First time winterizing

[Avian Allie]

Hey y’all. So this is my first year with ducks and I don’t know how to winterize their home. Right now I have two ducks ( Muscovy and I think Swedish) in a 54 sq ft run with a dogloo on a covered pallet and a short trough as their pool. We’re about to hit the cold season so what do y’all do to keep your babies warm? What can I do to keep them from getting hypothermia in the pool? I’m afraid to use a heater because my ducks LOVE to shred everything they can and one is kinda blind( we got her as a neglected/blind duckling and now she seems to have recovered some sight). Are wood shavings a warm enough bedding or do they need something else? My Muscovy also loves to sleep on top of her house what can I do to get them to snuggle?
Thanks in advance.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I would suggest getting some straw or hay bales and stacking them to make a wind block for the igloo. You could also surround most of it with bales. I use shavings for my ducks too. In the winter, though, I also add straw or hay on top of the shavings to give them insulation. They seem to like it. I purchased a cheap wireless thermometer and keep it in their coop. The receiver is in my house and I can see how warm or cold they are. When we have really cold nights (25F or below) I fill a couple plastic bottles with hot water and put them in the coop. The water gives off heat as it freezes. I wouldn’t worry about the pool, their bodies can basically turn off the circulation to their legs so that they don’t get cold swimming in cold water. Also, when it’s really cold the water is frozen.
I am not sure where you are but I hope this helps!
ps: I do not have Muscovy ducks and I believe they are not as cold hardy as the Mallard derived ducks.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ducks really don't mind the cold. I live where it can be below freezing almost any night of the year (we've had frost a few nights the past week already). They usually opt to sleep outside, even in the snow, even though they have a house full of straw. I give swimming water once in awhile on days it gets above freezing, and once the water freezes solid they don't get a refill until another nice day. They play so much and dunk so much in their drinking water it generally stays thawed and they break the surface ice regularly. Once it snows here we don't don't see the ground again until May generally. The ducks do fine. They don't hide and shiver like the chickens. When the weather is particularly bad I lock them in their house over night, but they barrel right out in the morning. Maybe consider adding a door to their house if there isn't already one so that if there's a nasty storm they are protected. I don't know that you can make them snuggle and hopefully your muscovy will learn that it's warmer in the house with the other duck. Again, mine rarely go in their house because of cold, but will go in when we have blizzard winds or else I have to round them up.