Getting ready for some cold weather.

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Fluffed up the big family nest in preparation for cold today and tomorrow. They were very excited. Of course it had mealworms in it, so that helped.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I put mine into their coops. They won't be leaving until it gets milder on Sunday. A fresh layer of wood chips should help keep them warm, as well as being out of the wind. We're expecting a wind chill of -49F here.

 

[ruthhope]

I have 4 silly Florida ducks with me on exrended stay in Northern Virginia. They showed little concern when they first saw snow and when their wading pool was frozen. They seemed to enjoy tapping their beaks on the ice. I gave them lots of pinestraw to keep warm at night and only one has burrowed in and made a nice round nest surrounded by pine straw. The smallest, thinnest duck (a pekin drake) that I am most concerned about just tramples down the pinestraw in his dog crate. He does get some insulation from above: the duck who makes a nest (a muscovy drake) sleeps atop the dogcrate. The other two--big fat and well covered with down muscovy drakes--also trample down the pinestraw. I could throw in meal worms but that would likely result in more trampling. It's possible that they snuggle together to keep warm, but they are not big buddies. Overall, I am surprised how well the four have adapted to the freezing conditions, unlike their duck Mama who is miserable in gray cold weather.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I put mine into their coops. They won't be leaving until it gets milder on Sunday. A fresh layer of wood chips should help keep them warm, as well as being out of the wind. We're expecting a wind chill of -49F here.

Yikes! That smarts!

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I have 4 silly Florida ducks with me on exrended stay in Northern Virginia. They showed little concern when they first saw snow and when their wading pool was frozen. They seemed to enjoy tapping their beaks on the ice. I gave them lots of pinestraw to keep warm at night and only one has burrowed in and made a nice round nest surrounded by pine straw. The smallest, thinnest duck (a pekin drake) that I am most concerned about just tramples down the pinestraw in his dog crate. He does get some insulation from above: the duck who makes a nest (a muscovy drake) sleeps atop the dogcrate. The other two--big fat and well covered with down muscovy drakes--also trample down the pinestraw. I could throw in meal worms but that would likely result in more trampling. It's possible that they snuggle together to keep warm, but they are not big buddies. Overall, I am surprised how well the four have adapted to the freezing conditions, unlike their duck Mama who is miserable in gray cold weather.

mine trample this down effectively, i will add a bale of shavings tomorrow evening in their coop, I have left them in for frigid temps, we will see what actually manifests.

 

[Canadian Wind]

It's colder than *insert favourite euphemism here*!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I’m on vacation, but am in a bit of a panic as hubby told me that the ducks aren’t doing well. It has been -15 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for the past 24 hours (with a wind chill of about -40), and is getting colder tonight. He’s planning a rescue, catching them and putting them in our wood cellar which is cold enough to not be a shock to their system, but warmer than the barn. I wish I was there to help. Honestly panicking. He said they weren’t even trying to stay in the warm part of the barn and that they don’t look so good

Edited to add: there were many nights that were this cold last year, but they were better acclimated. This winter has been “warm”, and the temps dropped too much too quickly.

 

[DukesDucks]

-27C/-16F here today with wind chill of -43C/-45F. Extra bale of shavings in the coop. Door to the run closed against the wind. Several water changes during the day since there is no power to the coop. One of the rare times I let them have food and water in the coop, and then it is on trays to limit spillage.
Can't wait for Sunday when temperatures will be above freezing.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Hubby sent me this picture. Wood cellar has new occupants. Having them stay there until Sunday when it becomes less deadly and when I’m back home to help transition them back out. He’s concerned that it’s still not warm enough. I’m trying to convince him that, being off the basement, it will be warm enough and that cold is ok, and less shocking to the system than having them be too warm!

 

[DukesDucks]

When I went to put ducks to bed, I was happy to see that even the first water container I had put out in the morning was not completely frozen. Other two later containers had a thin skin of ice. All the ducks looked fine. I guess their body heat in the coop is enough to keep everything cozy.