Fort Duck: Heating / Winter

[Flyinbolts]

Hello everyone! Seeking some info... Last year I had a heated water dish for the ducks. This year I have an in ground pond in the newly built duck fort.
the walls are open for now but it will be shuttered for the winter time. Will still be lots of light by both lamp & semi-opaque roofing.
We regularly get -10 to -25 *F here for a week at a time. I'm sure I'll be keeping the ducks in during that time but I'm wondering if they'll warm the house without heating it separately, and if that will be enough to keep the water warm enough or if I'll have to figure out a way to warm the water to keep it unfrozen.
I'll be having straw as the bedding for some extra warmth and it'll get changed out regularly.

It's an 8Lx12Wx7H (roughly) enclosure

 

[Jpat]

So here in nova scotia we get crazy cold like that too. Even my smallest kahki campbell was apsalutely fine in it. Even the coldest mornings theyd all run out the door, eat, and stick their heads in the water pails

Soo, What can cause issues is poor ventilation causing build up of humid air from their breath. It can cause frost bite on their bills. Also, keeping water inside causes high humidity and they splash it all over. it makes for a wet freezing enviroment


What me and alot of members do is switch from kiddie pools too pails. i put one out in the morning, then another in the afternoon. if its mild out i just break the ice. i might save up for a heated pail this winter

 

[Duckie doodle]

I really was wondering the same thing for my duck flock. Here in NY it can get cold and i,was honestly thinking of moving my flock to the basement but it's just a thought at the moment plus I have heard many mixed things from people. Some people say they they will be fine without heat and others say to have heat. My gut is telling me to move them in basement.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Don't lock up your ducks in the Winter! You may think it is lousy cold, but they have a built-in down jacket and can deal with love cold weather much better that with excessive heat. As @Jpat said: It is important to keep their sleeping/shelter place as dry as possible, a dry duck is a warm duck. Shelter them from the wind and they will be fine.
Water is an issue in winter! Here in WV we only had some nights cold enough to make the water freeze over night and we ran out 2-3 times a day with a bucket of hot water, but in colder climates a heated water source absolutely makes sense.
Thank you very much @Jpat - I learned a new word today: »pail« - A type of cylindrical shipping container with a capacity of about 1 to 12 gal. (Wikipedia)

 

[Flyinbolts]

Don't lock up your ducks in the Winter! You may think it is lousy cold, but they have a built-in down jacket and can deal with love cold weather much better that with excessive heat. As @Jpat said: It is important to keep their sleeping/shelter place as dry as possible, a dry duck is a warm duck. Shelter them from the wind and they will be fine.
Water is an issue in winter! Here in WV we only had some nights cold enough to make the water freeze over night and we ran out 2-3 times a day with a bucket of hot water, but in colder climates a heated water source absolutely makes sense.
Thank you very much @Jpat - I learned a new word today: »pail« - A type of cylindrical shipping container with a capacity of about 1 to 12 gal. (Wikipedia)

I ran out pails of hot water in the morning last winter and it did OK with just open water.
I have plenty of ventilation. It should never be overly humid in the shed - I'm not worried about that.
If I can't keep up the pond I guess I'll be changing up to a water pail and just renew it daily and cover the pond with a piece of plywood. More room over winter for them to bed down.

I have no intention of forcing them to stay inside, but I definitely want them to have access to the shelter all day if they want.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Ducks are kind of crazy about bad weather: I had a duck snatching snow flakes out of the air and i have ducks using a severe downpour as a shower… The only thing that made them run for their lifes was a freak hailstorm!

 

[Jpat]

Don't lock up your ducks in the Winter! You may think it is lousy cold, but they have a built-in down jacket and can deal with love cold weather much better that with excessive heat. As @Jpat said: It is important to keep their sleeping/shelter place as dry as possible, a dry duck is a warm duck. Shelter them from the wind and they will be fine.
Water is an issue in winter! Here in WV we only had some nights cold enough to make the water freeze over night and we ran out 2-3 times a day with a bucket of hot water, but in colder climates a heated water source absolutely makes sense.
Thank you very much @Jpat - I learned a new word today: »pail« - A type of cylindrical shipping container with a capacity of about 1 to 12 gal. (Wikipedia)

Haha we all learn together

what i think of as a pail

 

[chickens really]

-10C isn't cold to a Duck at all. Provide shavings and straw in the house with wind blocked and they will be just fine..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I really was wondering the same thing for my duck flock. Here in NY it can get cold and i,was honestly thinking of moving my flock to the basement but it's just a thought at the moment plus I have heard many mixed things from people. Some people say they they will be fine without heat and others say to have heat. My gut is telling me to move them in basement.

@Amiga has a basement coop for her ducks.