First Winter in Cold Minnesota with ducks

[emmec19]

Chiming in with reassurance that it sounds like your ducks will be fine with all that you have been doing already. This is my first winter with ducks too (Michigan), but we've cared for our rabbits thru many winters. Thankfully we've had mild temps so far, but we do often get long spells of negative temps. Our ducks have access to their dry, draft free coop all day with pine shavings and straw bedding, but they never retreat there. They hang outside no matter what the weather. We have a cozy coop panel heater for them at night when locked in their coop, but they also have space to get away from it if they choose. One of my concerns about using a heat lamp was the added light, they need the hours of darkness I believe. For water, we have a natural pond but it is too large to keep thawed all winter. So, we purchased a used pond liner that we added a drain to and then sunk in the ground. We bought a submersible stock tank heater on amazon that keeps it above freezing. They mostly hang out there all day to keep their feet warmer than they would be in the colder air. I empty and refill once a week. They seem to be doing fine. Check out the youtube channel 50 Ducks in a Hot Tub. This guy in Canada has hundreds of ducks and best I recall, he only makes his be indoors at something around 40 below. Good luck with your trip, I hope you can trust your caregivers and have a worry free time.

I wanted to point out that the temps that 50 Ducks in a Hot Tub mentions are celsius. His recent video posted a couple days ago was mentioning he kept his ducks in their coop at -21, which converts to only -5 fahrenheit. I thought it was colder than that. So now I'm not quite sure at what point the ducks would be too cold! Hoping they are smart enough to know when and would retreat to their coops if needed. Hmmm

 

[Miss Lydia]

Last year was the first year my ducks took to their houses when it got into 20's with wind chills in the singles or below. I was so surprised my Muscovy's always just hunkered down behind things to keep the wind off of them. Then the Runners who were only 1.5 yrs old started going inside and laying in the shavings must have turned the light on in their heads because I would go out to check on the birds and the Muscovy's would be in with them. I was very happy they were using their noodles . Or everyone would be under the wood shed where I have build a wall to keep the wind off of them. I think the wind chills is what hurts.

 

[emmec19]

Thank you Miss Lydia! Glad to hear of some ducks having a little sense in their bird brains. I hope mine will do the same when the temps get rough!