I need to move my ducklings outdoors! Help me think this transition through.

[harriedhomemaker]

My ducklings are about 2 weeks old and while I enjoy having them in my house, the amount of mess they are beginning to generate means that they need to go outside.




I can't believe how big they've gotten!

I have a securely built duck house and I have a temporary run set up with a tarp for shade. Once they are bigger, they'll have 1,100 sq. ft to run around in.





I am mainly concerned because of the weather. Our highs have been consistently in the 100s and the lows are in the mid 70s.

QUESTIONS:

1) I think that the temp in their house will stay in the 80s at night, so I'm not planning on putting in a heat lamp. Good idea or not? I'm more concerned about them getting overheated.

2) Will they get too hot? Am I asking for trouble if I give them a rubber feed pan half full of water for a pool to cool off in? I am paranoid about them drowning.


I am home most of the time so I can check on them frequently, but I want to make sure that I'm not missing something obvious before they make the big move outdoors.

 

[Amiga]

I think that at two weeks, they are too young to be out in 100 degree weather with your setup.

You are right to be concerned about the heat and their safety with the water.

Have you looked at 70%cocoa's, tweetysvoice's and OldGuy43's brooder setups?

Is the top of their run covered? Ducklings are especially vulnerable to raptors.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I think that at two weeks, they are too young to be out in 100 degree weather with your setup.
You are right to be concerned about the heat and their safety with the water.
Have you looked at 70%cocoa's, tweetysvoice's and OldGuy43's brooder setups?
Is the top of their run covered? Ducklings are especially vulnerable to raptors.

The weather forecast is for 102-106 degree highs over the next few weeks. By the end of July we might see some cooler weather. I think I'm just going to have to deal with the mess indoors for a bit longer. I would be devastated if something happened to them that I could have prevented and, truth be told, I'm going to be busy keeping my chickens and turkeys alive in this weather.

As for their run, the temporary mini-run is made of chicken wire. (I know it is not predator-proof, but they will be locked up tight at night.). The real run has 50 lb test fishing line strung across it and we just bought some heavy-duty gamebird netting that we are going to put up ASAP. I had a chicken mysteriously disappear last week (I think she flew out of the run and got snagged by a dog or coyote) and I'm upping our defenses.

Thanks so much for responding.

 

[jdywntr]

I feel for you. After brooding inside and then allowing mom to do it outside, I don't think I will EVER brood ducklings inside again.

I would try to acclimate them to the heat take them out in the morning and check on them often. Maybe bring them in during the hottest part of the day. It is only July and it'll be hot for a while yet. I would provide more shade and make sure there is adequate ventilation. Unwrap that tarp from around the run, they will need air circulation in the heat. Make sure their food and water are in the shade. I would probably extend the tarp to it largest dimention also be careful of the way the sun is moving. If you set things up in the wrong direction, they would be in full sun at 1 or 2 pm a with no available shade.

Why not change the set up and stick a thermometor out there to see what the temp is like in the shade, check it at the hottest time and also check it at night and make sure it is not too hot or too cold. It will be work for you but I would go out at the coolest point of the night, even if its 1 am and check the temp. I've had ducklings born outside in FL in late June (last year) but they had tons of shade and were with mom.

I would be concerned about the water but as long as the pan is something VERY shallow I would give it to them. My previous ducklings would get into a kiddie pool at about 2 weeks, they were with mom though.

I have goslings now and my youngest were 1 week old when it was 104 here. They did fine with shade, lots of water sources and 2 shallow feed pans with water in them. The ducks would sit in the kiddie pool, the goslings would sit in the feed pans during the hottest part of the day.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I feel for you. After brooding inside and then allowing mom to do it outside, I don't think I will EVER brood ducklings inside again.

I would try to acclimate them to the heat take them out in the morning and check on them often. Maybe bring them in during the hottest part of the day. It is only July and it'll be hot for a while yet. I would provide more shade and make sure there is adequate ventilation. Unwrap that tarp from around the run, they will need air circulation in the heat. Make sure their food and water are in the shade. I would probably extend the tarp to it largest dimention also be careful of the way the sun is moving. If you set things up in the wrong direction, they would be in full sun at 1 or 2 pm a with no available shade.

Why not change the set up and stick a thermometor out there to see what the temp is like in the shade, check it at the hottest time and also check it at night and make sure it is not too hot or too cold. It will be work for you but I would go out at the coolest point of the night, even if its 1 am and check the temp. I've had ducklings born outside in FL in late June (last year) but they had tons of shade and were with mom.

I would be concerned about the water but as long as the pan is something VERY shallow I would give it to them. My previous ducklings would get into a kiddie pool at about 2 weeks, they were with mom though.

I have goslings now and my youngest were 1 week old when it was 104 here. They did fine with shade, lots of water sources and 2 shallow feed pans with water in them. The ducks would sit in the kiddie pool, the goslings would sit in the feed pans during the hottest part of the day.

Thank you! Great ideas!

 

[Amiga]

jdywntr, Thanks so much! Good advice!

 

[jdywntr]

You are most welcome. I've basically had to do the exact same thing. Looks like your setup is similar to mine. I'm on 5 acres but it is almost all open land the only trees are along the property edge. So no natural shade.