Deep Freeze Winter Weather and Duck Feet

[Kholts]

Well it Winter here in Canada. This week has been nothing but deep freeze weather with today’s temp reaching -48 degrees C (-54.5F).

As of Monday my ducks and in my huge storage shed (I’m talking garage size) it is insulated & has a window. I have straw on the floor with their food bin as well as electric Water bucket in there (surprisingly they are being clean and not making a huge mess) and they have been on lockdown day & night since Monday afternoon.

This was a make shift situation as their coop was just not big enough for them to be in all day and night. I was also questioning my ventilation adequacy in my coop as I feel they were coming out of there damp possibly though I’m not quite sure. I’ll be looking into it more once the weather breaks.

Here is my question. The last couple weeks I have noticed that the ducks (when I go to coop them up)stand up from their straw floor patch (under my deck) to move but then kinda flop over and flail around as if they lost use of their legs. They stumble the whole way to their coop. There are times where I see them walk normal.

Are their legs actually freezing or do they just lose circulation for a bit in their legs as they spend most of the day laying on them?

My welsh Harlequin is still doing the struggle to walk thing even in the shed she’s in now and I know her feet are not too cold in there.

 

[DuckyDonna]

@Miss Lydia @Jpat might be able to help answer your question. Thankfully it doesn't get that cold where I am!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Would you be able to post a video of your ducks on YouTube and link it here?
I have difficulties to imagine the exact behavior of them.
Don't want to scare you, but »loosing the use of their legs« is one of the first symptoms of botulism…☹

 

[Isaac 0]

Video would be helpful.When its very cold my ducks will stand up,move and then hurry and sit down because there legs get cold. They aren't going to be doing too much when its that cold.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Boy that’s a new one for me. Maybe while it’s that extreme they should be kept inside. Reason thinking that’s why most waterfowl fly south in winter not just because food is scarce but temps.

 

[Jpat]

What do you feed them? Are they getting any excersise?

Next time one starts cramping up, take it inside and put it in the bathtub or on towels and let him warm up to room temp slowly, Dont use warm water or anything. And see if its muscles and legs come back to normal

They should be able to go inside the coop or outside as they wish

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s the way it is for mine they have a choice but in those extremes maybe they are better off inside till the worst is over? I don’t know do you get that cold @Jpat

 

[Jpat]

we get -20, -4 american

it might be the wrong angle, But as a human our bodys cramp and seize from low temps and poor nutrition, and dehydration

it might not be the problem but worth checking

 

[Kholts]

What do you feed them? Are they getting any excersise?

Next time one starts cramping up, take it inside and put it in the bathtub or on towels and let him warm up to room temp slowly, Dont use warm water or anything. And see if its muscles and legs come back to normal

They should be able to go inside the coop or outside as they wish

They are on a layer ration with access to extra oyster shell & grit. Since the cold weather however I also give them cracked corn & wheat mix in moderation as a treat to help them stay warm.

Before I put them in the shed they had access to their coop and run freely during the day and free range in my backyard (backyard ducks). Though as mentioned above their favourite spot is under my deck (2 story high) which is why I laid a thick layer of straw down there. As it got colder they really only travelled the distance of under my deck to there coop & run then back. They are definitely not as active when it’s below -25C.

At night time I herd them into their coop and lock them in for the night (no food or water) then let them out about 8:00am.

I will get a video of the behaviour if it happens again. I checked on them this afternoon and nobody is flopping around and are walking about normally in the shed. No one is acting differently either. They have now been in the shed since Monday afternoon so it’s been 2 full days in there.

The only thing I was worried about with bringing them in was shocking there system once I had to put them out again which is why we settled on setting them Up in the shed where they would be up off the ground & protected from wind and frost.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like they are doing fine where you have them. A bit more work for you but with those extreme temps I think your doing the right thing for them.