Unsecure chicken perches

[duchess]

Hi there, I'm new to the forum and currently have 10 hens and 3 quail and have recently acquired 3 ducklings! one is apparently a khaki campbell and the other two are mixed breed. They are 4 weeks old and I've still got them in the brooder box under a lamp at night (i live in Scotland!) they are out in a run in the day.. Just wondering how long to keep them under the lamp and at what age they can go outside permanently? they would still be locked away at night in a converted dog kennel! I have just introduced them on to the smallholdeers range duck growers pellets and also wondered at what age should they get grit in their diet, and is the grit i feed the hens ok. And can they get mixed corn aswell as their pellets? Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Adele

[karlotta]

My runner babies were out in a cozy eglu at just after four weeks so I'd say you could turn the lamp off now completely and work towards getting them outside.

 

I'm using the smallholder growers too and they seem to do really well on it! While i've given them and my grown up ducks a pot of grit I can't see that they have ever touched it... But they do have a big area to live in and free range a lot so suspect they prefer to find their own.

[donald]

Most pellets have the grit in but agree if they are to free range they will find stones etc themselves.

Wouldnt bother with corn just pellets are fine.

 

Mine went out at 7 weeks but if its warm where you are you should be able to let them out earlier etc just play it with the weather