How long to acclimate a duck from indoor to outdoor temps

[zook]

So I have a duck (drake) who is a little over 10 weeks old and needs to go into the barn now. He is our only duck from a hatch we raised inside. (Turbo for those who know us). Our temps today have swung up from the deep cold and blizzards of a few days ago to +3C to +10C tomorrow.(37-50F) The rest of the week will see temps 20-40F or -2-+5C. Being a relatively mild week from the deep cold how many days should I let him get used to the cold. Are these temps especially today and tomorrow are well above freezing to cold to put him in the barn for any length of time. How long for him to adjust. Where he is now his temps range from 50-65F depending if woodstove is on in the kitchen. I found his pen is to big to put in a colder back porch in the house so its either in or out.He will still be in his pen in the barn able to see the other ducks and turkeys but not mingle directly with them.

below is our long range forecast in Fahrenheit. Don't want him to get sick but he needs to see his own kind now.Thoughts

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

How many ducks is he joining? Can you start easing him into cooler temps now? I would plan on at least 3-4 days of transition.

 

[zook]

How many ducks is he joining? Can you start easing him into cooler temps now? I would plan on at least 3-4 days of transition.

He won't be directly joining the group of 4 (3 ducks and a very dominant drake) but will be able to see them. Hopes are to give the most timid duck to him as a mate for now. The next 2 days would be ideal to get him into the barn at least during the day as the temps are going up for 2 days. He will be within their pen but segregated in his own smaller pen.

 

[Going Quackers]

You've got great temps to bang up against your current ones he's in over the next couple days.. basically as with most things, watch your bird he's bound to be scared of new places, noises etc.. always a process with adding birds.

I added one this past fall but she was in quarantine for a couple weeks and then did a see and greet with the flock, then i let her loose but she wasn't a baby(under 1yo) but able to hold her own and join up with fellow birds in a similar aging.

 

[zook]

You've got great temps to bang up against your current ones he's in over the next couple days.. basically as with most things, watch your bird he's bound to be scared of new places, noises etc.. always a process with adding birds.

I added one this past fall but she was in quarantine for a couple weeks and then did a see and greet with the flock, then i let her loose but she wasn't a baby(under 1yo) but able to hold her own and join up with fellow birds in a similar aging.

Already the high for today has been exceeded. 4C now. But that is what happens when you are right against the Bay of Fundy. When its milder the bay makes it a bit milder. On the weekend I mentioned the blizzard and winds. here is a pic of our downtown from the ocean storm surges as the town is in a valley of sorts. The river is tidal right in the centre of downtown. So we do get hit hard when we do get bad weather. I'm embarrassed to show the back of my barn.

Turbo is now out in the barn in his pen just inside the door so I see him each time I go out. I put the young duck who is really calm and most easy going. They are doing fine. She is smaller than him and seems to want to snuggle with him and he seems oblivious as I gave him more food. Loves to eat that guy and drinks tons. I st up stayed around to watch them for about an hour and no hostility at all from either. I'll check them every hour to see how it goes. I could hang a heat lamp over his pen at night only for a few days but out of drafts shavings and another duck to snuggle with should be okay. Tomorrow its supposed to be 10C or more so even better.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Is that flooding? Oh my!

 

[zook]

Is that flooding? Oh my!

Yes it is. Pretty much flooded all of the downtown. here's Turbo this afternoon with his new girl, the turkeys who I let out each day came to see who is there and of course munk our dog looking for spilled feed to eat. So I check Turbo every hour (he's the black & white drake) and so far so good with the new little lady. Also another pic of the flooding for Holly


.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Unreal. This wild weather everywhere is quite the test for all of us! It is snowing like mad here, adding to the 5" we got last night and this flock of mine just will not go inside the barn.

Well hang in there and stay the course, keep doing what you're doing @zook

 

[Amiga]

for zook at HollyDuckFarmer, everyone dealing with challenges today.

 

[Miss Lydia]

for zook at HollyDuckFarmer, everyone dealing with challenges today.

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