How would you know if it were, in fact, too cold for your ducks?

[erinreid]

From Rainy, Windy Oregon where we only get to about 20 dc in the winter:

I deep bed the barns and coops with straw, put a 'brooder' light in one corner and leave the door to the coop open, the ducks come and go - they are able to regulate themselves pretty well. I watch for ducks that are too thin, too wet (feathers not drying) and too dirty (oil gland not functioning/duck won't take a bath). I may bring them in, give them a bath, oil their feathers and keep them in a brooder for a few days until they begin preening correctly. The biggest issue is watching for frostbite on the webbed feet!

 

[Amiga]

erinreid, what do you use to oil their feathers?

Vier has seemed a little wet sometimes after bathing. She eventually dries out and fluffs up. Now, a few days ago she started to molt. I am thinking I will bring them in at night for a few days, see how it's going. I want to give her and Einz a break.

I have deep bedding (a foot plus of shavings), with some poop in it, but it isn't composting and giving off heat. It does insulate well, and I fluff it up regularly, topping with straw that I remove when it begins to get damp. I like having enriched straw for mulch, too.

A friend has a low wattage "wand" he says I can have to put in or under the duck house.

Before anyone gets too nervous, I am quite attentive to fire dangers, so I am working on whether and how I might boost the temperature in the duck house a bit. I would rather go non-electric (passive solar, for example), for safety and economic reasons. Right now, the easiest thing to do is give them basement time. They probably need it less than I do, but my sanity certainly matters in this situation, if a duck enthusiast can be considered sane (no offense, fellow duck enthusiasts

).

There is air space, currently partially blocked off to reduce air flow, under the house (about six to eight inches). This is to level the house and reduce dampness from underneath. I have considered the low wattage wand or heating coil such as used for hot beds for plants, placed under the house in some kind of protective wrapping (soil, perhaps).

That brings to mind a concern about fire - though without anything flammable in contact with the coil or rod, not very likely - or, more likely, mice or other rodents chewing into wires. Sigh. The basement makes more sense. It stays well above freezing all winter down there.

Maybe we just tough it out at night in the basement until the molting girls are in full feather again, and everyone can handle the temperatures (which can go negative in the deepest part of winter).

I also don't want them to experience too rapid a change in temperatures. If they are sleeping in a 50F basement, then step out into a 12F day, isn't that going to jar their little systems a bit? I know they have down jackets on, but those aren't exactly space suits.

enough ruminations. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and interest.

 

[katharinad]

I see only one problem with the coil. It is underneath all the insulating straw/hay. I think you end up heating a basement for mice, but not getting the ducks.
They have those safe panels that hang on the wall.

http://www.amazon.com/Indus-Tool-CL...?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1291053029&sr=1-68
I use an oil filled radiator, but it is in the room next to the ducks room. A gate divides them. That keeps the heater clean.
Cozy winters has all kind of pet heaters. Even for a igloo dome.
http://cozywinters.com
The also have rubberized heated floor mats. A little bit pricey.

 

[erinreid]

For oiling feathers - the best recipe I found is the simplest - any kind of eatable oil. I use the lightest viscosity I can, usually almond or avocado or a mix with olive oil. Sometimes I mix it, sometimes I use it straight – it depends on the case. There have been times when I have heated up bag-balm and used that. The most important part is to message it into the area around their oil gland (bump above the tail on the back) – and leave extra there so that they start preening.
Aside from an affinity for olives, I have never had a duck get sick from oil treatments.

