When can they go outside?

[BigBlock]

Right now I've got 2 ducklings about 4 weeks old. They are currently living in a large dog crate in the garage. I recently took them off of the heat lamp and they seem comfortable.

I'm getting really tired of the mess they're making in the garage, when can I put these girls outside? They will probably stay in the dog crate for a few more weeks due to their size, but it would be a lot easier to clean outside. Temperatures are hovering at around 50 degrees outside at night right now. Can they handle that?

I have been putting them outside during the day, but bringing them back in at night.

 

[70%cocoa]

I think that they will be fine outside at night. I certainly have had mine outside at night in those temperatures (50 F or about 10 C). I have a heat lamp for them but they generally don't sleep under it. They have a house with three walls and a roof and plenty of bedding on the floor and they just snuggle together into the bedding. Yours should have a good layer of insulating fat on them at this point too, which will help - nice and roly poly!

 

[BigBlock]

Sounds good. Should I give them the heat lamp for a few days again when they're outside? I just turned it off a couple days ago. One bird is growing really fast but the other is still quite small.

 

[70%cocoa]

Yes, I would give them the heat lamp (making sure it's about a foot away from any bedding). They might not need it, but it will give you peace of mind