Tonight it will be in the lower 50's,so I'm not too worried. I've tried as hard as I can to make their temporary run secure.
I don't think any predators will try anything just yet...but down the road they definitely will.
We have hawks, raccoons, and possums to watch out for!
Tomorrow our day old chicks are supposed to come......
I feel a bit frazzled at the moment, but I know everything will turn out just fine

!
Thanks for comforting me , Amiga! It's good to know I'm not alone in being so protective of them!!!

 

[Missy60]

You are lucky you were brave enough to put them outside. I guess I do have mine outside but they are in a really big box on my porch right outside my door. I did finally cut the heat lamp off though since it is basically in the fifties at night. That wasn't my decision actually they never went over in that corner under it any more. I have a duck pen they could go in but my big duck seems like she will trample them when we put them outside with her. She is a people duck and hasn't bee around ducks before, she looks at them like what are those strange things...get them away from me. I also heard they will just stay out in the rain even if they have shelter and get sick. I'm building on to our pen and making a totally enclosed section to keep them in for a while until they get big enough to not get trampled on. The side will be attached to the pen and it will be chicken wire, but I will open this up when they all start getting along.

 

[jessiduck]

Very good missy! My ducks did not care for the heat lamp either! It seemed that they would get overheated, even though it was only a 40wtt bulb! Your duck will soon accept the lil' ones as they grow! They might even be the best of friends! Wish you the best of luck with your duckies!!!!