Ducklings in a rainstorm

[Kate2402]

Hi all,

I've hatched and am raising 6 runner ducklings who are now 3 weeks old. I'm in the UK and currently experiencing Storm Francis, which is mostly just a continuous heavy downpour of rain at the moment.

My ducks are rapidly outgrowing their temporary indoor home in my tiny living room (and stinking the place out!) and have been spending more time outside during the day. I'm just wondering if it is safe for them to go out while it is so rainy? (And stormy - thunder but no lightsning as yet) They are quite skittish so its not easy to scoop them up if it suddenly gets worse. I let them outside earlier today while the rain wasn't too heavy but have brought them back inside as they are soaked and obviously don't have proper feathers yet.... but they are super cross about it and want to come out!!

They will be moving to a permanent secure outdoor house in about one week - there has been a delay in the delivery of their duck House due to covid restrictions so am waiting on that - we are all quite desperate for that to happen, but just wondering how your guys get on during stormy weather.
Thanks

 

[AgnesGray]

My grown ducks live for rainy days in the pool.

Without their adult feathers, I would worry about them getting chilled though. Do they have a heatlamp inside? I'd try to keep them warm and dry (as much as ducks can be kept dry lol) until they are feathered out. What does their indoor setup look like? Any way to improve on that for the happiness of all involved until that duck house makes it to you?

 

[Kate2402]

My grown ducks live for rainy days in the pool.

Without their adult feathers, I would worry about them getting chilled though. Do they have a heatlamp inside? I'd try to keep them warm and dry (as much as ducks can be kept dry lol) until they are feathered out. What does their indoor setup look like? Any way to improve on that for the happiness of all involved until that duck house makes it to you?

Thank you, thats what i was thinking too which is why I brought them in. Just didn't know if it was a bit overcautious. I do have a heatlamp but don't have it set up anymore as the house is really warm as it is and they didn't seem to need it anymore, but that is a good idea should I need to dry them out quickly again.

It is mostly a space issue inside as my living space is tiny as it is and also the fact that my house is carpeted isnt ideal. They were in a large storage box as their brooder but have definitely outgrown that now and some of them can just escape from it anyway I put down some plastic sheeting and towels to protect the carpets while they are inside but it's getting messy so quickly (which I understand is part and parcel of duck life!) but its just not really very practical which is why I'm desperate for this little house to arrive!! I think I was just naive as to how fast they grow!

Thank you for your reply! Do your ducks go out in stormy (thunder and lightening) weather?

 

[Trisseh]

Once they’re adults they’ll gladly spend all day out in the rain, provided they have somewhere to go to take a break. Ducklings that aren’t feathered like yours will get waterlogged and chilled so not a good idea to put them out until you have somewhere to put them to keep them dry. Do you have a garage or a shed that you could use temporarily for them? if not and they need to stay in the house, a dog kennel will work well if you lay down some sort of moisture barrier underneath. Also would be a good idea to show up what your setup is like for in the brooder, and we might be able to help you come up with ideas to keep the smell and water spillage down in the meantime.

 

[Kate2402]

Once they’re adults they’ll gladly spend all day out in the rain, provided they have somewhere to go to take a break. Ducklings that aren’t feathered like yours will get waterlogged and chilled so not a good idea to put them out until you have somewhere to put them to keep them dry. Do you have a garage or a shed that you could use temporarily for them? if not and they need to stay in the house, a dog kennel will work well if you lay down some sort of moisture barrier underneath. Also would be a good idea to show up what your setup is like for in the brooder, and we might be able to help you come up with ideas to keep the smell and water spillage down in the meantime.

Thank you. I have put a storage box on its side with some wood shavings so that they have somewhere to shelter when they are outside (in normal weather, this is unrelated to the storm) but its obviously not perfect and they don't tend to go in there as they just love strutting around and making the most of some space. My outdoor space is limited too but much better than what I can offer them inside.

No garage or shed or dog kennel or anywhere except for my 10x8 foot living room (which obviously also has sofas and usual living room furniture as it is!) I mean, we are only talking about a week until the house comes in stock, but a week feels long right now!

While inside I just have a plastic sheet that goes down on the carpet, which I top with 2 large bath sheet towels. Im then using random household objects (storage boxes, cushions etc) to block them in to the protected area and stop them going under the sofas etc. Then a water feeder and a bowl of food just popped in. If I am available to be with them I switch the water feeder out for a shallow tray filled with water that they get into and wash/swim in. And thats pretty much it.... obviously they poo everywhere and throw their water and food about, so within an hour its pretty yucky in there. I'm washing at least 4 large towels a day and its just a lot to keep up with when I'm already a working mother with a tiny human child too.
But like I say, its not for much longer but if you have any suggestions that aren't too much hassle I would love to hear them. Thanks again

 

[AgnesGray]

Thank you, thats what i was thinking too which is why I brought them in. Just didn't know if it was a bit overcautious. I do have a heatlamp but don't have it set up anymore as the house is really warm as it is and they didn't seem to need it anymore, but that is a good idea should I need to dry them out quickly again.

It is mostly a space issue inside as my living space is tiny as it is and also the fact that my house is carpeted isnt ideal. They were in a large storage box as their brooder but have definitely outgrown that now and some of them can just escape from it anyway I put down some plastic sheeting and towels to protect the carpets while they are inside but it's getting messy so quickly (which I understand is part and parcel of duck life!) but its just not really very practical which is why I'm desperate for this little house to arrive!! I think I was just naive as to how fast they grow!

Thank you for your reply! Do your ducks go out in stormy (thunder and lightening) weather?

I think we all were shocked at how big they get and sooo quickly! It's amazing! (the mess, not quite as fun, but definitely impressive also!)

I can certainly understand wanting them to go out. The good news is that once their feathers start coming in, that all happens pretty quickly too. And they will eventually get to play in the rain. Thunder and lightning will delay me letting them out sometimes, but if they're out in it, they will usually not go in due to bad weather.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I can sympathize with the brooder/small living room situation, I ended up taking out a couch and putting it in storage as it was staying quite cold outside and there wasn’t enough room to accommodate them without sacrificing furniture. They do have quite an aromatic quality too. We cleaned many times daily but the house still smelled like duck, my ducks now love the rain, which is good because were getting a lot

 

[Trisseh]

Totally get where you’re coming from with the difficulties having them in the house. I brood mine in the house, in my bedroom because it’s the only room safe from the cats. I’ve found tricks from others on here for ways to keep things a little drier. If you’re letting them bathe, put them in the sink or bathtub for easy cleaning and less mess. You’re supervising anyways so it’s a win win.
for watering them, I use an old 4L jug with a couple holes cut out at duck head height; they still splash water but nowhere near as bad. Or, alternatively, use a cookie sheet/baking tray with a lip with a baking wire rack on top, put your waterer on top of there, and less water everywhere. they don’t need to play in their water with their whole bodies, no matter how much they like to.

for food, I also put the dish up on something so they can’t get right in there and toss it every which way. Just under head height is plenty low enough for them.

puppy pads, if you have access to them, might also be of some use to you. They absorb a lot more water than a towel and smell better for a bit longer.

just some suggestions to try to help while you’re stuck with them in your living space. They always amaze me with how fast they grow and how massive a mess they make from day 1.