Letting Ducks Out Too Early?

[drdoolittle]

Wel, today I go back to work driving a school-bus. I have to leave at 5:40 a.m. to get to the terminal on time. My question is this, being as it is still dark out at this time, is it too early to be letting my ducks out of their pen? The pen and house they have is only for nighttime, and the entire day is spent out in a our large "community" pen----although they do still have access to their house, and another house. I feel I should let them out before I leave, because my kids will more than likely forget, and the pen is WAY too small for anything other than nighttime. There are also 2 geese with the ducks, and my pygmy goats are out in the pen that early. I just wonder what the chances of a raccoon or something getting them are? I don't believe any type of predator has ever gone into the big pen, even at night, and we do have a GSD outside who patrols the perimeter of the pen whenever I'm out there----I think this is why nothing has ever gone in (as far as I know). What would you do?

 

[GMT]

I've been letting mine out at 3:45 - 4:00 AM (as I have to be at work at 5 AM.) But my pen has a string of 7W decorative lights around it that are tied to an automatic timer that turns them off at dawn. I come out, turn the lights on, do what I need to do, and then let my girls out of their house. They really don't seem to mind . . . if anything, this morning, they weren't even willing to wait until I'd completely dropped the door before they started coming out.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Larger community pen w/other critters out already, nice weather ..... I'd let them out.

 

[Amiga]

When do you get back?

 

[katharinad]

I would let them out early. You can install some solar lights that will illuminate the pen, which I have done. Another option is to use a light sensor outlet plug with a chain light. That way the light will turn off when they sun comes up. You could also install a light fixture with a sensor in it and have a switch put in between so it will not be on all night.

 

[drdoolittle]

Thank you, everyone! Now I won't be so worried about them! I know they'd all rather spend the day free-ranging than being penned up.

Oh, I don't get home until about 5 p.m., but my youngest gets home at 3 p.m.------that's still too long to leave everyone in their individual pens.