Ducks & Cold

[Borgia]

I know this has been asked a million times because I have googled it and seen multiple questions BUT it is supposed to be high of 13 low of -10 and high of 17 low of -2 this weekend here. I have 6 ducks I keep in an outdoor coop. I use shavings and added some more for the cold. I also was considering putting a heat lamp in the coop. However, will the ducks be ok outside at these temps? In addition, should I let them out of the coop during the day. Generally I let them free range but I don't know if it is too cold for them to be out?

 

[tygress66]

I don't generally open our coop unless the high temp is expected to be 25 degrees F or more. Any colder than that, I don't bother even opening the coop for the day because none of the birds (I have chickens and ducks) are willing to put their feet out in the snow and ice. I have a heat lamp in my coop and I definitely recommend one if you live in the north. Hope this helps!

 

[cayugaducklady]

I'm in the same boat. Highs around 15 lows around -10 this weekend.

I put up two tarps to block prevailing winds on North and West side. I'll either buy two more tarps to block off South & East OR buy straw bales to place around bottom of south & east sides. Depends on where the wind is coming from & how hard it is gusting.

My duck houses are permanently open because they're dog houses.

I've got many inches of dry clean straw in them and many many inches of straw in their pen. I've been turning it over every day to put the snow on the bottom. In the places where more snow naturally accumulates I put down a layer of dry straw every morning.

My girls have been perfectly comfortable bedding outside in the snow so far. No puffed feathers, hunching or shivering etc. They look like they're having a "coffee talk" out in the snow.

It's comical to see black ducks covered in snow blanket in the morning when I go out to feed them.

I've been offering more calorie dense food, too, for my own peace of mind.

 

[Gone-Quackers]

I know this has been asked a million times because I have googled it and seen multiple questions BUT it is supposed to be high of 13 low of -10 and high of 17 low of -2 this weekend here. I have 6 ducks I keep in an outdoor coop. I use shavings and added some more for the cold. I also was considering putting a heat lamp in the coop. However, will the ducks be ok outside at these temps? In addition, should I let them out of the coop during the day. Generally I let them free range but I don't know if it is too cold for them to be out?

We're going to have a night of -15F here in Iowa. My ducks have a coop slapped together out of pallets and metal sheeting. It is always open and leads to a wire-topped pen. Since it's going to be so cold I added a fresh layer of straw and will put out extra feed tonight. They all just hang out in the quacker box and converse during the cold spells.

 

[Amiga]

I have a few less-than-cold-hardy Runners, so we just finally decided to keep them at night in their "storm shelter" pen in the walkout basement. Then I don't have to decide whether to bring them in. And we also don't go out too much if it's below 25F. I do offer the ducks a chance to go outside, but they last about five minutes or so before trotting back in.

They are - all but one - six years old, by the way.