I have 20 ducklings that just turned 2 weeks old. I had them in a dog crate inside, it got too small and the smell!!! I have them a small coop with a fenced yard outside and put them outside yesterday. I also have a heat lamp in the coop. The coop has a cement stepping stone floor covered with oak leaves. Their feed is inside and their water is outside. There are 17 Pekins and 3 Runners. My plans are to butcher the Pekins at 7-12 weeks and keep the Runners for eggs and as pets. I also have 20 hens.
My question is this. If it rains, will they go in their coop? If they don't go in their coop, will they suffer the consequences of sickness? I live in southeast Texas, the forecast is 44-55 degrees at night and in the mid 70's during the day. Rain is forecasted for the weekend. Last night, they stayed outside in a clump and after it got pretty dark, I went out and hustled them in their coop and closed them up. I wanted to see if they would go toward the light from the heat lamp, but they didn't. So when it starts raining, do I need to hustle them into their coop and close them up? Common sense dictates that I would do so, but I have never had ducks before, so I am asking.
The coop is an old rabbit cage that I put legs on and enclosed the bottom. Half is wire and half is tin. My DH and I stapled plastic feed sacks over most of the wire to keep the wind off, but left a little on the door uncovered for ventilation. The heat lamp is hanging inside the bottom part of the coop. It is a double decker-known as the chicken condo. The top part is not finished enough to put chicks or ducklings in, but I have kept grown roosters in it right before I butchered them. (then it was known as death row)
I am going out this morning to string hay twine across the open top pen to deter hawks. I also have a Great Pyrenees that protects my chickens when they free range, even we have a real small backyard, she is on guard. She hates hawks and I have seen her leap in the air barking and snapping her jaws at them. Not a one of them has ever landed in the yard, but to be on the safe side, I'm going to web the duck pen.
I really appreciate your help and advice. I am grateful to have a forum so friendly as BYC where there is never a stupid question. I have read a lot on the forum and learned so much that I really don't have many questions, but just am concerned about the ducklings, rain and closing them up in the coop.
My question is this. If it rains, will they go in their coop? If they don't go in their coop, will they suffer the consequences of sickness? I live in southeast Texas, the forecast is 44-55 degrees at night and in the mid 70's during the day. Rain is forecasted for the weekend. Last night, they stayed outside in a clump and after it got pretty dark, I went out and hustled them in their coop and closed them up. I wanted to see if they would go toward the light from the heat lamp, but they didn't. So when it starts raining, do I need to hustle them into their coop and close them up? Common sense dictates that I would do so, but I have never had ducks before, so I am asking.
The coop is an old rabbit cage that I put legs on and enclosed the bottom. Half is wire and half is tin. My DH and I stapled plastic feed sacks over most of the wire to keep the wind off, but left a little on the door uncovered for ventilation. The heat lamp is hanging inside the bottom part of the coop. It is a double decker-known as the chicken condo. The top part is not finished enough to put chicks or ducklings in, but I have kept grown roosters in it right before I butchered them. (then it was known as death row)
I am going out this morning to string hay twine across the open top pen to deter hawks. I also have a Great Pyrenees that protects my chickens when they free range, even we have a real small backyard, she is on guard. She hates hawks and I have seen her leap in the air barking and snapping her jaws at them. Not a one of them has ever landed in the yard, but to be on the safe side, I'm going to web the duck pen.
I really appreciate your help and advice. I am grateful to have a forum so friendly as BYC where there is never a stupid question. I have read a lot on the forum and learned so much that I really don't have many questions, but just am concerned about the ducklings, rain and closing them up in the coop.
