Moving Ducklings outside to single digit temps

[Varagol]

Hey folks,

I see / read lots of posts about moving them out in the summer, but nothing about moving them out during the fall/winter.

The lowdown:

11 baby ducks, now two weeks old. My plan was to wait until week eight to move them into the coop (a 9x12 shed with some chickens) divided so they can get to know each other before letting them mingle.

I'm in northern Mn. In six weeks the temps will be 10's and 20's, with single digits or lower at night. Is week eight long enough to move them, assuming I run heat to the coop? Ideally I'd like to not have to heat the coop (I've got 11 other baby chicks that I wanted to move in there at the 12 week range), so there would be a total of 25 birds (14 chickens, 11 ducks) in the coop, which should be warm enough.

At week eight can they handle these low temps?

Thanks!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yes, they can handle those low temperatures, if:

1. They have a heat-source in their coop, just in case. I would not go with a heat lamp, but a heat-pad instead.
2. They have lot's of dry, fluffy bedding like straw or hay where they can dig in.
3. Your coop provides shelter from rain and snow and drafts.
4. You have brought them outside for some play-time in colder weather so that they can get accustomed to colder temperatures.

I kicked my spring ducklings out of their garage-brooder when they were 6 weeks old in March and released them to the general public two weeks later. We are not so cold here in WV as you are in MN, but they got released in the middle of a snow-shower and it was wet, humid and frosty for another month. But i had already introduced them to colder temperatures outside on the patio.

 

[Varagol]

Yes, they can handle those low temperatures, if:

1. They have a heat-source in their coop, just in case. I would not go with a heat lamp, but a heat-pad instead.
2. They have lot's of dry, fluffy bedding like straw or hay where they can dig in.
3. Your coop provides shelter from rain and snow and drafts.
4. You have brought them outside for some play-time in colder weather so that they can get accustomed to colder temperatures.

I kicked my spring ducklings out of their garage-brooder when they were 6 weeks old in March and released them to the general public two weeks later. We are not so cold here in WV as you are in MN, but they got released in the middle of a snow-shower and it was wet, humid and frosty for another month. But i had already introduced them to colder temperatures outside on the patio.

I keep the house on the cooler side, roughly 65 degrees. I think after week four, I'll remove the heat lamp and see how they do with regular house temp (65). If I need to put a heat source in, I will. That should keep the temp above 32 until everyone (the 11 ducklings and the 11 chicks plus the other four chickens) gets in there.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I'd be more worried about the peepers than the quackers! Ducklings are pretty hard and they don't have exposed body parts like wattles and combs, their down-jacket covers it all.

 

[Varagol]

I'd be more worried about the peepers than the quackers! Ducklings are pretty hard and they don't have exposed body parts like wattles and combs, their down-jacket covers it all.

The chicks will go out in week 12, or the end of December. They should be able to take it with the 15 other birds out there (Four adult chickens, and the then 12 week old Ducks).

 

[PirateGirl]

I want to add that they should be fully feathered (which at that age they probably will be) but they do need their proper feathers to regulate their body temp

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd rather be on the safer side, what works for some doesn't necessarily work for others.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Yes..the full feathers is what I go by..some are slower than others...if they aren’t feathered..I would wait..they need that down coat...do you have chickens and ducks living together now? Do they get along? Be careful at first...I’d maybe even do the the look but don’t touch thing where they are in a cage inside the pen so they get used to each other...my chickens don’t like my ducks one bit.