Finally!

[Broodica]

Our duck house and run are done. Time for the 4 girls to go in!!!! They're 7-8 weeks old (Mallards and 1 Rouen) and we all need them to be outside and out of my bathroom!!!! We have a 4x4 sqft house, about 8" off the ground. The bottom is wood. They'll be getting a pool this week. I am going to keep them in the duck house at night. My husband says the run is predator proof, with 1/4" hardware cloth buried under it, on top of it and all around it over galvanized fencing. The top is electrified as well, but I'm too nervous.

If you guys could answer a couple of quick questions.

What is the best thing for bedding? The more I research, the more confused I get. Shavings? Straw? Hay? They will not have food or water in the house at night.

They have been outside during the day when it has not been raining grrrrrrrrr, but not for too long as we had no protected area to put them and the eagles start congregating. Sunny now tho! They have been in my bathroom with no heat and a night light, but it only gets down to about 55-60F in here at night. We had a bit of a freeze last night. Was 33F this morning at 6am. Should I put a heat lamp in there for them? Or bring them in at night until they are older? My husband suggested a thermostat w/heat lamp for a while. How warm should I keep it? If at all.....Or am I being nuts and I should just set them up in their new place and not worry about it. Seems like it might be a shock coming from 55 at night to 35 all of a sudden? It's 55F-60F during the day.

The run is about 150 sq ft with pea gravel and sand on top. What's best to put over the sand? The pool will have rocks and pea gravel around it. They will also soon have a 900 sqft ranging area, but not until the spring probably.

Any suggestions would be great. I'd like to get them settled this weekend and then sand blast my bathroom.

Thank so much!

 

[Broodica]

If someone could just answer the temperature question, I would really appreciate it!

Thanks

 

[love_a_duck]

Any suggestions would be great. I'd like to get them settled this weekend and then sand blast my bathroom.
​

Broodica,
I do not have an answer for you, but i thought the above remark was funny.
Maybe katharina or bleenie (both in your state i think) will be here soon to answer.

i think they are pretty hardy, but do not listen to anything i say.
i am a vicarious duck owner for now.
sigh.....


Beth​

 

[critterranch]

the temp is about the same here in new york friday's high was 46. i would leave them outside . but i guess it is up to you. i usually dont keep them under the lamp more than 3-4 weeks tops. but that is just me. other people probly do things different. i free range my ducks at 4 weeks they started free ranging and get locked up at night. my ducks have a little dog house that isn't insulted just wood and the door is wood with rabbit wire mostly rabbit wire. they go to bed by themselfs. i just shut the door it only took a week for them to learn how to go to bed at night. they all get in and cuddle up for the night i use wood chips on bottom thin layer with some hay on top that the goats waste. they dont need much though they just cuddle

 

[Broodica]

Quote:


Broodica,
I do not have an answer for you, but i thought the above remark was funny.
Maybe katharina or bleenie (both in your state i think) will be here soon to answer.

i think they are pretty hardy, but do not listen to anything i say.
i am a vicarious duck owner for now.
sigh.....


Beth

Thanks Beth...lol If you saw my bathroom, you would know exactly what I mean!

I brought them in for the night anyway. They are my babies and I'm a sucker.

 

[love_a_duck]

i hear ya, i am planning on living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
next year, hopefully buying a place.
Lots of houses with acres cheap.
So, I will be struggling with letting my pets get cold.
And it is cold up there!

I saw a thread in the Geese section called,
"ducks vs. geese"
and a lady name cottage rose has a link to her site about raising waterfowl.
it was very informative about ducklings and goslings.
cottage rose lives in michigan too.

Beth

 

[Broodica]

Quote:
I can't free range them...too many predators. Had to wait until predator proof run was finally finished, so they've been in the house for almost 2 months and I'm about to go insane. They'll have another 900 sq ft area to roam around in during the day in the spring. Anyway, I know they are hardy, just concerned about the huge differential in temp all at once. I hope they'll get the 'going to bed at night' thing quickly!

Thanks

 

[katharinad]

I would keep it at 50 degrees at night until they are 12 weeks old. Be careful with heat lamps they can start a fire. I used an oil filled radiator in my duck house. I kept it on the lowest setting and they were able to snug up to it, if they wanted. They also should have food and water at night until they are 12 weeks old. I know some stop earlier, but I would advise against it. They are still growing and a constant source with better for them at this point. Don't worry about safety. They are large enough to be outdoors in the daytime. I let mine run around in my yard when they are 4 weeks old, and free range at 6 weeks. I do not worry about flying predators. I do lock them up at night, when the great horned owls and other nasty predators are out. Female great horned owls are way bigger then an eagle. I live in eagle central in the Klamath basin. You can drive here for less then 5 minutes and see at least 10 bald eagles. We have that many out here. For bedding it is your choice and what works for you. I use pine shaving and clean out daily. Hay works too.

 

[Broodica]

Quote:
They've been out side running around with me watching them, but within 15 minutes, we have our 2 neighbourhood eagles circling. Scares me. They were in the run all day today. I think they were a little freaked out! Whooooaaaaa. All this space and fresh air and stuff to peck at! Yippee! They even managed to make a small puddle around their waterer and started their foot stamping thing.

50F and food at night for another month? I was hoping to keep the food and water out of the house to keep the mess down, but I guess I could put up with the cleaning out for a few weeks longer. UGH! The house is only 4'x4' and I figured with water in there at night it would be crazy. You should see my shower stall in the morning where their food and water is!

Thanks Katharinad.....

PS. My husband is German as well. Family is from Kassel on one side and Nordheim (?) on the other. He is first generation Canadian/American.