Ducks - Over-wintering ducks hatched in the fall

[drewskimac]

Hello all,

I have ordered 12 day-old ducklings from McMurray hatchery that will be arriving the week of November 11th. I have raised ducklings before, so I am prepared to care for them properly when they arrive. However, I have not raised them before at this time of year. So, I have some questions about how to care for them when raising them thru the fall and winter.

1. How long do the ducks need to be under a heat lamp? What is the best starting temp? How much should the heat be titrated down weekly? (Like I said, I have raised them before, but it's been a while so I'd like a refresher on the best temperatures).

2. Will they need to have a heatlamp throughout the winter with them being so young going into winter? At what age can they be moved out of the brooder, into their permanent pen? I live in northwest Arkansas, so the winters are fairly mild, but we do get freezing weather and precipitation.

3. What are your favorite DIY/Storebought waterers for the winter? Because we do have occasional freezing weather in the winter time, I would like to have a heated waterer, whether it be DIY or store bought - i'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thankyou in advance!

 

[PirateGirl]

For my duck water I use a bucket. Ducks dunk and play in the water so much every day it rarely freezes (even in freezing temps) and they routinely break the surface ice. I have a second bucket I kee in the house and then just swap the frozen one with the thawed one on occasion if needed.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I had my Spring Ducklings ordered for the first week of February this year (2019).
Ther brooder was a plastic kiddy-pool in my home-office and they never had a heat-lamp ever. Instead, i built a Momma-Heat-Cave for them, they loved to huddle inside and do not panic when it is really dark in the duck-house now. - My Runner Ducks from last year still freak out during the short time between power out and generator start-up…
At just three weeks i moved them from my home-office into a make-shift garage-brooder and when they were 6 weeks old in March they went into a little duck-house outside, and just two weeks later they were released to the general public. I had already introduced them to colder temperatures outside on the patio.
Waterers in winter are a mess, i have no comfortable, heated waterer for my ducks yet. I don't like the galvanized steel waterers, they will start to rust sooner or later and with a plastic waterer you can't use a heated platform. I must work on a good DIY solution...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love my heated buckets. Makes life so much easier. For my chickens I put pieces of cut 4X4 in front so they can get to the water.

Heat plates and mama heat caves are nice but if you are still wanting to use a heat lamp start the temps at least 85 then every week raise the lamp so the brooder drops 5* that way by the time they are old enough to go outside they will most likely not be using heat. And be sure to take them outside on sunny warmer days so they get acclimated to the temps they will feather in quicker and be use to the weather. When you have time to take them outside on nice days they will enjoy it so much and you'll enjoy watching them. Also letting them swim in warm tub will get them preening and getting the oil gland working quicker.
What breed and how many?

 

[drewskimac]

Thanks for the input guys! I got 6 khaki Campbell hens, 3 welsh harlequin hens and 1 welsh harlequin drake!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nice breeds! Be sure to post pics when you get those cuties!

 

[Runner duck mom]

We've always used Metzers instructions for raising ducklings/ temps.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/RearingInstructions.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=18107166
I'm hoping for a mild winter here in Georgia too since we should have ducklings hatching Nov 8th (if all goes well).
Last winter wasn't too bad so we would clean and fill their water/ pool before putting the ducks to bed so it was all set in the morning. I would just bring a pitcher of hot water to melt any ice in the morning. By the afternoon the hose would be thawed and we could get them all cleaned up and waters refilled. A heated water bucket would be nice though
Great suggestions so far that will help for sure, thank you!
Can't wait to see pics of your new ducklings.

 

[drewskimac]

Thought I’d share the solution I came up with for keeping the ducklings from soiling the bedding every 5 seconds. I got a large hog pan from tractor supply along with 1/4x1/4 wire mesh and covered the pan with it. Placed two 2x4/ to support the pan, waterer goes ontop. No more soiled bedding!

 

[drewskimac]

Also, I picked up a few different things. Probiotics and electrolytes for their water. 24% protein starter crumbles and 20% grower crumbles once they’ve finished the starter crumbles. Am I doing the right thing for my ducklings?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure looks like it. I like you water solution. The first week the chick water will work fine after that you should make them a waterer similar to this so they can dunk their heads which is very important. Also you want to put them on a form of niacin. Because chick started an grower doesn’t have the amount of niacin ducklings need. A better choice of feed would have been an all flock but since you already have the feed just pick up liquid b complex or Nutritional yeast. Liquid b complex can be found at TSC the Nutritional yeast at natural food stores or online.