Someone tell me...

[Here come the ducks]

Hi everyone!! I last posted about 8 weeks ago... I had just got my ducklings- and I thought one was having leg issues ...5 vet visits later and x -rays ... it seems the Pekin just needs to catch up with her ability to handle her weight on her legs ) well I am here today to ask you all for two things.. tell me I am not a failure (lol) and tell me to get a grip!!
So... my darlings are 9 weeks old on Monday ... I let them outside in the run during the day ( carry them via camper carrier ) then carry them in a carrier back inside at night to my sunroom.. I have gym mats down for them and a playpen and extra room where they can wind down - eat agin/ and create yet another mess!!
I have been given them their water at night but OMG what a disaster ... I am EXHAUSTED!!! I clean this area non-stop...
So... I need you to tell me I am not a bad mommy to take the water out at night , and that yes they can stay in their very nice house and don’t need to come in... ( but it drops into the 30’s at night )
I have been cleaning up around them for tje last 9 weeks ... I’m going to lose my mind soon!!
Lol
Any advice ????
I’ll send some pics !!!

 

[Here come the ducks]

Hi everyone!! I last posted about 8 weeks ago... I had just got my ducklings- and I thought one was having leg issues ...5 vet visits later and x -rays ... it seems the Pekin just needs to catch up with her ability to handle her weight on her legs ) well I am here today to ask you all for two things.. tell me I am not a failure (lol) and tell me to get a grip!!
So... my darlings are 9 weeks old on Monday ... I let them outside in the run during the day ( carry them via camper carrier ) then carry them in a carrier back inside at night to my sunroom.. I have gym mats down for them and a playpen and extra room where they can wind down - eat agin/ and create yet another mess!!
I have been given them their water at night but OMG what a disaster ... I am EXHAUSTED!!! I clean this area non-stop...
So... I need you to tell me I am not a bad mommy to take the water out at night , and that yes they can stay in their very nice house and don’t need to come in... ( but it drops into the 30’s at night )
I have been cleaning up around them for tje last 9 weeks ... I’m going to lose my mind soon!!
Lol
Any advice ????
I’ll send some pics !!!

 

[Isaac 0]

Your ducks do not need water at night, but it's imperative you also take away any feed source as well, as duck use water to flush food down, and can choke when not supplied with it.

As far as the temperature concern, I've had ducks that age in - 30F, and they handled it fine. 30 would be nothing to them.

 

[Here come the ducks]

Your ducks do not need water at night, but it's imperative you also take away any feed source as well, as duck use water to flush food down, and can choke when not supplied with it.

As far as the temperature concern, I've had ducks that age in - 30F, and they handled it fine. 30 would be nothing to them.

Thank you sooo very much ... I just hauled them in for the night - but they did certainly look happy in their run!!
Lol
Thank you - yes - I don’t keep food around without water .. actually I sue the Mazuri so I feed them with water ( it floats!!) so I do this about 4 times a day.
Thank you very much for your response .

 

[Isaac 0]

You're welcome!

Out of curiosity, is that hardware cloth around the coop?

 

[RJKnott]

Mine stay in a pen I made for them. Inside the pen are coops that I put them in at night just in case something manages to get into the pen.

As long as it’s predator proofed they can stay in the pen at night

 

[Here come the ducks]

You're welcome!

Out of curiosity, is that hardware cloth around the coop?

Haha... i went a bit overboard on the predator protection part... it is 1/2 x1/2 16 gauge all on the entire coop/ run.. then it sits on a foundation that is 12 inches deep 4x4 pressures wood)( which has he run and coop on it - an additional 4 inches high ) which then had 1/2 x 1/2 hard along the foundation and skirts in multiple layers and then 8 ton of pea gravel ... under the house part there is wire laying on the ground with 8 inches of pea gravel on top of that (I thought I was going to be closing that off to them... but then they seemed to love sitting in pea gravel! ... the bottom part of all around the run and coop then have a second layer of hard ware wire up like 10 inches around .all corners and reinforced as well.. it cost me a tremendous amount... more then I ever ever expected but I am soooo anxious about them with predators that I went a bit over board .
Also, anywhere if I saw any daylight at all it then had trim wood placed around it - so at the door where a little slit of sunlight came in- now is all closed . The handles to to run and house are locked- so that no animal can maneuver in. Also the wire skirts not only go 16 inches inntotal down and are layered they also go out 3 feet from the run/ coop.
Inside where they have a pool I had the ground dug out , wire( 1/2 x 1/2) put on the ground , then stone then pool.

The stones you see around the house ... under them is Fort Knox!!
My biggest fear is of anything getting in.

Also, see how close it is to my sunroom... and there are lights that shine on it and additional movement sensor lights as well.
I am next getting four night guard predator protection items and Placing each in the four coroners - and I just ordered a baby monitor that will allow me to hear and see inside the house and coop at night - talk to them and even play lullabies!!
On top of that ... I am adding very large concrete walking stone on top of the stone.
I sooo hope this allows nothing ever to break in!

 

[Here come the ducks]

Mine stay in a pen I made for them. Inside the pen are coops that I put them in at night just in case something manages to get into the pen.

mad long as it’s predator proofed they can stay in the pen at night

Thank you!! Yes... am getting the nerve up to keep them
Out at night ... not there yet !!
Last night when I brought them in... they kinda looked upset that they had to come in!
So tonight they will stay out until like 10 or 11... lol

 

[deeducks]

Hey, if anyone can help, please have a look at my most recent forum! I am having some troubles figuring out what to do!

 

[CoriM]

You have an amazing and beautiful duck nursery and run. How you ever got one photo of it that clean, I will never know. Your ducks are beautiful and very lucky!