Time for outside?

[TwistedTayy]

We have 4 2wo jumbo pekin ducklings that are quickly outgrowing their indoor brooder (2x4x2 tax stock tank). We are building the coop this weekend (fingers crossed) and I was hoping to get the ok from all you experienced duck owners to stick them outside. They won’t have any adults to bully them and assume it will be predator proof. I can put a heat lamp in there for them but we live in Georgia and it has been remaining in the mid to high 60s at night and 80-90 during the day (which may mean they’ll need a fan too, I get that) lol. They wanted their heat lamp turned off over the weekend (at 1.5 weeks) and we’ve had the a/c on.

I am anxious to get them outside because we have a new order of 15 harlequins coming next week and need the brooder space… we also have 2 goslings but they aren’t ready to go outside yet.

 

[sourland]

If they were mine, they would be outside given those ambient temperatures.

 

[nikkers390]

I'm in FL. Similar temps.
My ducks and geese go out as early as 3 days old.
I have no supplemental heat.
I do have a 3 sided shelter they use to snuggle at night.
They are all doing well and thriving

 

[TwistedTayy]

I'm in FL. Similar temps.
My ducks and geese go out as early as 3 days old.
I have no supplemental heat.
I do have a 3 sided shelter they use to snuggle at night.
They are all doing well and thriving

Ok that does make me feel better… I actually just checked on them and they have a heating pad in there that’s mostly for “just in case” and they’ll lay on it sometimes but I imagine it’s just bc it feels nice, not because they’re cold. They were all cuddled together near but not on it, and two of them were actually panting lol so I turned on the overhead fan.

last night I had a bit of a freak out because I thought the panting (one duckling) was respiratory distress so I gave all the birds (goslings too even though they’re in a separate brooder) some poultry rx but then later as it cooled off indoors it went away.

I can’t play with the ac too much because the goslings are still huddled under their brooder plate as it is.


and I should say those ducklings have gotten really intense with their water play so they’re damp a lot and still hot