Ducklings Outside?

[ShyanneW]

Hi all!

I’m wondering if it’s too early to transition my ducklings outside? They’ll be about four weeks (give it take) old next week, and are starting to feather out, and are rapidly out growing my brooder.

I am getting a coop this week, and was thinking about setting it up, and putting their heat lamp out there, and moving them into it. They have adventures outside a few times and love it!
They’re adorable, and I love them, BUT, I’m tired of my house smelling like ducks

As I said, they’re starting to feather out and would have a consistent heat source until they are fully feathered. Just looking for some opinions here!

 

[Isaac 0]

What are your temps averaging throughout the day? I usually wait till mine have all their adult feathers in before I let them outside without a heat-lamp all day.

 

[ShyanneW]

What are your temps averaging throughout the day? I usually wait till mine have all their adult feathers in before I let them outside without a heat-lamp all day.

We’re right around 50° here in Maine lately. They seem to really dislike the heat lamp already which is interesting to me. I’ve taken them for little field trips outside and they scream at me when I bring them in

I should add that 50° is a pretty normal/regular temperature here.

 

[loofa]

Hoping to bump this thread. My ducklings are still too young to move outside (just shy of 3 weeks old), but I was browsing through the forum looking for information for when the time comes and didn't see anything, so thought I'd post. I read somewhere that around 6 weeks is when they can move outside. Is this correct? Any general transition advice? With chickens I've found that a few days in a coop and they know to roost in it at night once I start letting them free range (in fenced yard). Will it be the same with ducks? Will they just go into the coop to sleep or will I have to herd them in every night?
My ducklings also lost interest in being under their heat source - Our weather has been a bit erratic, but mostly their room staying around 65 to 75 degrees (F). Even though they are young I removed their heat source as they stopped using it, which gave them less space to hang out in.

 

[karenmragan]

Hoping to bump this thread. My ducklings are still too young to move outside (just shy of 3 weeks old), but I was browsing through the forum looking for information for when the time comes and didn't see anything, so thought I'd post. I read somewhere that around 6 weeks is when they can move outside. Is this correct? Any general transition advice? With chickens I've found that a few days in a coop and they know to roost in it at night once I start letting them free range (in fenced yard). Will it be the same with ducks? Will they just go into the coop to sleep or will I have to herd them in every night?
My ducklings also lost interest in being under their heat source - Our weather has been a bit erratic, but mostly their room staying around 65 to 75 degrees (F). Even though they are young I removed their heat source as they stopped using it, which gave them less space to hang out in.

My ducks have been free range since 3 weeks of age. They have tree cover and a fence to keep predators at bay though. I had to herd them the first few nights, but they learn pretty quickly where to go.

 

[TomCahalan]

Do you have the heat lamp on them while they are inside your house? That is not recommended beyond two weeks. The rule of thumb is that ducks need 90 degrees to start with, and can handle 5-10 lower per week. So 4-week-olds should be able to handle about 60 degrees. The more you subject them to cooler temperatures, the better able they will be to handle cold temperatures.

My recommendation is that you keep them inside for another week but without the heat lamp. The heat lamp is holding them back. Then put them outside.

Actually, even better than that would be to put them outside with a heat lamp right away, and then take away the heat lamp next week.

 

[loofa]

ah, I took the heat away 2 days ago because they weren't going under it. I never see them act cold - like, they sleep together, but not in a way that makes me think they are desperate for warmth from one another if that makes sense
I've been taking them outside for at least an hour a day if not longer in a small enclosure, but only as long as they can be supervised.
Outside we have a very large fenced yard, and coop- They still seem vulnerable to birds of prey and maybe even cats, although I don't THINK that coyotes can get through the fence (we had chickens before the fence and the coyotes got them). So at this age I'm assuming that putting them outside means putting them inside the coop - not letting them run around free yet yes?

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I put mine out in the coop at 4 weeks but I'm in South Texas.

 

[karenmragan]

ah, I took the heat away 2 days ago because they weren't going under it. I never see them act cold - like, they sleep together, but not in a way that makes me think they are desperate for warmth from one another if that makes sense
I've been taking them outside for at least an hour a day if not longer in a small enclosure, but only as long as they can be supervised.
Outside we have a very large fenced yard, and coop- They still seem vulnerable to birds of prey and maybe even cats, although I don't THINK that coyotes can get through the fence (we had chickens before the fence and the coyotes got them). So at this age I'm assuming that putting them outside means putting them inside the coop - not letting them run around free yet yes?

Yes, even if you have a good fence, it's best to keep them protected from aerial predators until they are too heavy to be carried off.
What I did was research the Raptors common to my area, and found the size of the heaviest species. A bird of prey cannot carry anything heavier than its own body weight.

 

[loofa]

very clever. We have eagles here, which it looks like can carry up to 4 or 5 pounds! I don't think they would be able to take a full grown duck, but they'll definitely have to be full grown before they are safe from the skies.