Ancona Ducks

[Boomstick Farm]

Hello,
I am located in Alaska with cold weather. Has anyone else with Ancona ducks had issues with your ducks not wanting to stay or go into the coop when its cold? Also my ducks tend to love to lay their eggs out in the snow or in the colder areas they have plenty of nests to choose from, I think they are just odd. I trying to become a breeder just for these ducks, though I have geese & chickens, but my primary focus will be on these ducks. I'm in the process of adding more colors into my Ancona flock, right now I only have Blacks & 1 Blue Drake. Any tips on breeding them or letting them do their own thing, troubles I may run into in the future etc......

Thank you

 

[Amiga]

When my ducks were younger I had to herd them into their night shelter. But they caught on, and now I just call out, "time to come in! " and spread my arms, and 8 out of ten times they go in on their own, otherwise I walk behind them and in they go.

In New England we do have some rather cold days. Not like Alaska, but still...

 

[Boomstick Farm]

Yea, right now all my birds share a coop since our horrible winds tore apart a makeshif one that was left on our property. So this summer i plan to have my water birds spending the night separately from my chickens. Any tips on inexpensive ways to insulate a duck coop, i have a few ideas but mainly to keep their eggs from freezing.