How do ducks fair in the winter???

[Janay]

Hi,
I've read from the blog of a lady who owns ducks and it has been very helpful to get started. Here are some things she said regarding winter care for ducks:

Ducks can get frostbite below 20 F.
For the night: Before bed, give cracked corn or peanuts--Keep coop well ventilated--Add a thick layer of straw on floor of coop--Don't leave water in at night.
For the day: Lay straw in run--Place planks, branches, and stumps in run--Ducks don't need to swim in the winter but like to a couple times a week--Provide unfrozen water at all times

What do you all think about that? It is getting cold here on Cape Cod, and I want to prepare well for my ducks' first winter.
Oh also, I do not have a garage but I do have a very stuffed shed. Where should I store my straw if I do not use it all at once?

 

[veronicasmom]

I used heated dog bowls for drinking and birdbath heaters in the pool during the winter in Maine. I do feed cracked corn along with pellets in winter. I have never heard of feeding peanuts. I'd have to research that before I would do it personally. I do leave water in all night. If you are going to leave food out all night, they absolutely need water. They can choke without it. I like them to have food in the shed all night, and of course I provide water too. It can get messy, so we use the dog bowl in a larger rubber feed tub and that is set on the floor on a top from a rubbermaid storage container. Very little water gets on the floor. I also have a notched board across it so they can not swim in it, just drink or dunk faces. Food bowls are place far enough away that they have to walk a bit to get to them, which ensures that their do not dribble water in the food and make a total mess.
Straw is much better than hay in winter. Straw needs to be kept dry during storage, make sure your bales have no mold in them. That is deadly to ducks. I have gotten bales of straw that were moldy, we took them back to the feed store. Thankfully, we found them as soon as we opened the bale. Store them where ever it is always dry, stack them so air can circulate through them, on pallets is always good. If you cannot do that, then I recommend buying a bale or two a week and not to count having to store it. Just buy as you need it. As long as you have a reputable supplier, that might work better than storing it in less than ideal areas.
I also like to feed chopped greens in winter when they cannot get out to eat grass, etc.
The line about coop ventilation is very important.
I guess they can get frostbite, but as long as they have an area to get into that is protected from the elements, which mine do, I have never had an issue with frostbite. Got our first ducks in 2002 and we have had some horribly cold winters, but since they can get inside whenever they want during the day and are locked in at night, we, thankfully, have not had problems with that.

 

[Janay]

Thanks for your thoughts! That really helps.

 

[nancyg]

I live in Dublin Ind I like to find a good home for my pets ducks 2 are Maillard And one pecan had 2 pecan some stood and kiled thin I got the others mailers for. Her and one a mile My health is not good I like a good home for them dayise is a pecan nip is femail nip is mail Can email me at [email protected]

 

[Dietryin]

Very helpful...Thank you

 

[Going Quackers]

Hi,
I've read from the blog of a lady who owns ducks and it has been very helpful to get started. Here are some things she said regarding winter care for ducks:

Ducks can get frostbite below 20 F.
For the night: Before bed, give cracked corn or peanuts--Keep coop well ventilated--Add a thick layer of straw on floor of coop--Don't leave water in at night.
For the day: Lay straw in run--Place planks, branches, and stumps in run--Ducks don't need to swim in the winter but like to a couple times a week--Provide unfrozen water at all times

What do you all think about that? It is getting cold here on Cape Cod, and I want to prepare well for my ducks' first winter.
Oh also, I do not have a garage but I do have a very stuffed shed. Where should I store my straw if I do not use it all at once?

I have a -31C windchill today... -20C is the actual temp(sorry conversion not provided lol)

I have never heard of feeding peanuts? i also use whole corn here not cracked, whole stays fresher longer, and whole grains maintain nutrients better. The whole frostbite debate... i know my scovies can have issues with the heavy flesh, i will use Vaseline for that if needed, beyond that i have not had a problem with FB. I was cold yesterday too, my calls swam.

I keep a heated bucket in the main barn... key here is GOOD VENTING water creates humidity so one has to allow for that to escape... i dislike straw and don't use it, very familiar with it i bed sheep on it, prefer to deep bed with shavings. I do ensure all birds have access to areas with no snow, whether that be doghouses, the main barn or in the case of my scovies they have roosting planks year round...

Ducks aren't stupid and if in good health, and provided with food and shelter options will fare decently. Their are many methods people use for winter coping truly boils down to personal preferences quite a bit of it, also depends on how one defines "cold" here is not the coldest part of my country areas get much worse but my temps are not warm either.

 

[milkweeds]

I see that you mention not to put water in the bed for ducks at night...I only did it because they love to dig in the thick hay and get their beaks full of crap ...even if they do this...I should take away the water at night?
I find the water does cause a messier bed in the morning....could you email me....I could really use some advice...I have only had ducks and geese for a year now.

[email protected]

 

[Amiga]

@milkweeds

Hi!

I have thirteen ducks using this watering station - that way I can let them have water at night, and the only extra dampness (other than from their manure) is just a few inches at the "doorway" of the watering station. This thing works so well!

It's the bottom of a large plastic dog crate, with a few inches of sawdust pellets in the bottom, and a two gallon stew pot to hold the water. They cannot tip it over, and the splash all stays in the crate. Their wet feet make the bedding just outside the doorway of the watering station damp.

So once a day I scrape the top bit off the sawdust - to remove damp sawdust and manure - and refresh the water. I love this thing!

 

[markschicks]

We've had a Pekin for several years & acquired an Indian Runner just this summer. I'm not familiar with the hardiness of Indian Runners. The 2 ducks stay on our pond & will not go voluntarily into a shelter. We have an aerator, so an area about 15' x 6' is free of ice right now. It is currently 16 degrees but 23mph winds make a wind chill of -2. In the past, we've waited until the Pekins no longer had an area to swim, captured them & put them in the shed with our chickens. I'm worried about them tonight but to wrangle them, we'd have to go out in the dark onto the ice of the pond to try to chase them out of the water. What are your thoughts?

 

[Amiga]

Oh, my, I apologize that I am only now catching up on correspondence. How is everyone?

@markschicks