When can ducks go outside?

[HeatherLynn]

Ok my ducks are babies so I know its going to be a bit but generally what age so I have a target date. They are stinking me out of house and home right now. I forgot how smelly they were. We are cleaning their boxes twice a day and they play in the bathtub once a day just to keep the smell down. eeek. 2 ducks are about 2 weeks old now. The others ones are probably about 4 to 5 weeks old. wow they are smelly

 

[Amiga]

I found it was a combination of age and weather. It takes a while for them to fully feather, and even then I would not have them outside if the temperatures dropped below 40. I set mine out at three months (I had thought I could do it at six weeks but they were hatched early and we had a cold spring).

Our brooder was not very smelly, but then I spent quite a bit of time cleaning. We had eleven runners. They lived in the house three months.

 

[crj]

I have 6 and they are about 2 weeks old also. They are living in my bathtub. Lucky for me I have a separate tub and shower. There food, drinking water and "bath" water are all in the tub. I did have a folded up towel for them to have "dry land" but that just turned into a poop hill. Then I placed puppy pads over the towel. That works but it has to be changed about 3 or more times a day. Now I'm skipping the towel all together but keeping the puppy bad so they have something non slip. It works out prett well. Since they are so mess all I have to do is turn the water on and rinse. I don't have to take the ducks out either. It's now a game for them and they really enjoy it. They love dabbling in the drain and biting the water when it comes out. Funny to watch. If they poop while all this is going on........ no big deal....... I just take a milk jug and pour water down the tub. So far it's working out great.

 

[BHep]

3 MONTHS

WOW... I have 5 runners that are 3 weeks old today. I was just thinking of moving them outside this weekend with a heatlamp. Should I wait????
They are in a rubber tote that I clean out at least 2 x a day or more. They get 1 or 2 baths a day. And my house stinks like

. But I love these little buggers and am getting more hatching eggs at the end of the month to add to them.

So should I wait?? What about if I let them outside during the day and bring them in at night? It's to be in the 50s.

 

[Suzie]

I have never let mine outside until they have lost their "down" feathers - that normally happens in about 6-8 weeks depending upon the weather - also please bear in mind that small ducklings can easily be taken by predators - when I purchased my baby geese I was told not to let them outside until they were 8 weeks old as buzzards and eagles are rife here and would carry them off - yes geese.... and they are a lot bigger than ducklings - so....... for their safety and wellbeing it looks as if they will be in for a while longer.

They do however grow up too soon - I love it when we hatch baby ducklings here - I never want them to grow up!

Suzie

 

[BHep]

LOL well I guess I better get some of those ducky diapers.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

So it is safe for me to put my 10-12wk old ducklings outside now?!? They have their feathers, voices have changed, and 1 drake is already attempting to mate with his sisters, he's getting his adult colors now, so I guess I can put them outside with good shelter and possibly heat lamp??? OMG that would be AWESOME if I could!! I have a trip out to Vegas and if I can get them outside before I go, which would put them at 12 & 14wks old it would solve a lot of problems and stench!!

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

I forgot to add the temps in Michigan are pretty cold still, we can have any where single digits to mid 30's, are those temps still safe to put the 3mth old ducklings outside??

 

[treldib]

We moved our ducks outside, during the daytime and brought them back in at night, at 1 week old and fully moved them outside at 3 weeks

But it was the middle of summer and like 105° during the day....

 

[Doug Hodges]

What temperature does it need to be outside before the move? Im planning on putting them in their own stall in the barn until they get big enough to run with the other ducks.