Cold weather

[amanda_rimo]

We only have 1 duck. And before you say it, yes she is very happy by herself. She never cared when she had others to tag along with and went her own way. She’s been alone for over a year now and is thriving. But we have some very cold weather coming this weekend. We have the run wrapped with plastic and have straw in the run and coop. We don’t lock her up at night as she likes to stay out. With the cold weather, we are thinking about adding a heat lamp just at night this weekend. Would the heat lamp be okay in the run even though it’s wrapped in plastic? or should we put it in the coop instead? Any suggested are appreciated! Thanks

 

[Callender Girl]

I've never used a heat lamp for my runner ducks. They live in a semi-closed (hardware-cloth wrapped) shelter at night, but have the option of coming out in the daytime. Temperatures here are frequently extremely cold (-11F right now).

The runners -- lightweight little things that they are -- do okay in the coldest weather. I often find them outside the run, lying on the icy ground, snuggled into their own warming feathers.

Although the usually lie close to each other, Jan -- the least social of the crew -- is fine staying slightly away from the others, in her own little Jan World. Like your girl, she's fine being a loner.