My ducks are destroying my greenhouse

[junglarium]

This is my first year of keeping ducks (mandarins and muscovy) and I thaught it would be a good idea to keep them in my warm greenhouse during the cold winter except now they are eating every plant they can get to.

What should I do???


Luc

 

[aldren90]

Ok, I can almost guarantee you it's the Muscovies eating your greens. I have mandarin, wood ducks, call ducks, and hottentot teal in a planted aviary and they never both my greens. Your Muscovies will do fine out side by themselves. You may want to separate them from your wild waterfowl because Muscovies can carry harmful disease that can kill wild waterfowl. Also shear intimidation of them can really damage another. So I would advise moving the Muscovies out.

 

[junglarium]

Thanks.

Can a muscovy survive outside here in Canada where it can get really cold?

 

[aldren90]

They may need shelter and a heat lamp and maybe some hay or straw to keep them cozy and that should do it!

 

[junglarium]

Thanks.

I'm a bit stuck right now cause we already have snow on the ground. Would you have any ideas for a temporary pen just for the winter?

 

[Blob Chicken]

Where in Canada are you ?? Also are they Wild or domestic Mandarins ??

'Scovies can be iffy in north Canadian cold, but generally with access to clean bathing water and shelter they should be alright. Males with lots of face caruncles might have to worry about freezing them though.

The Mandarins, however, are beyond winter hardy. They come from places like Siberia, and have zero issues handling our cold. Give them a shelter to get out of the wind and they will go strong all winter for you.

 

[junglarium]

They are domestic ducks and i'm close to Ottawa Ontario.

 

[Mark HSV-AL]

I have a friend who lives in Saratoga Springs, NY and the muscovies cannot make it outside in their winters. He has tried before and they end up getting frostbit feet and then they die. Also, all Mandarins are wild type, there are no domestic mandarins but I am betting Blob Chicken meant muscovy as there are both wild type and domestic muscovy just as there are wild type and domestic mallards but those are the only two species of duck that have domesticated counterparts.

 

[waterdog]

We are form Michigan with winter nights getting down to zero sometimes and highs in the low teens and we keep all our waterfowl outside the key to keeping waterfowl in freezing temps is clean water that does not freeze over. If it gets down to zero and your water source freezes over night your birds will get frostbite on their feet. This can be done with constant moving water or a heater of some sort we use moving water as trying heat water in zero degree weather can be expensive but for a small pool a stock tank heater will do, also some straw under a shelter is a good idea as well. We keep many species outside including Ring teal which can be cold sensitive and have no problems.

 

[destinduck]

I used to have a nice beautiful green addition with plants to my big pen......then the quackers were released!

Im no help at all here. Just had to share.