ducks sleeping a lot in cold weather

[jbugw]

I can't find anything this. Our weather just turned bad in the last week. Temps in the teens,non stop snow,wind chill is 5 degrees today. They are about 6 months old. They free range during the day and are in their duck house at night. This has been there routine since they were about 2 months old. When I open their house they come out of the pen immediately- they share a fenced pen with 6 geese. All of them leave the pen right away and come into the yard. But then after they take a little drink everybody plops down in the snow and go to sleep. They have slept all day the last 3 days- all of them,ducks and geese. Is this normal? I've read they can do fine with our temps but the wind may be an issue for the geese. Are they struggling or is this normal behavior? I am wondering if I should keep them all in the pen where they will be encouraged to go back into their house.

They can't have water in their duck house but we have a greenhouse set up to move them in for winter where they can have food and water overnight although we have no way of keeping the water from freezing. I break the ice during the day. A heated dish would require electric cord to go across the driveway which my husband doesn't want. I am not sure if this is because of the snow blower or if he has some other reason.

Anyway, all the other birds are acting normally. The chickens are spending most of the day in the coop but are not spending it sleeping like the ducks and geese. turkeys are normal. guineas don't want to walk in the snow but are otherwise acting normally. What is going on with my ducks and geese?

 

[Free Feather]

My ducks sleep all day too. I hope it is normal.

 

[jbugw]

They were just hunkered down on the porch. I am leaving them penned tomorrow and see if they are more active.We seem to be having a bit of trouble with the geese and water too. normally they have 4 water containers and a kiddie pool but with every thing freezing they only have 2. the geese are guarding both of them and not letting the ducks get any. I have to stand guard. We'll be separating them tonight. We had planned on separating them anyway because they fight over the pool so we already have housing and a pen set up for the geese we just didn't separate them because the geese help protect the ducks.

 

[Free Feather]

I do not have geese or water issues, because I have natural springs and creeks in the yard. Do they free range?

 

[jbugw]

They do free range. We have nice sized pens for them and houses so they don't have to but we open up the gates during daylight hours. Chickens and guineas too. Only our turkeys don't free range and that is because they are heritage and wander a little too far. We have 1 neighbor within a mile of us and they managed to go visit and poop all over his porch and swimming pool cover. He was not happy. And they lost their free range privilege.

 

[jbugw]

We actually just got a dog for flock protection but he is still too young.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't find anything this. Our weather just turned bad in the last week. Temps in the teens,non stop snow,wind chill is 5 degrees today. They are about 6 months old. They free range during the day and are in their duck house at night. This has been there routine since they were about 2 months old. When I open their house they come out of the pen immediately- they share a fenced pen with 6 geese. All of them leave the pen right away and come into the yard. But then after they take a little drink everybody plops down in the snow and go to sleep. They have slept all day the last 3 days- all of them,ducks and geese. Is this normal? I've read they can do fine with our temps but the wind may be an issue for the geese. Are they struggling or is this normal behavior? I am wondering if I should keep them all in the pen where they will be encouraged to go back into their house.

They can't have water in their duck house but we have a greenhouse set up to move them in for winter where they can have food and water overnight although we have no way of keeping the water from freezing. I break the ice during the day. A heated dish would require electric cord to go across the driveway which my husband doesn't want. I am not sure if this is because of the snow blower or if he has some other reason.

Anyway, all the other birds are acting normally. The chickens are spending most of the day in the coop but are not spending it sleeping like the ducks and geese. turkeys are normal. guineas don't want to walk in the snow but are otherwise acting normally. What is going on with my ducks and geese?

Mine are hunkered down with wind chills at 4* I think it's their way of conserving energy when temps get so low. Mine have access to their house anythime they want but prefer to be outside. Crazy things.

 

[Mrs.H]

I've noticed mine (including myself) being lazy/napping on cold days lately too.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

the temps here have been in the teens yesterday it snowed this is the ducks first winter. today was the first day the did not come to the house for there peas. I went out and gave them some. there feet are cold the keep sitting on there feet to keep them warm. I put out more straw in there pen and around the gate. they seem happy laying there by there water and food. I know if I was home I would be laying on the couch with a drink and potato chips. haha.

 

[jbugw]

I have noticed them sitting on their feet a lot too. They have been finding places to block out the wind- like our porch or next to the barn but they won't go into their house. They have been going in a little earlier but not much.