Not long! They grow sooo fast...they are maybe 3 mos old now...I will have to look at my day planner in the OTHER room and check the dates I got them...the geese and ducks are in that grassy yard during the day to munch and chase bugs...at night I have them in another yard with a large coop all wrapped in hot wire...they are secure there at night...we did have a fox kill a couple drakes so I hot wired the one area and have had no losses since...I leave the gate between the yards open during the day so they have lots of room to wander around or rest or play in the water...I have three large kiddie pools in the night pen for them to play in...they all seem pretty happy...I really love them all...they are so entertaining...I about gag when people ask if I am going to eat them...NO way! That is not their purpose...and I have a contingency plan for them all if I fall over dead...the dogs too...I believe in being prepared so my kids or whomever knows what to do...