Concerned about weather.

[Angsminizoo]

I'm in Kentucky and we are about to drop into the negatives. I've covered the outside part of my ducks' pen in plastic and laid down a lot of dry straw. Right now I am letting them roam as normal because it isn't too cold yet. When the temperature starts to drop I will put them up in there coop. I don't have a heat source out there though. They have never experienced this kind of freezing temps. before. Anyone know how cold they can handle? A lot of our freezing temperatures will be do to wind chill and I helped lessen that by covering the wire with heavy plastic. I'm pretty worried about my babies

 

[Finny]

As long as its not too low into the negatives and they have a draft free shelter they should be fine. If you are really worried about it you can put a heat lamp in their duck house for the night time. I have one in my duck's house that i turn on at night and my ducks seem to appreciate it after a long day of being outside

 

[Amiga]

Lots of bedding helps, what you did to prevent drafts helps, and it depends on how many ducks you have, too. If it's just a few I might have a backup plan to bring them into a laundry room or something just for a day or so. Beats losing the ducks to a preventable problem.

If you go the heat lamp route, please please please be careful about fire risk.

 

[Going Quackers]

Good food, well vented, bedded shelter will all help. We get pretty rough here not as bad as some parts of my country but enough thanks lol i do all that i mentioned, i choose not to heat unless extreme circumstances, fire risk, getting birds accustomed to un-natural temps that could be lost if the hydro goes out, plus it doesn't allow the birds to build a good feathering base if they don't get a chance to roll with the actual weather.

Covered and bedding your run is a good idea, my ducks free range so for most that is not an option, my call pen i have a tarp across a section to get them out of the elements but they are super cold hardy beasts.

I always say, watch your birds they are the best guide to how their coping know their behaviour and know when it's not what it should be, over a few winters you learn what is expected and what is not.

 

[Aleks]

There's lots of good advice on this site and on this thread. I just wanted to share that last month we had a cold snap, for several weeks it dipped down into the negative digits at night. We didn't get much wind so there was no wind chill (Reno, Nevada). Earlier this Spring I had built a shelter for my 2 African Geese, 2 Bourbon Turkeys, 3 Peking and 3 Mallard Ducks. Much to my surprise none of them use the shelter except to lay eggs. My point through my experience is that my critters don't need my shelter and and are pretty rugged animals. I have to respect that even if it made me uneasy during the cold snap. My Mom laughed because during the cold snap I would venture out at night to check on my "survivalists" and they pulled through pretty well. If you are that concerned perhaps bringing them in like someone suggested above would be the best option, or just penning them up. Good luck to you...

 

[Amiga]

How is everyone today?

 

[starbird]

I live in Kentucky and these are the coldest temperatures my ducks have had to endure. My ducks free range in the back yard and are locked in a converted dog house at night. I build them a pen in my garage and that is where they will stay for the next two days. Boy were they ****** off this morning.