Best way to keep Ducks in Winter

[Lund Poultry]

I have had many people ask how we keep our ducks in winter (we raise Calls)
Ours spend the spring, summer and fall in raised bens or large pens that are netted, but once winter comes they go into a building with a wood floor that is covered DEEP in shavings. They are fed free choice from a large feeder (oats, 18% duck mini pellet, whole wheat and a TINY amount of whole corn, grit free choice 24/7) They are given water 2x a day in large black rubber pans that are placed outside on a raised wire bottom pen. If you have never done this with ducks it is great. There is no water in the building because they are outside splashinig/swimming around in there pans and by the time they walk across the wire to get to the building opening the excess water has dripped off of them. I would highly reccomend this to anyone raising ducks (well calls anyway) I got the idea after looking at Hollderieds website and they have raised pens outside there buildings as well for there ducks etc.
NOTE: I do not have a heated water. I just fill in morning and at night.

 

[secuono]

Pictures?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

We used a raised wire bottom pen when we brooded ducks inside in the early spring, and it worked great.

Our adult ducks have done fine outside in the winter in their protected aviary. They have access to dry shelters, but they seem to prefer being out in the snow most of the time along with our geese and swans. I suppose our full sized ducks have more insulation than little call ducks though.

 

[Going Quackers]

Your water doesn't freeze? My ducks are all Muscovy though... so we leave them to free range during the day, i've only kept them in once so far when we hit -30C that was without wind chill, i didn't want to risk them freezing fleshy parts.


When it's well below freezing i can't keep water open.. especially outside without heaters.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

When it's well below freezing i can't keep water open.. especially outside without heaters.

We run a pump to keep the water moving so that it wont freeze.