Ok to live outside?

[nigella]

I have 6 Welsh Harlequin ducklings who are a little over 5 weeks old. We completed their duck house/fortified run and I was hoping to move them into it and out of my basement this week. They have about 80% of their adolescent feathers, just missing some on the sides and head. Do you think they'd be ok moving outside? The weather here will be 50s during the day and low 30s at night. There will be lots of straw in their house. I've also been cooling down their room in the basement to hopefully get them acclimated. What do you think? Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

Yes...They are ready to go outside and Be Ducks. They will love it..

 

[HeatherD42]

I'm a worrier so I didn't let mine live outside till 8 weeks in the summer. Still sounds pretty chilly where you are

 

[chickens really]

I'm in Alberta...On warmer days my 3 week old Calls are outside during the day...Tougher than people think...

 

[casportpony]

I have 6 Welsh Harlequin ducklings who are a little over 5 weeks old. We completed their duck house/fortified run and I was hoping to move them into it and out of my basement this week. They have about 80% of their adolescent feathers, just missing some on the sides and head. Do you think they'd be ok moving outside? The weather here will be 50s during the day and low 30s at night. There will be lots of straw in their house. I've also been cooling down their room in the basement to hopefully get them acclimated. What do you think? Thanks!

Welcome to BYC! Maybe you could start by letting them out during the day and see how they do? If they spend the day huddled together then they aren't ready, but if they are running around like adults, they will probably be fine.

 

[QueenieMinx]

I'd probably put a heat light in the duck house at night if it's still getting that cold.

 

[ChrisWNY]

I'd provide shelter for them outside so they have a spot for protection from the winds in case they get cold. Where I live in upstate NY it's still a little on the chilly side but I've seen ducklings in the wild (Mallards primarily) swimming around in ponds and streams without issue. Ducks are definitely tough birds.

 

[nigella]

Thanks everybody! I'll see how they do during the day and decide from there.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks everybody! I'll see how they do during the day and decide from there.

Sounds like a good plan!

 

[Miss Carcajou]

My temps are similar and I have been setting my ducklings (almost 5 weeks) outside during the day to see how they act. The run around and splash, then preen til dry and lay down huddled up. Maybe it is a little chilly for their age, so I haven't left them outside, but I plan to test them in the coop tonight with a heat lamp in there. I find if I lay a cardboard box on it's side with a bunch of straw in it, they will huddle up in there if they are cold and it helps. I just choose a small sized one, so it's like a little straw coop inside their bigger coop.