Alaska Winter Ducks

[akhatchling]

I have 2 ducklings my kids are raising this summer and want to know if there is anyone else in Alaska or other region that has very cold winters like here that could give advice on wintering a couple ducks. I have 4 chickens in a coop my husband built but I don't want the ducks in there with the chickens. Any ideas? Do they need to have water to swim in? What temperature do I take the swimming water away??? I'm just full of questions!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Alaskan I think this question is for you.

 

[Alaskan]

I have 2 ducklings my kids are raising this summer and want to know if there is anyone else in Alaska or other region that has very cold winters like here that could give advice on wintering a couple ducks. I have 4 chickens in a coop my husband built but I don't want the ducks in there with the chickens. Any ideas? Do they need to have water to swim in? What temperature do I take the swimming water away??? I'm just full of questions!

just how cold does it get where you are?

And what kind of ducks? Skinny runners, fat pekins, or muscovy?

Answer the above questions and I can give more specific advice.

But I take away swimming water when the water starts getting thick ice on it.

At 20sF maybe swimming in the afternoon... then the pond (a small one 3 foot diameter is all mine get) is then emptied for evening and morning.

Definitely by 10F there is no swimming. Maybe sooner than that.

Around zero F I switch to the only water is a small pot... deep enough to dip their heads but WAY too tiny for anyone to even try to bathe.

This last winter we were tired. ...

So for just the frozen months (so, was that 6???) I put my ducks in with the chickens. It wasn't too bad... and it was nice to haul water to fewer pens.

I only, maybe 3 days back, moved my ducks back to their duck coop...

 

[akhatchling]

I live in Fairbanks and last winter was mild, we only saw -40 but we've certainly seen colder. We have Blue Swedish Ducks. We are new to having birds and when we noticed out Barred Rocks getting frost bite on their combs last winter, we made the choice to put them in the pot. I don't want the same fate for our ducks cause I've already fallen in love with them.

 

[Alaskan]

ew, Fairbanks gets way cold.


with those temps, still follow my general water guidelines above... but by -30 you might want to start heating.

Swedes luckily are pretty pudgy ducks, good solid, and stay warm well.

But -40 and below is horrid cold.

I have heard that some people up there vent their garage heat to the coop or attach the coop to the house, or attach the coop to the heated water tank building. The point of course, get some heat from somewhere!

Never use a heat lamp for heat... heat. I know people just north of Anchorage use flat panel heaters rated for outside in their coops.... but fairbanks might be too cold for those.

Personally I would set up a sleeping area in the coop for the ducks, line it with the in floor heat mat that is made to go in bathrooms under tile. I think that stuff is safe for wood too. So I would make a wood box where the bedding and ducks sleep, heat mat under box.

Maybe set it on a timer to go on at 9pm and off at 8am. Dunno, the electric still might kill ya.