Preventing heat stress in ducklings

[StarCreekFarm]

I have seven Welsh Harlequin ducklings that range in age from 5 - 8 days old. The temperature here has been lovely, lows in the 50's / highs in the 70's, since they were hatched. They are with their moms in a large house and large shaded run.

The weather forecast is for temperatures to begin topping 100*F starting this Friday (three days from now) and continuing at least ten days. I am worried about them given how young they are and that they are too young yet to swim to cool down.

I'd appreciate suggestions for their good care during the coming heat wave !

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put out paint tray for them to get into for cooling they can't drown in them not deep enough and give moms deep buckets of water set up high enough no duckling can jump in. Actually if you had a small kiddy pool and made a way for ducklings and mom to get in an out safely they can go in a pool I used large heavy rocks[we live in the mountains]

I made a ramp for going in and put the large rock in for them to climb out and to sit on out of the water to rest.

 

[chickens really]

Shade, wet the ground...Pools of cool water....Shade....

 

[StarCreekFarm]

I have a nice circulating and filtered "pond" (a 350 gallon sunken Rubbermade livestock trough with a Skippy Filter) that I was planning to provide the mommas and ducklings access to when they are 3 weeks (which is what I had read was an appropriate first swim.) Today I built a ramp for the pond and affixed it to the side. What do you think about their ability to use this ? I would plan to "lifeguard" for the first couple of swims, but on the days it's going to be hottest, I have to be away from the farm during the hottest part of the day.