best cold hardy duck(s)

[flea]

Does any one know the best duck breed(s) that are good cold hardy?

~ thanks

 

[wildsam]

I looked through a few of them and found out via google. Just try to google for hardy ducks and you should come up with a list of them.
Still not sure how good it will do me in NW Wisconsin in deep winter, but I guess I will find out.

 

[Going Quackers]

Ducks in general are pretty hardy, main thing is making sure they can get out of the wind, sleet and snow... My 'scovies do pretty well, i just have to watch the facial flesh.

Can you a hold of a copy of Storey's guide to ducks? great info in there on breeds and care. What do you want to do with your ducks? that will also play a role in which breed would be suitable.

 

[Amiga]

The larger breeds have a smaller surface-to-volume ratio, making it easier to keep themselves warm (though harder to cool off), so I would go with something larger.

 

[flea]

Alright, thank y'all!

 

[Mountain Wampus]

Up to and including this morning its been cold up here on the mountain. got down to 3 or 4 C last night. My 5 week old Rouen, Buff, and two Magpies slept out in their pen under the chicken coop rather than go in their own comfy / warm coop any longer. Maybe its because they are sick of being babies in a pen and like their new pond but they stayed out and are absolutely fine. Born on or about the same day the buff is the largest, Rouen close second, Magpie a little smaller. All grew like weeds and had to be removed from the slower growing chicks within a day or two of bringing them home.

I have some Cayuga ducks on order with www.erpoultry.weebly.com .
[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Cayugas are known for being very cold hardy as well as laying dark, up to a black egg. how cool, right? can't wait to get them![/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Hope that helps you pick some nice ducks out.[/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Mountain Wampus~ [/FONT]

 

[Carcajou]

flea,

Reading in the Storey's Guide and knowing the purpose for which you want ducks are both excellent ideas. I have Khaki Campbell's and their winter hardiness was one of the criterion I desired. Mine don't seem to care how cold it gets, even below zero though we haven't had sustained below zero weather in a few years. They actually seem to enjoy winter storms as much as they do summer ones. It probably helps that I have a spring pond that never freezes over which they spend a lot of time on when the snow is deep. Winter water management is also something you need to consider.

Best of luck!

 

[flea]

Mountain Wampus,
It sure is cold in your neck of the woods. It's starting to get hot here in WV. I was asking around for future references bc I plan on moving where it's colder than where I'm at. I have female Rouen, female Blue Swedish & female Muscovy, which are all sitting on nests to hatch. I also have juvenal mallards and blue Swedish and another Muscovy. They all seemed to take our cold winters well. Thanks for the info & listening. Lol.

 

[flea]

Carcujou,
Thank you for the helpful info too!

 

[Going Quackers]

My one Muscovy had sat a nest in Feb, it hatched in March.. and that was in a Canadian winter... so they tolerate it, just don't like it much lol (the hatch did well too, 5 eggs, one dud, the remaining 4 are now turning 11wks old )