My ducks will be 6 weeks old on 4/2 and they are STILL IN MY HOUSE. They have no room left in the brooder and are outgrowing the bathtub (where I let them swim). And I love the little piggies but they stink. Lol. I'm constantly cleaning out the bedding.
Their house will be finished tomorrow and they have a small pen I will attach to it until the bigger enclosure is finished. But I have a few questions...
1) The coldest night this week will be 28 degrees. They have almost all of their adult feathers now and I can put their heat lamp in the house with them. Would they be ok staying outside?
2) when I move them to the outside house/pen should I already have the nest boxes and decoy eggs set up? They won't be laying for a while but maybe they should get used to the boxes and thinking other ducks lay their eggs there so it's safe??
3) EVERY SINGLE TIME I pick them up one of them ends up scratching me with their toenails. (Big bleeding scratches). I know they don't mean to hurt me but when they try to find a place to rest their feet or when they want to get down and flap their feet around they end up scratching me. Any advice? Should I cut their nails?
Their house will be finished tomorrow and they have a small pen I will attach to it until the bigger enclosure is finished. But I have a few questions...
1) The coldest night this week will be 28 degrees. They have almost all of their adult feathers now and I can put their heat lamp in the house with them. Would they be ok staying outside?
2) when I move them to the outside house/pen should I already have the nest boxes and decoy eggs set up? They won't be laying for a while but maybe they should get used to the boxes and thinking other ducks lay their eggs there so it's safe??
3) EVERY SINGLE TIME I pick them up one of them ends up scratching me with their toenails. (Big bleeding scratches). I know they don't mean to hurt me but when they try to find a place to rest their feet or when they want to get down and flap their feet around they end up scratching me. Any advice? Should I cut their nails?