Ducklings of different ages

[MommaDuck2017]

I didn't think it through and have been adding to my flock every Thursday for three weeks. We've got 9 now obviously each a week in age apart...My question is how do I go about moving them outside....The first batch was 3 Pekin they're so ready to be outside, the next was 3 Khaki Campbells, they could probably wait another week or two before going out and then the 3 mallards are youngest and smallest and no where near ready to go out or have access to play water like the Pekins....I don't want to separate them and have 3 separate flocks or something. Probably should have thought this through but what can I do?

 

[cyriuskee]

I always do staggered hatches. I've found they will buddy up very quickly once all in the same pen again. Mine were all pekins so it may that they would separate themselves by breed in the long run, but with just a few weeks between them I would think you would have the same outcome. I kept them penned at day and night in a large outdoor pen, switching swimming containers as they grew. When almost grown I started letting them freerange by day and they would run into their pen for feeding at night. I believe the few weeks that
all were in the pen together helped them rebond. Hope it all works works out for you!

 

[MommaDuck2017]

What's the youngest duck you move outdoors if they have bigger ducks to huddle with? I'm building an outdoor brooder before we put them in a coop/run. My youngest is just a few days old so I worry a little about them...@cyriuskee from what you've said though I can just keep my mallards (the youngest) indoors until they're ready and mix them back in when they're old enough..

 

[Justy0]

I think it will be fine for you to move them out in age groups. I would say start taking the middle age ducklings out for an hour or so to get them used to the outside and so they can still have social time with the others and do the same with the youngest group when they are a bit older.

 

[cyriuskee]

@MommaDuck2017-the best rule of thumb for me is when the temperate of their brooder is the same as outdoors at night (I'm in Savannah so it's not really cold here) or when they've started getting real feathers. They actually feather out more quickly when they live outside. You can do day trips outside with them for a few hours if its warm enough where you are. I will often put the little ones in a small pen outside of their own during the warmest hours of the day. Just be careful to dry them off well if they do any swimming. Have fun!