Question for my 1 Week old ducklings Re: feeding and going outside

[Gyoza]

Hello,

I've recently got 10 free ducklings from a friend (ends up spending over $200 on their accessories), they were hatched on Oct 28th and 29th.

For the last 7 days I've been feeding them continuously and their weight have all doubled and a few almost tripled.

Am I feeding them too much? (using non medicated chicken starters 24% protein)

Also this year we got early frost. It's 26.6F outside. At what age can I bring the ducklings outside and let them explore a bit?

Thank you

 

[GoldDogsMom]

They do grow fast, I gave mine as much as they would eat...make sure they have plenty of water. You need to wait until they have feathers to go outside...

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Ditto, they need to be feathered out before a venture outside in that weather, I think ducklings should have food and water 24/7 they are growing so fast. make sure they have a large enough brooder that they can move around good and not be steeping all over each other and with 10 ducklings that will be a big brooder, what breed are they? and

 

[Gyoza]

Thank you for your advice. My first ducklings.

They are Pekins.

Kids love them. They've went out and got a few cabbage worms and small slugs for the little ducklings to eat. The ducklings just loves those worms.

I think in a week time I'll need to keep the ducklings in 2 separate containers. They are getting crowded in the rubbermaid container.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

I wouldn't separate them, they need to be together for socialization.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Welcome to 'duckdom' and

. How fast they grow is remarkable. How messy they are amazing. How entertaining they are surprising. How addicting they are dangerous.....

 

[jdywntr]

Yup, keep them warm until they are feathered. If you can set something up to have the food and water as far from the bedding material it will help. When I had my runners in side (they hatched last October) I got a refrigerator box and used that. Puppy peepee pads are your friend. I would tape them to the sides of the "brooder" to keep the cardboard dry. I also placed them on the floor on top of a layer of plastic sheeting and put straw on top straw. It was easy to clean because I could just roll up the wet straw in the peepee pad.

They will outgrow the rubbermaid quickly you can seperate them since you have 10 but you may want to consider just getting a large box. They are free.

Oh by the way, we REALLY appreciate pics. Especially of little peepers.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

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I'd love to see the cuties too!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Might be a little hard to find something big enough to hold 10 pekin ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Glad you said that about the box I was thinking she could check at Lowes or some place like that and probably get a huge box.