Cold Weather Ducks

[DuckyDonna]

They dont want to go inside?

It was in the 20's here today and none of my ducks would go inside. Silly ducks. They stayed outside and laid in the sun. I'm so glad I didn't fill their pool last night or they'd probably have been in it all day and I wouldn't have been able to stand it!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes but on nights that cold I cover the screened vent.

This may be the worst thing you can do. Ventilation prevents frostbite because it prevents condensation.

Ducks have down feathers. They make jackets and sleeping bags for mountain climbers out of duck down. Ducks are made for cold weather.

 

[Ratchnick]

They dont want to go inside?

I'm not sure they have figured out that it's better to sleep inside. They go in the house all the time but they sleep outside. Their bedding is dry and hey the ventilation is first class!

 

[threebrookscorner]

I understand the importance of ventilation but on nights colder than -10F I cover the vent. They always have clean dry pine chips and with our 5 ducks I haven't had any moisture problems doing this, of course the door isn't exactly airtight. We have -20F this morning so it will be 9 or 10 before I let them out, they will have a pool for a few hours which they love, pine chips on the snow to protect their feet. This is how I have done it for years with no issues. Oh, inside the duck house it is 18 above at the moment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nice and warm. Good thing they are wearing down jackets. It’s 18 outside my home this morning brrrr. That’s cold enough.

 

[threebrookscorner]

We still have -12 so it looks like one of those days the ducks don't get out and have a pool until lunchtime. I just ran down to feed the wood stove, slipped a gallon water jug in their door and uncovered the vent. We keep the house 75 in the winter and I do all this wearing cut off jeans and a t-shirt - the wife worries about me not the ducks hahaha

 

[Miss Lydia]

Where in the world are you? We were suppose to be 13 with wind chill around zero that’s plenty cold enough for mountains of NC. But I wouldn’t run around out side in cut offs you might get frost bite.

 

[threebrookscorner]

Northern Maine and the duck house is only 10 feet away from cellar door but a couple minutes is enough. I tried to add a profile picture and some info over a year ago but got locked out of responding for a few months, not real good on these things...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Try again. There are smart folks here who can help with, I am just not one of them

 

[PirateGirl]

Generally speaking I'd say my ducks don't "want" to go inside unless it is below zero F or really windy. Also in the summer they sometimes seek the shade of the house.