What age can ducklings handle cold?

[pdonoho]

I live in the north- temps can be from between 10 degrees and drop to -15 at night. We have a "room" off our basement- fully enclosed with wood and plastic- so little to no drafts. We have 4 ducklings that hatched 2 months ago and are in our basement (In cages 10' long X 3' wide but only 3' tall) and you can imagine the mess! Not to mention that the ducks can't move around a lot or stretch up. We're wondering when we can put them in our outside room. We can provide a heating lamp for them. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I live in the north- temps can be from between 10 degrees and drop to -15 at night. We have a "room" off our basement- fully enclosed with wood and plastic- so little to no drafts. We have 4 ducklings that hatched 2 months ago and are in our basement (In cages 10' long X 3' wide but only 3' tall) and you can imagine the mess! Not to mention that the ducks can't move around a lot or stretch up. We're wondering when we can put them in our outside room. We can provide a heating lamp for them. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

 

[Amiga]

Does this help?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[Miss Lydia]

They need to be completely feathered in before they can take temps as low as your talking about, test this area you want to place them in get reading on the temps day and night. at hatch they should be in temps 86-90, I've always used the lower, and 5 degrees cooler each week there after so at 4 weeks they should be in temps around 71-76. until fully feathered they can't regulate their body temp. with a heat lamp you maybe able to get it at the right temps again do a test run and always gradually get them use to the lower temps, Ducklings are tuff lil critters but still need our help till big enough to go the elements

what breed are your ducklings? just curious

 

[pdonoho]

Thank you both. It does help. I guess they will remain our basement guests for a while (lol), no problem- I've cleaned poop with the best of them. We believe they are peking ducks but we also have adult Khaki ducks. So not sure of the mix yet. There feathers appear to be coming in white so..... Once I figure out how to take and post pictures (I'm a little computer illiterate)

Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you both. It does help. I guess they will remain our basement guests for a while (lol), no problem- I've cleaned poop with the best of them. We believe they are peking ducks but we also have adult Khaki ducks. So not sure of the mix yet. There feathers appear to be coming in white so..... Once I figure out how to take and post pictures (I'm a little computer illiterate)

Thanks

I am too when it comes to computers, I have seen some of the prettiest mixes of Pekins and other breeds. Look forward to seeing them once you figure it out. Have you seen this? https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/inserting-pics-in-on-the-new-byc

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Just a thought on supplemental heat for adult ducks: Not necessarily required! Plus with supplemental heat comes fire risk, just something to consider. By 2 months, your ducks should be pretty close to fully feathered, right?

 

[pdonoho]

Yes they are pretty much fully feathered. We have used sun lamps (ones I use for my gardening ) put them high enough that they can't come in contact with anything but low enough to give some heat.

 

[pdonoho]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Tomorrow's "supposed" to be sunny- I'll see if I can't get some good pics.