Duck question - ducks that quit walking and standing...

[psimons2004]

Duck question. I culled a peking last month because he quit walking. I thought maybe he had frostbitten his feet, but it went into a respiratory thing. It IS very cold here, but the ducks share the coop/barn with the chickens and it has 3 heat lamps, deep litter/bedding, and I close the door after dark each night. This morning I noticed both ducks I have left - runners - were doing weird things with their feet. Standing on one at a time and they kept laying down on their feet while they ate and drank... They are acting like their feet are cold but I almost wonder if it's some kind of disease or virus that is affecting them nuerologically... Any advice?

 

[Kevin565]

My ducks did the exact same thing when they came in contact with snow for the first time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I see my ducks standing on one leg quite often doesn't look comfy to me but it must be to them. are you sure you need to be using heat? ducks have down and as long as they can get out of the wind and storms that come through shouldn't need a heat lamp, neither should chickens. when they get cold they lay down on their legs I have seen mine lay in the snow get up and the snow is melted underneath where they were laying.

some interesting reading.... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again

 

[jdywntr]

Seems like their feet may be cold. What type of flooring do they have in the coop? At night make sure they have something to snuggle on, hay, straw, shavings etc. I've read that some put down hay or straw on the snow during the day. Like Miss Lydia said as long as they are able to get out of wind and storms they should be okay.

 

[Iain Utah]

I assume your location is Cheyenne, Wyo? If so, I'd bet it is too cold for them. I'm in Park City, Utah and my ducks are miserable right now. They can barely get from their coop to their outdoor shelter area in the day and can hardly stand on the snow. Poor things.