Help! Anyone brooding ducklings in the Northeast?

[bs1234567]

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[LydiaB]

I just use a regular 100 watt light bulb when brooding any poultry. It works fine.
I did 90ish degrees for three days, then 85 degrees, dropping 5 degrees each week after that.
I have had my ducklings outside since I got them. they are in a brooder box in a barn. The temperature is harder to monitor out there, but they are doing fine.
Those are the answers I know. other people will answer the other questions.

 

[Amiga]

Hello,

I may become mama to 3-4 Welsh Harlequin ducklings in a few days!! They're being hatched in a local 3rd grade classroom, & there are 8 eggs that started to peep yesterday!!! I'm taking a few & another local person is taking the rest. These will be my very 1st poultry EVER! I'm hoping the hatch goes well!

I have the Storey's Guide, I've read a lot of threads, I've done online research & looked at other books, etc. I want to do this right, & there seems to be a lot of differing opinion on a few issues.

Now I'm wondering if I can get some specific perspective from folks in this region at this time of year.

My questions:

1. Do I need a heat lamp for brooding in June, or just a regular light? Is there one that is recommended for summer brooding in the Northeast in case of sudden temp drops? Are there any lamps that use less electricity (that's just to do with the electric bill, not the ducks).

Day olds need to be about 90F the first week, dropping 5 degrees a week after that until you don't need a heat source (if the weather is warm, you can turn off the heat)

2. What is the temp that is best to start with & the subsequent temp drop each week (many differing suggestions to be found out there)!!!

3. Can the whole brooding time take place outside with a heat source, or is it still safest to start the first couple weeks inside at this time of year? In New England, nights get chilly. Also, please, please, remember predators are deadly and protect the ducklings.

4. When can I give them their first swim in shallow water (what should the outside temp be)? I gave mine a swim on day two in the brooder in a cake pan in a couple of inches of water. Supervise, use very warm (85 to 90) water, make sure they dry off in a clean, warm, dry brooder. Towel them dry if they don't preen right away.

5. When can I start them outside on forage (for short times with supervision at first, of course)? On sunny days when it is as warm as their proper temperature (so if it's 85 outdoors their second week, go ahead and take them out. And remember about cats, dogs, and hawks.

6. Can I add a few more ducklings from another farm at the end of the month? What would be the safest way to do that? They can be introduced, slowly. Side by side with plastic poultry fence in between is a good start. Size difference can matter. If the difference is significant, be patient and wait till everyone is close to the same size to let them run together. And watch closely, some ducks are bullies.

7. Is late June too late to start brooding for a first-timer in the mountains of Vermont? I think it would be October when they're fully feathered?? Depends on how you will house them, how quickly cold weather sets in, and what breed you have, and how hardy the individuals are. My runners do not thrive below 35F, no matter what the book says.


8. Any specific organic feed recommendations for ducks? Blue seal makes an organic layer, Countryside Organic makes an organic mix, cannot recall if Mazuri is organic.

I know, a lot of questions. Can you tell I'm a nervous mom-to-be??!!

Just spending a LOT of time sorting through threads for info specific to my area & this season.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[bs1234567]

Thanks LydiaB & Amiga!

That helps me to make some final decisions.

Quote: Also, please, please, remember predators are deadly and protect the ducklings.

And remember about cats, dogs, and hawks.

Amiga, you're right about the predator situation. My instinct was to brood inside until the babies are ready for the duck house & fenced/roofed duckyard, but I wasn't sure if it was healthier for them to be in a secure brooder in a more 'natural' outdoor environment. Also going to make a duck tractor shelter & yard for baby 'free ranging', though I still probably wouldn't leave them out there on their own until a bit older... can you tell I'm overprotective.

Quote: I have had my ducklings outside since I got them. they are in a brooder box in a barn. The temperature is harder to monitor out there, but they are doing fine.

LydiaB, the other person in the area who's taking some of these babies has a brooder out in the barn (she has a lot more experience with these things than I do). Unfortunatly, we don't have a barn yet, so laundry room it is until duckhouse time.

Quote: Depends on how you will house them, how quickly cold weather sets in, and what breed you have, and how hardy the individuals are. My runners do not thrive below 35F, no matter what the book says.
Amiga, could you say a bit more about your ducks not thriving in winter? Last year we got that crazy blizzard on October 31st!

What's worked for you in terms of keeping your guys safe & happy when the New England weather gets crazy? We're building our duck house ourselves, so this would be the perfect time for tips from someone in the area. We were thinking about foam board insulation in the walls (because we have some left over from a house project). We're also building a fenced yard that will have a mesh top for non-snowy months & a roof (made with leftover metal roofing) for winter to keep the snow out of the yard. We've heard ducks are hard to keep inside on even horrible days. It would be great to know more about your experience.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

 

[Amiga]

Amiga, could you say a bit more about your ducks not thriving in winter? Last year we got that crazy blizzard on October 31st!

What's worked for you in terms of keeping your guys safe & happy when the New England weather gets crazy? We're building our duck house ourselves, so this would be the perfect time for tips from someone in the area. We were thinking about foam board insulation in the walls (because we have some left over from a house project). We're also building a fenced yard that will have a mesh top for non-snowy months & a roof (made with leftover metal roofing) for winter to keep the snow out of the yard. We've heard ducks are hard to keep inside on even horrible days. It would be great to know more about your experience.



Blue MTN Farm

Their first early winter, the ducks had lost a little weight even with food and water 24/7, were not laying (I had been told this was due to less light), feathers did not seem quite sleek, they were moving slowly. When it got to the point that Funf and Sieben were walking around shivering with their necks tucked in, I decided to make a temporary pen in the walkout basement, temperature about 40F.

Within days, ducks were beginning to lay again, their eyes brightened, their energy levels increased, their feathers looked better, they just looked happier.

A few weeks later, we got the first of a series of storms that piled over 3 feet of snow outside. I did not have to shovel as much to get to the duck yard, as the ducks were indoors. I was able to make a play area in the back yard and set up a swim pan out there. Much better for everyone!

So in winter, ducks stay in a pen that is at least 40F, easy for me to get to, keep clean, and monitor.

The basement smells like straw. Not such a bad thing.

 

[bs1234567]

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