What Are Your Winter Woes?

[Miss Lydia]

We have predators like you wouldn't believe. I built an armored coop and run so everyone is safe but between shirt days and a constant flow of desperately hungry predators trying to find a way in any time we aren't outside ( and scaring them) I am lucky to get an egg a day out of my 9 layers.

Aww poor things. I think my dogs[5] keep anything from getting to close of a day and everyone is locked up at night, only time I really have to worry about predators in the day is in summer and it's the Blk snakes that go into the coops and look for eggs, and we are surrounded by woods so we have alot of preds. Dogs you need some.

 

[minnehaha]

Winter Duck bath with the glacier forming next to it from emptying and refilling it once a day. This is a size large concrete mixing tub from home depot $13, it's heavy duty plastic and perfect for the winter. Easy to empty, and 2 ducks can bathe at the same time, even though number 3 about to squeeze herself in....

 

[Fun Farmer]

Question from Sunny Tampa, FL. What is snow? Ive heard of this strange phenomenon, but Ive never seen it. I heard its like the ice I put in my tea when I sit on my porch and watch my burds frolic on all of my lush green grass. Lol. Sorry for being a turd, but I couldnt resist. We dont have the same winter struggles down here. But I do live near the coast so we get some chilly wind that my ducks dont like so I put a wind screen on the enclosure on the northern side to block that a little. Other than that, its business as usual.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Question from Sunny Tampa, FL. What is snow? Ive heard of this strange phenomenon, but Ive never seen it. I heard its like the ice I put in my tea when I sit on my porch and watch my burds frolic on all of my lush green grass. Lol. Sorry for being a turd, but I couldnt resist. We dont have the same winter struggles down here. But I do live near the coast so we get some chilly wind that my ducks dont like so I put a wind screen on the enclosure on the northern side to block that a little. Other than that, its business as usual.

Rub it in will ya.

living mid south we don't have it a rough as those living further north but living on the north side of a mountain we get very little sun from Nov till late Feb. so when we do get ice and snow it stays for ever it seems, we can look like the north pole those on the south side of the river look like Florida. Only thing that gets me through it is in summer we are about 10* cooler than they are. Being originally from Florida born and raised there I do remember how cold those breezes can be off the ocean.

 

[minnehaha]

Question from Sunny Tampa, FL. What is snow? Ive heard of this strange phenomenon, but Ive never seen it. I heard its like the ice I put in my tea when I sit on my porch and watch my burds frolic on all of my lush green grass. Lol. Sorry for being a turd, but I couldnt resist. We dont have the same winter struggles down here. But I do live near the coast so we get some chilly wind that my ducks dont like so I put a wind screen on the enclosure on the northern side to block that a little. Other than that, its business as usual.

LOL.....I'm not jealous, I've lived in Florida and will take the northern winter over a sizzling humid Florida summer any day, but I did enjoy the winters there! I guess that is why there are snow birds in existence!

 

[minnehaha]

Rub it in will ya. living mid south we don't have it a rough as those living further north but living on the north side of a mountain we get very little sun from Nov till late Feb. so when we do get ice and snow it stays for ever it seems, we can look like the north pole those on the south side of the river look like Florida. Only thing that gets me through it is in summer we are about 10* cooler than they are. Being originally from Florida born and raised there I do remember how cold those breezes can be off the ocean.

I think you have the best of both worlds.

 

[Fun Farmer]

Now a serious question for some of you northerners. Does the cold turn you hens off of laying? Im getting an egg per day from all my ducks right now. But in the mid summer heat, mine turn off. So, was just wandering if you notice a change in laying patterns from season to season.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think you have the best of both worlds.

I think so too.

 

[allergymama]

Yesterday was nearly balmy here! At a comfy 34 degrees (and, yes, that is warm enough to call balmy after the mostly subzero stuff we've had lately...my 4 year old went outside without a coat because "it's warm enough, mama!"), we broke the kiddie pool loose, filled it with pails of warm water and the ducks had a glorious swim, their first since the pond froze in late November. Of course they need to be careful walking across the 3" thick ice that is everywhere now, but well...ya know...

Frolicking ducks are a happy sight!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yesterday was nearly balmy here! At a comfy 34 degrees (and, yes, that is warm enough to call balmy after the mostly subzero stuff we've had lately...my 4 year old went outside without a coat because "it's warm enough, mama!"), we broke the kiddie pool loose, filled it with pails of warm water and the ducks had a glorious swim, their first since the pond froze in late November. Of course they need to be careful walking across the 3" thick ice that is everywhere now, but well...ya know...

Frolicking ducks are a happy sight!

It sure is even if we have to slip and slide to make it happen.