Ducks in the Winter

[Shaun Hagan]

Hey All, I am up in Northern New England and considering buying a couple of ducks. I don't have a natural pond, so I'd be making a small pool for them in the ground. What do y'all do for them in the winter? A coop with a water bucket?
Thanks
-S

P.S. I ma thinking about black runners, is there anything special for them?

 

[kodiakchicken]

Shaun,

Ducks don't have to have water to swim in (although they love it) so in the winter you can just empty out the pool and keep them in their coop/shed.

I have three 3 week olds and they are so much fun. We get down in the single digits here but probably not as cold as you do. I'm going to keep a kiddie pool for them in the summer and then heat their water bowl in the winter. Ducks are actually better suited for colder weather than chickens as their feathers are very thick and they don't have combs and wattles that will freeze.

They don't need a coop per say (they don't roost) but will need a nice shed, or large dog house, that has good, solid walls, is predator proof and can have a heat lamp in it for the really cold days.

Check out Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. Great reference book!

 

[Shaun Hagan]

Thanks, that sounds pretty easy! I will check out the Storey Text!

 

[SueNH]

Mine have a choice to join the chickens or hang out under a tarped pen. During the winter the pen is tarped on 2 side too. They don't bother with the building. I have a barrel on it's side and a plastic dog house and a rubbermaid tub. All are piled with shavings and hay. They prefer to hang out in a pen corner. If it's real cold they head for one of the dog houses. They do fine with no heat as long as they can get out of the wind and wet.