Raising Ducklings without heat?

[Welshies]

I will be getting some one or two week old ducklings. Do they need heat? Can I raise them without if they have access to a tighter insulated area to conserve body heat? They will be raised outside, too. Any tips?

 

[TLWR]

You might get away without heat during the day, but not at night.
Ducklings typically start out around 90 and drop around 5 degrees a week.
So at 2 weeks old, they should have an area that is 75-80 that they can warm up in when needed

Outside at night, you will need to provide a heat source as I'm guessing the night time temps in your area aren't exactly warm yet.

 

[junebuggena]

They need heat. Down is not any good at retaining body heat. They have no feathering to hold in the heat. To keep warm, they need to have a heat source. You may want to check out the Momma Heating Pad thread, if heat lamps are your main concern.

 

[dotknott]

I'm a bit south of you (In southern New England) and I won't put my ducklings outside until 2.5-3 weeks at the earliest and that's with a lamp in their outdoor house.

Unless they're being raised by a mother duck, they need the heat source.

 

[Welshies]

I'm a bit south of you (In southern New England) and I won't put my ducklings outside until 2.5-3 weeks at the earliest and that's with a lamp in their outdoor house.

Unless they're being raised by a mother duck, they need the heat source.

I'm actually located in Alberta. Canada. It's on average plus twenty during the day, sometimes into the thirties. They can't come inside, we don't allow indoor pets. Has anyone ever tried a heat lamp but in the shape and style of a flashlight?

 

[dotknott]

20-30˚C? (for those in the states that's high 60's to mid 80's)

At one week they'd need 85˚F ( 30˚C ) consistently, 80˚F (25˚C) at 2 wks.

I don't know what a flash light style heat lamp is.

 

[TLWR]

Using a flash light for a heat source? No, it won't work well.

What is your concern with providing heat?
If you can't provide heat, you shouldn't get ducklings, you should look for already feathered out young ducks or adult ducks.

 

[dotknott]

Using a flash light for a heat source? No, it won't work well.

What is your concern with providing heat?
If you can't provide heat, you shouldn't get ducklings, you should look for already feathered out young ducks or adult ducks.

This.

 

[Welshies]

Using a flash light for a heat source? No, it won't work well.
Don't have electricity to the coop. And not a flashligt for a heat source, but a heat lamp that is identical to a flashlight. Still gives off heat.

What is your concern with providing heat?
If you can't provide heat, you shouldn't get ducklings, you should look for already feathered out young ducks or adult ducks.

 

[Welshies]

As in a heat lamp flashlight. Sorry. My response is actually inside the quote due to some sort of glitch.