quick temp question

[TLWR]

few day old ducks. It's hot outside. Currently 90, heat index of 110.
My plan was to leave them out there in the duck kennel at night as well. Tonight's forecast - 76, heat index of 87.
What temp are they going to feel? Do I need to turn the light on their kennel tonight?

Being outside, a light will attract 38932 bugs - is that an issue? If so, I'll just put them inside at night for a while until they can be out there without the light.

 

[secretquail]

I'd play it safe and bring them in at night until they were a few weeks old. In the wild they would have the mom to help regulate their heat. Would they be on their own, or with other grown ducks, and how many are there?

 

[jrobertson]

i live in nw alabama and it is currently over 100 during the days and in the mid to low 80s at night. what i do is once the temp gets warm(springtime weather), i keep the ducklings inside for 24 hours only. mainly because they are so messy. then i move them to a brooder house which is just a wooden box 8 ft long by 3 ft wide by 18 in tall seperated by wood in the center essentially giving me 2 cages with one door at both ends. a single light is placed in each cage. from 250 w for early cold weather to 40w for warm weather. the cage is wooden every where except the floor which is 1/2 wire mesh, the roof which is tin, and the front which is 1 in chicken wire. i leave the light on always. yes it attracts bugs but thats a good thing. thats what mom would be teaching them to forage for if she was raising them. once they start to feather out, i move them to a pen on the ground with a pool and no light.

 

[TLWR]

It's a big enough kennel that they can easily get away from the light if they get too toasty. Each time I go out and check on them now they are chattering away and chasing bugs having a blast.
Hopefully they sleep instead of stuffing themselves with bugs all night!