When can you take ducklings out of their brooder?

[Miss Lydia]

I'm sorry you have to give them up. Is there a reason you can't keep them?

 

[Duckpip]

I'm sorry you have to give them up. Is there a reason you can't keep them?

No worries! I got them from a farm that lets you hatch them as eggs, keep them for a week, and return them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just long enough to get attached. lol
Enjoy them while you have them.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hello everyone!
About a month ago I got five duck eggs. Fast forward to today, all five have hatched successfully, two days ago. I moved them to the brooder a few hours after they hatched, and they have been such a joy to have, so it'll be pretty sad when we have to give them back in a week.

Anyways, we've bee interacting with them inside the brooder, but we have tried taking them out onto the kitchen floor, but when we did that they seemed to be cold, so we put them back immediately. I have tried it again today, briefly, (my goodness are they adorable, running after me whenever I take a step) but I put them back into their brooder quickly because I keep worrying that it might be too cold for them (they weren't shaking today, at least not from what I saw, but I can't help but worry).

Is two days old too young for them to be out of the brooder for a few minutes to roam the kitchen floor, or would they be fine? Or, since I only have them for a week, should I not take them out of the brooder at all?

Thanks,
Duckpip

you're fine to take them out, my ducklings had a heating plate instead of a lamp, like with mama they dont need 24/7 heat. Their mama would simply warm them for a period of time and then they would run about and eat and drink and do normal stuff. I kept my ducklings with me often, keeping them warm in a sort of scraf I wore- I let them down for little run arounds on the floor multiple times a day, they were fine. I'd watch them closely, and they never even showed signs of being cold, I'd just put them back in the brooder, or even my scarf, after a couple minutes. As long as you arent taking them from the brooder for a long time, they're fine!

 

[Duckpip]

Turns out that they love being outside the brooder... to a point they have started jumping out when I open it.

Yikes... it's hard to manage three roaming around when there's no one else around, yet alone five...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love it when they are tiny and love to climb on us and be around us. They are just so precious .
Have we seen pics of yours yet? I don't think so.

 

[MGG]

They're totally fine to roam around. If your kitchen floor is smooth I would avoid letting them walk on it though. An old sheet would be much better. They can splay their legs by waking on a slick surface. Naturally raised ducklings do not spend much time under mama, they're usually exploring nearby. They do not need to constantly be kept warm. I like to take them outside if it's nice out for short trips, instead of in the house, as it's usually warmer outside. But being out of the brooder for ten to fifteen minutes certainly won't hurt them.

 

[Duckpip]

I love it when they are tiny and love to climb on us and be around us. They are just so precious .
Have we seen pics of yours yet? I don't think so.

I'll post a picture of the hatched ducklings soon, but my phone's battery is dead right now so I can't take any pictures.

Here's a picture of one of their first pips:

 

[Miss Lydia]

That was a nice pip.
What breed?

 

[Duckpip]

That was a nice pip.
What breed?

Barnyard mix.