Cayuga Ducks in Ozark Winter

[vintageozarks]

We have five Cayuga ducks and don't know what to do with them during the winter. AT this time they bed down in hay right on the lip of my small water garden pond (14' diameter). But the pond is shut down at least 4 week during the winter when hard freeze sets in and I'm concerned what will happen to the ducks at that time.

We live less than 200' feet from Lake Pomme de Terre and have a nice calm cove below our house. We thought the ducks would love the cove and walked them down the steep hill to the cove two days ago. We trudged back up the hill after watching the ducks float around in the cove happily. But by the time we got back home the ducks were already back in my water garden.

How can I keep them warm this winter?

 

[chickmommar]

Ducks can withstand very cold temps since they are wearing their down jackets.

If you can provide them a windbreak with some hay bales, they should be okay in regards to the cold. However, you will need to provide them with drinking water or walk them down the cove each day until they understand that routine. But I'm wondering how they stay safe from predators at night - if my ducks were on land after dark, the bobcats, dogs, coyotes, etc. would have a feast. How do yours manage? (I'm in OK so not so far away from you.)

 

[walls0stone]

I live close to the lake they were named for...man it's cold up that way. I don't know how anything lives around here...so if they can hack that place...they can hack anything. Good Luck