Question about night/ swimming water access

[CowgirlPenny]

Ok. So today are my 6 week old ducklings (ducks now? lol) first night out of their brooder. They have housing, food water, safe fenced area. My question is it's 10pm and they are all swimming in their pool. Is this normal? I kind of expected them to go in their house at night since it's windy. Should I remove their access to it at night time? Thanks

 

[wildpeas]

Unless they are locked in the house, they may never go in. We lock ours in for safety and now that they are accustomed to being put up at night they go right in, if left to their own devices when they were young, they would stay outside all night.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Unless they are locked in the house, they may never go in. We lock ours in for safety and now that they are accustomed to being put up at night they go right in, if left to their own devices when they were young, they would stay outside all night.

But is that ok for them to stay out like that? Just seems so odd! lol I'm not hugely concerned for their safety from predators as they are in our fenced back yard with motion spotlights IN an additional fenced/net covered top area so I feel they are pretty safe. I just don't want them to get sick or something. I remember the first few weeks with our hens, they would just sleep on the ground at night and I had to go put them on the roost bars for days until they started doing it alone. Wasn't sure if I needed to physically go put them in their duck house or not.

 

[rwdeets23]

my duck used to wonder the yard at all hours of the night and i never had a problem but since i pretty much had them shut up for the winter now when ive been letting them out they follow the chickens back in at bed time.

 

[wildpeas]

But is that ok for them to stay out like that? Just seems so odd! lol I'm not hugely concerned for their safety from predators as they are in our fenced back yard with motion spotlights IN an additional fenced/net covered top area so I feel they are pretty safe. I just don't want them to get sick or something. I remember the first few weeks with our hens, they would just sleep on the ground at night and I had to go put them on the roost bars for days until they started doing it alone. Wasn't sure if I needed to physically go put them in their duck house or not.

It's purely personal preference. If you feel they are safe enough at night then leave them out. I have no idea about the type of weather you experience but where I live it gets down to freezing quite a bit in the winter and there is always a risk of frostbitten feet. If your ducks are fully feathered they will be able to withstand chilly weather, even when wet from swimming. If you want them to go into their house you will have to train them to do it.