Favorite tips for winter care of ducks?

[indianaducks]

I got my ducks (as ducklings) the end of January this year, so they didn't move outside until it was warmer. I'm hoping to pick your brains on your favorite tips or things you wish you had done differently for caring for ducks through winter. I live in Indiana if that helps. We get snow. It gets cold. It's already been in the upper 20s at night with frost on the grass. Ducks seem happy as can be. They have a small coop with ventillation that is inside a chain link dog run that's predator proofed. They are often free ranged when I'm home and can supervise. I'm not overly concerned about anything, just figured I'd look for ideas or you "dang I wish I had done xyz slightly different"...

Right now I have 17 (variety of breeds) but have a couple that need to go to freezer camp soon - too many drakes in my younger group.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Honestly, there are parts of winter care that are great! The poop freezes solid, making that part of clean-up easy!

I keep bedding much deeper in winter and use wood shavings with straw on top for preferred sleeping spots. I have smooth “poop boards” for places underneath my Muscovies’ favorite roosting spots. In winter, the poop scrapes right off using a paint scraper or

I have two sets of rubber livestock feeding bowls for watering (and feeding) purposes. I bring a bucket full of water with the clean bowls out, and swap out with the dirty frozen bowls. The rubber livestock bowls are great as they never ever break.

For bathing, I use a cement mixing tub from Lowe’s. It only takes a few buckets of water to fill and they get a thorough bath.

An issue I want to work on this year is limiting spilled water. I think I’ll place something over the bowls so they can drink but not get in. I also need to work on dumping ice further away from their barn and run to prevent an icy buildup that creates a flood in the spring.

I do not offer any supplemental heat, and only keep a light on in the daytime if it’s too cold to go out.

 

[indianaducks]

Honestly, there are parts of winter care that are great! The poop freezes solid, making that part of clean-up easy!

I keep bedding much deeper in winter and use wood shavings with straw on top for preferred sleeping spots. I have smooth “poop boards” for places underneath my Muscovies’ favorite roosting spots. In winter, the poop scrapes right off using a paint scraper or

I have two sets of rubber livestock feeding bowls for watering (and feeding) purposes. I bring a bucket full of water with the clean bowls out, and swap out with the dirty frozen bowls. The rubber livestock bowls are great as they never ever break.

For bathing, I use a cement mixing tub from Lowe’s. It only takes a few buckets of water to fill and they get a thorough bath.

An issue I want to work on this year is limiting spilled water. I think I’ll place something over the bowls so they can drink but not get in.

I do not offer any supplemental heat, and only keep a light on in the daytime if it’s too cold to go out.

Thank you so much! This is helpful.

 

[DukesDucks]

I also increase the depth of the shavings for my Muscovy ducks in the winter. I do keep up on removing the frozen poop otherwise I would need a pick axe to get it moved. Love that idea of poop boards and are putting some in today.

I bring in the 2 water sources each evening and take it out warm each morning. During really cold spells I take one out in the morning, and a second one around noon. These are deep enough for them to fully dunk their heads. I remove their pool until spring because it caused an icy mess that keeps the run very soggy long into spring.

I don't use any supplemental heat or light. The run has a wind break on the north side and they seem perfectly happy sitting around in the sun. They cuddle together in the coop at night.

So much fun to watch them come out to free range after a heavy snow fall. The females are smart enough to fly but their landings are comical. If it is really deep, I'll take pity on the drake and go break a trail for them.

 

[indianaducks]

I also increase the depth of the shavings for my Muscovy ducks in the winter. I do keep up on removing the frozen poop otherwise I would need a pick axe to get it moved. Love that idea of poop boards and are putting some in today.

I bring in the 2 water sources each evening and take it out warm each morning. During really cold spells I take one out in the morning, and a second one around noon. These are deep enough for them to fully dunk their heads. I remove their pool until spring because it caused an icy mess that keeps the run very soggy long into spring.

I don't use any supplemental heat or light. The run has a wind break on the north side and they seem perfectly happy sitting around in the sun. They cuddle together in the coop at night.

So much fun to watch them come out to free range after a heavy snow fall. The females are smart enough to fly but their landings are comical. If it is really deep, I'll take pity on the drake and go break a trail for them.

Do you use heated waterers or heated buckets? Or do you find just replacing water twice a day works? Wasn't sure if a heated water bucket would be a useful purpose?

 

[DukesDucks]

I don't use heated waterers. I used the type sold for large dogs. There is a large reservoir of water on top that feeds into a large bowl on the bottom. No electricity in my coop to plug into, and running an extension would be problematic as it would cross my lane which gets plowed.
The cold weather does cause more work all around. The positive side is that it means an end to the ticks which really, really like me.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I agree with the others about deep shavings with straw or hay on top. I use a heated dog water bowl. If it is going to be really cold, I fill old milk jugs with hot tap water and leave them in the coop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Best thing I have done is buy heated buckets. If you have the power I sure do rec them. It gets old fast having to carry water outside and fill buckets many times a day.
Thick bedding is another at top of the list.

 

[indianaducks]

I agree with the others about deep shavings with straw or hay on top. I use a heated dog water bowl. If it is going to be really cold, I fill old milk jugs with hot tap water and leave them in the coop.

I might just need coffee, but what do you use the milk jugs with hot water for? Heat?

 

[KaleIAm]

I don't use heated buckets, but I really value a heated hose! I bought one on Amazon a few years ago, it's drinking water safe and saves me from carrying water from the house to the barn. I always give my ducks fresh water in the morning and midday, and on the coldest days I try to do it more frequently.

I also use plenty of thick bedding.

I try not to be too anthropomorphic about things. I think that's the hardest part. Until last year when my oldest duck was 7 they didn't seem to mind the cold and would happily swim in ice water for an hour before going for a walk in the snow with me. Meanwhile I was shivering, bundled up, and drinking tea.