Ducks alone during heatwave

[jennybvcr]

I’ll be heading up to VT Monday morning until Wednesday early afternoon and the ducks will be left home alone for the first time longer than 1 night.

I set up their run so that I could leave them for 2 nights - they are in a completely secure run so their coop door stays open over night. Most nights they just sleep in their pool anyways. I have a 5 gallon waterer and feeder and a medium sized kiddie pool.

Normally I wouldn’t stress about 2 days but we’re supposed to have heat in the mid-90s all week. The one downfall of their run is that there isn’t much shade, especially in the morning.

I tried putting up a little shade inside their run today and they went into their house and refused to come out. When I finally acquiesced and took it out, they ran to the pool and drank like crazy. I’m afraid if I add anything now, they’ll hide in their coop and dehydrate.

Does anyone have any suggestions other than keeping tons of water available for them? I’ve posted a picture of their run so you have an idea of what I’m working with.

 

[casportpony]

Can you go get some shade cloth and attach that to the sides and roof?

 

[jennybvcr]

Can you go get some shade cloth and attach that to the sides and roof?

I was thinking of putting a tarp up. Do you think they will freak out if I secure it to the outside?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put up the tarp you have till Monday to make sure they will be okay with it up. It's way too hot for them to be with out some kind of shade.

 

[jennybvcr]

Apparently they think so too. Also apparently the new fencing I put up for their little yard was not adequate

 

[jennybvcr]

Ive been keeping an eye on the run and it gets partially shaded by about noon so I feel a little better, but I will still put up a tarp over the sunny side.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just don't close it in it will keep trap the heat inside. That looks good.

 

[jennybvcr]

Got home today to three ladies that were very happy to see me and to be let out of their run into the yard. They seem to have weathered the heat wave with aplomb. The only real big mess up was that I didn't have their autofeeder ready in time so I just put out two big bowls of food. It wasn't supposed to rain so I didn't think it would be a big deal. Well apparently we got about three inches of rain one of the days I was gone and their food was a soppy, disgusting, stinking, BUBBLING fermented mess. At the end of the day I'd rather have them without food for a day or so than without water so I'll call it a success. I have the next two days off so I'm planning on getting the autofeeder worked out.

And I only said "I hope the girls are ok" 32 times in the three days so I think I did pretty well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Who counted those 32times?

I can't even go away for a day with out worrying about mine. lol

Glad they were okay and glad to see you!