If the day is warm enough - ideally sunny - mine go out in a run by day. At their age, they shouldn't be kept outside yet, anyway. As of now, you can take them outside for a while to play, but you have to stay with them. I will say that keeping any amount of ducks inside the house for 12 weeks will be horrendous. You can read our full disclosure here.This blog uses cookies click here for more information. If even the neck still has fluff, brooder babies aren’t ready to sleep outside. If you're raising ducklings in a garage or barn outside, make sure no other animals can get near them. Until then, use the rule that newly hatched chicks need ambient temperatures of 95F; each week after, reduce that by five degrees. Until the ducks are fully feathered around 7-9 weeks old, they have trouble regulating their body temperature and need heat. I have read 10 - 12 weeks, but is that without a heat source? Because ducklings aren’t fully feathered until after 7 weeks, when they go outside is indicative of your specific area. Do you give tours? If the weather is warm you can take your baby ducklings outside for a few hours each day while the sun shines so that they can get some exercise. They can spend all day outside if temperatures stay within the right range for their ages. When Can Ducklings Go Outside? Ducklings don't eat for the first twenty-four hours after they hatch, since they're still absorbing nutrients from the yolk inside the egg they hatched from. Can ducks and geese survive on a pond? If they are younger they may need a source of heat. The type of bulb you need depends on the time of year, and where you will keep your ducklings. 12 Things You Need to Know About Caring for Ducklings. Do Runner ducks swim? Ideally, chicks will not require a heat source when moving from brooder to coop. You can allow them to run around an enclosed area such as a chicken or duck pen or you can also use a portable wire pen without a bottom so the ducklings can be directly on the grass. During the winter, I raise my ducklings inside when it’s cold, and use a heat lamp for ducklings if it’s really cold outside (we have a drafty house) or a 75 watt bulb if it’s spring, and 60 degrees or so outside. PUBLISHED: June 6, 2019 BY: Danielle McCoy DISCLOSURE: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you make a purchase. You can probably start thinking about it at 6-8 weeks, depending on how large and how many feathers they've got. Ducklings raised inside your home need to be kept safe from dogs and cats, which may try to attack or even play too roughly with the ducklings. If the temperatures outside remain above 65°F and the chicks are at least 6 weeks old, they can move into the coop without supplemental heat. Can ducks and geese be outside during the winter?