Concerned about winter

[cici]

Hello everyone,
This is my first time posting. My daughter raised 2 beautiful Pekins this summer. At about 2 months old, they went to live at a friend's pond. Since winter is coming, they have been moved further in the country to another friend's land. He has a wonderful lake which does not completely freeze (we're in PA) and 4 other ducks who have been living there for a couple of years. We drove them there last weekend. Unfrotunately the other ducks (don't know the breed) were less than friendly to our darling babies. They hissed, chased, and tried to bite our much larger Pekins. To find peace from the mean ducks, our Pekins walked over a stream a little closer to the woods and have seemed to make it their home. My friend is concerned about coyotes and foxes, as they are a bit too far from the house and the stream is not very big, thus they can't escape into the water.
We're terribly concerned. Not only is the preditor factor a huge problem. I'm concerned about snow and cold weather. Is there anyone out there who would like to winter our couple? We'd certainly supply the food. They are a very close couple, male and female. The female (Ming Ming) has already layed eggs.

 

[lorieMN]

why dont you keep them at your own house?..they dont really NEED a pond,they will do fine with waterers

 

[Omniskies]

I wouldn't trust them where they are now. To be honest, I wouldn't even trust them being safe at a pond. Predators aren't stupid - they've hunted ducks for a long time and will take any opportunity that presents itself.

If you want to keep them over the winter then they will be fine where you are. Ducks - especially Pekins - are covered in a thick layer of down that snugly fits over a thick layer of fat. The cold won't bother them so long as they can get out of the wind and rain.

 

[cici]

We want to keep them here in the worst way. Unfortunately, we live in a plan in the suburbs, on a postage sized lot. They lived in our kitchen (in a rabbit cage) when they were babies. As they grew, we moved the cage outside, moving it around, allowing them to swim in a baby pool. Quickly they outgrew the cage, so we fenced in the Trampoline. We are not even allowed to keep ducks in our plan. Everything was all planned out before we even got them. We were to raise them, then they were to go to the little pond, then to the big lake with all the other ducks. Unfortuntely, we were told there was a warm duck house at the big lake where the other ducks went when the weather was bad. That didn't turn out to be true. They are the sweetest, most darling ducks. I'm just sick that they are out in the open right now, near a small stream and not the lake.
I have several calls in to friends with farms. I'm hoping I have some luck, but I thought I'd give this a try too.