Frostbite

[llombardo]

i never thought about this with ducks. How common is it? Are certain breeds more prone to it? What are the common areas to watch? Can it be prevented? How would it be treated?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Feet and on Muscovy their fleshy faces. Don't let your ducks stay in the pool over night if the temps are going to freeze and stay frozen. Make sure they can't sit in any water source including their water buckets if the temps will cause the water to freeze solid.

My Muscovy's got it on their knob on their face I used bag balm and Vaseline, the frost bite makes the skin thin and it breaks open easy. I only had my female have this happen and she rubbed her skin on the hardware cloth, It took a couple weeks for it to heal.

 

[llombardo]

One more thing to worry about. I know they sit in their buckets. What if the heating source fails?

This is just awful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What do you mean? like a heat lamp? Honestly they don't need one if they are in a good sound coop with no drafts. They produce their own heat. I have 4 heated buckets and every one is half covered with scrap wood so they can't climb in but just dunk their heads.

 

[chickens really]

I put straw down in a corner of the Run and use pine shavings and straw in the house. I use rubber livestock bowls for water because they are easy to flip over and kick the ice out of. I wrap the Run in vapour barrier plastic to block out wind and snow.

 

[llombardo]

What do you mean? like a heat lamp? Honestly they don't need one if they are in a good sound coop with no drafts. They produce their own heat. I have 4 heated buckets and every one is half covered with scrap wood so they can't climb in but just dunk their heads.

Never thought about adding the wood on top. Now I will sit and stare at that when I go home--trying to figure out how to do it with my set up.

 

[llombardo]

What do you mean? like a heat lamp? Honestly they don't need one if they are in a good sound coop with no drafts. They produce their own heat. I have 4 heated buckets and every one is half covered with scrap wood so they can't climb in but just dunk their heads.

I was talking about the heating source in the bucket.

 

[chickens really]

Definitely get a GFI cord so they can't electrocute themselves.

 

[AnimalGeek23]

Ducks don’t need a heat lamp, I read somewhere that they can’t feel cold because of the oil on their feathers. I’d rub a bit of Vaseline on their feet, to prevent frostbite.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks don’t need a heat lamp, I read somewhere that they can’t feel cold because of the oil on their feathers. I’d rub a bit of Vaseline on their feet, to prevent frostbite.

Depending on how cold you get Vaseline will freeze to the feet. Nothing is needed because they tuck feet up into their feathers. Straw to lay on holds in body heat.