how old do ducklings have to be before there fully feather'd ???

[FluffyDucklings]

I have two cayuga ducklings that r three weeks younger than them so when the 4 week olds are 6 weeks can i put the younger ones with them? Will that create enough heat? Or should i still wait until the older ones are eight weeks and then put the youngers one with them when the younger ones are 6 weeks

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have two cayuga ducklings that r three weeks younger than them so when the 4 week olds are 6 weeks can i put the younger ones with them? Will that create enough heat? Or should i still wait until the older ones are eight weeks and then put the youngers one with them when the younger ones are 6 weeks

Questions. what type of housing? is it draft free but well ventilated? what type of bedding? and what will temps be? do ducklings cuddle now? because they may not when put out. temps during the day with sunshine and out of drafts can be into 60's and they maybe be okay outside during the day and brought in only at night. That way your acclimating them into outside day and night.

 

[FluffyDucklings]

Is this for now or when they get older? For now i was planning on letting the older ducks outside in the duck house during the day and bringing them inside at night. Their duck house is made out of untreated plywood but we water proofed the outside. I made it myself so i does have some small gaps in between the planks. The bedding is pine shavings. Today is the first day of fall so the temp will be dropping. Yes they do huddle together and when i put them in the duck house today for a few hours ( it was nice and warm out today) they were cuddling together near the food. I looked up the temp for tomorrow and its supposed to be high 50s and low 60s.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is this for now or when they get older? For now i was planning on letting the older ducks outside in the duck house during the day and bringing them inside at night. Their duck house is made out of untreated plywood but we water proofed the outside. I made it myself so i does have some small gaps in between the planks. The bedding is pine shavings. Today is the first day of fall so the temp will be dropping. Yes they do huddle together and when i put them in the duck house today for a few hours ( it was nice and warm out today) they were cuddling together near the food. I looked up the temp for tomorrow and its supposed to be high 50s and low 60s.

For now, I have seen where seasoned duck/goose folks put their ducklings/gosling outside when temps are in 50-60's as long as they are out of the wind and it's not raining. then bring them back inside at night. Sounds like a nice house for them they need good ventilation as long as wind isn't blowing right over them. My ducklings hatched by mama duck are out in temps of 60's during the day time it really does help them get acclimated to the weather quicker and feather out quicker too. Watch them when you put them out if they huddle together and don't move around they maybe too cold but if they move around acting normal and huddle when resting then they are most likely fine.

 

[FluffyDucklings]

Do the small gaps count as ventilation?

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is talking about chickens but pertains to all poultry

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[FluffyDucklings]

Thanks for the link that helped alot. I actually do have a gap at the top of the house already and a few on the sides as it talks about needing so i think im good on that

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the link that helped alot. I actually do have a gap at the top of the house already and a few on the sides as it talks about needing so i think im good on that

Good, they are hardy birds and have lots of down under those feathers so when they fully feather they will be good under very cold conditions as long as they can get out of the extremes. Make sure any gaps you have are not large enough a pred could get through, small predators like weasel and minks are said to be able to slip through 1" gaps. Hardware cloth is the safest stuff there is for keeping them out.

 

[FluffyDucklings]

Wow they can really do that?!? I dont have a gap that big, although i may at the way top but a weasel cant get up there i dont think. Can they?

 

[FluffyDucklings]

The house is about 2 feet off the ground on posts and the actualy house is about 4 feet tall