Ready to go outside?

[Chickengirl2671]

I have four two week old ducklings and I'm wondering if they are ready to go outside without heat. The lowest temp here is a low of 57 tomorrow and after that it's all 62 and up.

 

[ruthhope]

Nooooo poor weenies!

They need inside until 4 weeks old and minimum temperatures higher

 

[Chickengirl2671]

Nooooo poor weenies!

They need inside until 4 weeks old and minimum temperatures higher

Ok thanks.

 

[ruthhope]

Ok thanks.

I'm a protective duck Mama and actually keep ducklings sleeping inside until 8 weeks old. But I know others allow fully feathered ducklings sleep out in the coop when the night temps are above reliably above 65F

 

[indianaducks]

A lot depends on how adapted your ducklings already are to the outside weather. I slowly decrease and then remove heat before mine get moved outside on a permanent basis. When it is cold outside I typically wait until about 8 weeks old and fully feathered, and have had them off heat for a week or so. When its warmer, I did move some out a bit sooner than that, but they had already been off heat and it was going to be in the 70s outside.

 

[Chickengirl2671]

A lot depends on how adapted your ducklings already are to the outside weather. I slowly decrease and then remove heat before mine get moved outside on a permanent basis. When it is cold outside I typically wait until about 8 weeks old and fully feathered, and have had them off heat for a week or so. When its warmer, I did move some out a bit sooner than that, but they had already been off heat and it was going to be in the 70s outside.

Right now it gets to the mid to upper eighties during the day and I turn off the lamp and at night the lamp is about 3' high.

 

[Chickengirl2671]

Oh and they are on my porch.

 

[CoriM]

I also keep mine in until 8 weeks old, although they spend big chunks of the day time outside after 6 weeks and come in just for nights.