Question on ducklings.

[adorable]

I have 8 ducklings. ranging from 1 week to 2 weeks old. I moved them today into what i call a duck pen. THey have a bed that is closed in like a plywood box with a door on the front for them to come out and play in the water ect. It is all inclosed with heavy wire. In the plywood box is their food and heat lamp....Well they dont want to go in it. I chase them in. As soon as i turn my back they are back out again. Huddle together in the corner of the pen....The night are cold here. Dont they still need the heat lamp at this age. ?What should i do.?

 

[luvmychix]

ducks seem to handle colder temps than other chicks.... i have had some do this... when they would get cold they knew where to go. I dont see where you should worry too much.....

How cold have the night been?

 

[adorable]

Thanks. nights have between 8 to 0 .....They other way i think is . 47 to 34,

 

[adorable]

I just went out and locked them in their heated box for the night. I dont think i could of sleep knowing that were cold....Do they need a heat lamp during the day. ??I guess it really depends on the weather. They are inside a barn...In a duck pen..

 

[PlumTuckered]

I would put a thermomater in there and check the temp. A duckbox inside a barn may not need a heatlamp. My ducklings chose to stay away from the heatlamp as of 3 weeks of age.

Michelle

 

[adorable]

ok. Thanks. I think i am going to open the door and give them the choice to go in or not.

 

[Amiga]

My ducklings like any place that I have given them treats.

When I introduced them to their new outdoor house, first thing we did was have a pea party! It was great! They take themselves into that house several times a day.

 

[vlapinta]

My three call ducks are almost 5 weeeks old. I have been putting them in thier pen outside during the day, but at night I have been bringing them in the garage. It has been getting in the 50's here at night in NJ. I can put a heat lamp outside in their shelter, but all they seem interested is in swimming. They have access to a tub of water in their pen that I cannot take out (its built in) I was so afraid they would get cold during the night, so I have been putting them inside a big box in my garage which is heated to70 degrees.
I figure, I am almost to where I can leave them out all the time, so a few more weeks of bringing them in, or if the weather gets warmer, is oK.

Vicki

 

[chasing ducks]

My ducks are about 5/6 weeks old and they have been outside for a week now. I only put the lamp on at night if it drops below 50. Theres 19 of them so they do just fine together. My runners I am keeping inside a while longer because of their small stature, but the rest do just fine.

 

[Amiga]

chasing ducks, thanks for pointing out one of the things to consider about keeping ducklings outside - their frame (surface to volume ratio). Runners tend to be quite slender, and more apt to chill, especially before all their feathers are in.