Ducklings and Drafts

[OldGuy43]

How long do I need to protect ducklings from drafts? Does their brooder (if that's the right word) need to be completely draft free. Any other hints?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How long do I need to protect ducklings from drafts? Does their brooder (if that's the right word) need to be completely draft free. Any other hints?

Brooder does need to be put in a draft free area, ducklings can chill easily. until completely feathered they will chill.

 

[Kevin565]

How long do I need to protect ducklings from drafts? Does their brooder (if that's the right word) need to be completely draft free. Any other hints?

I protect mine from draft until they are fully feathered. Also yes they're brooder will need to be draft free. What kind of brooder will you be using?

 

[OldGuy43]

What kind of brooder will you be using?

Guess I misused the word. I'll be picking the ducklings up from Ideal on March 7th. I used it meaning where they will be kept until they're ready to join the chicken flock. I'm learning.

 

[Kevin565]

Guess I misused the word. I'll be picking the ducklings up from Ideal on March 7th. I used it meaning where they will be kept until they're ready to join the chicken flock. I'm learning.

You used it correctly. I meant are you going to be using a kiddie pool, stock tank, rabbit hutch, etc as a brooder. Depending on the style some may be easier to cover for drafts then others.

 

[OldGuy43]

For the first week or two in a cardboard box about 3' tall in what we laughingly call the den, so no problem there. After that in a cage sitting in a kiddie pool in the basement. The corner I have selected is pretty draft free and does get some heat from the furnace. When they outgrow that I was going to move them onto the screened-in back porch. It's got solid walls up to about 4'. Unless it gets really warm I was going to give them a heat lamp in all locations.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like a great plan. now don't forget to post pics. did you say what breed?

For the first week or two in a cardboard box about 3' tall in what we laughingly call the den, so no problem there. After that in a cage sitting in a kiddie pool in the basement. The corner I have selected is pretty draft free and does get some heat from the furnace. When they outgrow that I was going to move them onto the screened-in back porch. It's got solid walls up to about 4'. Unless it gets really warm I was going to give them a heat lamp in all locations.

 

[OldGuy43]

12 Khaki Campbells.

We plan on taking the camera with us to Ideal.

 

[Miss Lydia]

12 Khaki Campbells.

We plan on taking the camera with us to Ideal.

wow 12 well good for you, LD will be so happy to have a family of her own. keep us updated will be waiting for pics..

 

[jdywntr]

I moved mine outside at about 1 week. I couldn't take the stink.

I am in Florida but we have had some dips into the 50's since they have been outside. Mine are in a 3 sided "brooder" in a corner of the duck run (basically, a solid corner with a wall added but no front). 2 days ago (3 weeks and 2 days old) I built them a little run of their own about 8' long. They have a heat lamp on the inside and the first night, I checked to make sure that they went inside if they were cold, they did. They are very happy, they are feathering in, they have little wing feathers coming in. I did put an old feed bag over the front on a particularly windy evening.

The few times I have brooded, I have not been to worried about the temps. I go with the advice, if they are piled up they are cold, spread out all over and panting too hot. Seems to work.