Ducks struggling with the cold

[Kateespencer]

Ok, so I know I’ve read a ton of posts about how ducks do so well in the winter and we shouldn’t worry about them too much. We had our first super cold couple of days with a skiff of snow and my poor ducks really struggled. So I have 2 mallards one male and one female and they could barley walk in the snow. They could take a couple of steps and then laid down. It’s was about 14 degrees out with -2 windchill. I’m now very worried about them for the rest of winter. Thankfully we’ve had some pretty mild days but it’s only December and we usually get our big storms in the later months of winter. Can someone tell me if this is normal or are my ducks being dramatic!!??

 

[addctd2plnts]

They should be fine but I always give them an area that is out of the wind and has a thick bed of straw to sit and lay down in. It's mainly that they want a place out of the wind and it's nice to have resit from the frozen ground.

 

[ruthhope]

Ok, so I know I’ve read a ton of posts about how ducks do so well in the winter and we shouldn’t worry about them too much. We had our first super cold couple of days with a skiff of snow and my poor ducks really struggled. So I have 2 mallards one male and one female and they could barley walk in the snow. They could take a couple of steps and then laid down. It’s was about 14 degrees out with -2 windchill. I’m now very worried about them for the rest of winter. Thankfully we’ve had some pretty mild days but it’s only December and we usually get our big storms in the later months of winter. Can someone tell me if this is normal or are my ducks being dramatic!!??

From the photograph, it seems your ducks think they should be house ducks!! Mine hang around my patio doors and two -- the ones that were hand raised from small ducklings -- are in like a shot if the doors are left ajar in error. Your ducks probably are being drama queens about the cold in the hopes that you give in and let them inside for the winter!! ;-)

[I know nothing about raising ducks in cold winters -- my ducks and I live in Florida. ]

 

[Duckiiess]

It's starting to get cold in upstate NY too.. my ducks try following me inside sometimes, but they're fine out there. When they're actually cold they huddle together in the duck house sheltered from the wind/ snow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They should be fine but I always give them an area that is out of the wind and has a thick bed of straw to sit and lay down in. It's mainly that they want a place out of the wind and it's nice to have resit from the frozen ground.

Mine have a choice they can stay outside and huddle behind things to keep the wind off of them, or they can go inside their coop. My Runners and Buffs do both. My Muscovy and Geese would rather stay out. Here there are plenty of places to get out of the wind. My chickens hang out under the woodshed.

 

[Kateespencer]

Straw provides more insulation. Hay is more of a feed when it comes to animals. Plus, with ducks due to moisture itt tends to mold quicker. But, the bales might be ok. I'd just keep an eye on them and check for mold especially since its inside the coop.
They really don't need the warm bottles of water.
What are your average temps? Ducks can do well in -25 degrees F sustained temps as long as they are provided with shelter from the wind. Lower than that and they would most likely choose their coop over being outside. If they are choosing to go out, then they are fine.

I apologize it is bales of straw not hay. It’s doesn’t usually get super cold here but it can get pretty chilly at times. This morning it’s 5 with a -5 wind chill. Mornings like this they seem to really struggle. We do leave the coop door open during the day so they can go in and out as much as they want. I think I’m just a worry wort

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Do you provide them with any straw? I clear snow and have straw paths. The ducks initially don't like the cold, but they will get used to it. Also, the laying down is their way of warming their feet.

Some good tips here: https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2013/12/cold-weather-tips-for-winter-duck-care.html

 

[Kateespencer]

They should be fine but I always give them an area that is out of the wind and has a thick bed of straw to sit and lay down in. It's mainly that they want a place out of the wind and it's nice to have resit from the frozen ground.

They definitely don’t like the wind. We leave the coop door open all day so they are free to get in and out as much as they want. I have 7 bales of hay in there coop. 3 making a u shape and the rest spread out around those bales. We feed them warm oatmeal at night to try and keep them warm through the night. I was wondering about a hot water bottle pack those rubber ones. I was thinking about filling a big one of the bottles and putting in the area between the bales so if they get cold they have that warm bottle to lay on if need be. What do think about something like that??

 

[Crazy Maizie]

As far as research goes, I wouldn't trust blogs for certain information. Blogs are good for getting ideas for set ups and such. I'd go directly to sites that are .edu, .org, etc regular websites are generally there to generate revenue. I've even seen one site that keeps popping up when I look for info regarding poultry that all it does is steal info from other sites and it makes it look like it's the original author. So, you've got to be careful where you get your info.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Here's a good example of a well written article that is a .com. There are reliable sources cited. You don't always get that, but that is what I look for when needing certain types of info.
This article explains how ducks stay warm in winter and why their feet don't freeze.
http://askanaturalist.com/why-don’t-ducks’-feet-freeze/
The last paragraph:
"One thing I’ve often wondered about, is whether an animal like a duck is uncomfortable in the cold. We see them sitting on the ice, with their feathers fluffed up, and we imagine that they must be suffering. But maybe not. Our bodies tell us we are uncomfortable when we are outside the range of temperatures at which human beings are safe – say 15-25oC (60-80oF). We experience pain or other discomfort so we do something to get warmer if it’s too cold, or move to somewhere cooler if it’s too hot. But for a Mallard, sitting on ice is not dangerous. They don’t lose much heat through their cold feet, and their feathers keep the rest of their body toasty warm. There’s no reason for them to move or change their situation, so I’m guessing they don’t feel discomfort at all."


As well think of the downy feathers, coats utilize downy feathers to make it bearable for people to withstand extreme temps.