Ok I got 4 ducklings on 12-23-2014. they were 3 weeks old when I bought them I have them in a brooder still with a heat lamp with only a reqular bulb in it because it is less than 40 degrees and raining all week. when should I put them in a requler coop and take away the heat lamp. also when and how can I tell if they are male or female? how much water and food do they need a day I feed them purina flock raiser also how long till the females start laying and when can they start breeding?
They need to be fully feathered before going outside unless you plan on supplementing heat for them, By 8 weeks they should be ready but I'd still acclimate by taking them outside on nice days and letting them get use to the temps. at 5 weeks old they should have a brooder temp of 70* usually by 12-16 weeks you can begin to notice drakes getting larger than the ducks and by 4-5 months old drakes if not Muscovy will begin to get the drake feather, also ducks will quack loudly and often and drakes have a quiter more raspy quack which you may be able to start to hear by 6-7 weeks they will begin to mate around 4-5 months old and usually eggs come soon after. They need to have food and water 24/7 up until around 4-6 weeks old then you can take food and water away at night. Never give food without water and they need a container deep enough to wash their faces in. they need to dunk their heads. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711 Welcome to BYC