 

[erinreid]

Regarding deep bedding:
We start bedding the barns for winter in about September. We use a good soil/rock base - add straw in good layers, turned daily. Add more straw when that is soiled; turn daily - only the newest layer. There are dangers to doing this and if you are not vigilant about adding and turning the straw then it won't work for you. The danger is a buildup of ammonia fumes which can cause blindness and death. Just this last week we started adding straw as the next layer – which will be continued in the same way, turn, fluff and fold until spring.
It’s a little more work – but the ducks stay dryer (a major feat!) and the average temperature of the straw bed is 15% warmer then last year without it. I also will not have to heat the barn this winter. I learned this from an old goat farmer – and it works. Sometimes I thing ducks are more like goats then chickens anyway. The other thing I did was pack the barn with hay and straw bales – more than I need to winter with. This also cuts down on the chill from the metal barn and the wind factor. I also use this practice in the aviary (outside under a pole barn rood). It works quite well. Only the really old and the really young have a hard time in the winter – and we have special heater brooder pens that we use for the hatchery in the spring and use for older/young/infirm all other times.

 

[Amiga]

erinreid,

I think I probably have the bedding too dry to start heating up, but this is my first year (since many years ago) with ducks, certainly our first year in the house we have build for them. I am aware of the ammonia concern. That is one reason I have the bedding dry, and turn it just about every day. I think I am going in the right direction, it is just going to be a little while before I get the whole system running optimally.

I was wondering if Vier either wasn't preening enough or her oil glad was sluggish. Since she's molting anyway, I may just spend a little time with her getting her started up. Not too much, but sometimes just a little massage probably can help out.

Thanks for the detailed information.

katharinad, I have been looking at those heaters. Thanks for the links! Longer term I would like to be able to use passive means to keep the house warm enough, but I may "cheat" this year. For now, nights will be spent in the storm shelter (not bad, really, about 60 sf, 50F, near some big windows. And the acoustics are great. Some of my runners are fascinated with acoustics, apparently, sometimes sticking their heads into barrels or hollow stumps or trash baskets and making noises, then pulling their heads out and making more noises, then sticking their heads back in, for several minutes at a time. Musical geniuses!)

 

[duckking]

We've had temps down to 1F and 6" of snow already and the ducks have done just fine. We are deep bedding and so far so good. We do close them up at night because we don't want to attract anymore predators than necessary. We already have a bobcat skulking around. Plus, as soon as it gets dark, they are into their house by themselves. The house is out of the wind, well ventilated, not insulated, with about 8-9 inches of shavings and straw so far. I just broke up the remaining ice in their pool, emptied it and cleaned it out. The all sat there watching as I refilled it and jumped in as soon as it was done. In fact 2 of them jumped in while the hose was still going. They are VERY happy ducks. The pond has been frozen for a week or so. We've warmed back up to upper twenties at night and low 40's during the day. Think I'm going to get them a pond heater for Christmas as well!

That cold spell really gave me more confidence that they can handle the cold. They are just over 3 months old. That was the coldest it has been here in 50+ years! I also gave them meal worms and chick scratch in the afternoon in addition to their 17% grower/starter, grit and greens, to help them deal with the cold.

Love my ducks

 

[Amiga]

duckking,

sounds like you and the ducks are doing great!

Just looks like my runners are not cold-loving birds, at least not this year. Hunkering down, shivering, that sort of thing, is a clue that at night they need a somewhat warmer place. I can deal with that. A number of people keep the nighttime accommodations above freezing, so I am in good company.

Actually, they did remarkably well in the 100F+ heat this summer. They may just prefer it somewhat warmer. No sweat, we will figure it out together.

I have already detailed their feed and housing, so I won't reiterate. I reckon the two who are molting will be feeling more robust once they get some feathers back

Everybody else is just along for the ride, okay with the storm shelter at night - I want the flock to be together as much as possible rather than separating the two chilly-willies.

Thanks everyone for contributing to the thread.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
I thought only my Cayuga pair were that..... Odd!

They only gabble - not quack - so it's not terribly loud, but it is interesting & amusing to watch. Especially with the hole in a cinder block, or the old, tin, bucket.

 

[Amiga]

Thanks again for the responses. We are spending nights in the walk-out basement "duck storm shelter." Works for all of us!

My goal is to have them in their own house year 'round, but I am in no hurry to get something quick, just to have it - we are okay.

So to answer my own question, what I am seeing is (not everyone seems too cold, by the way. some seem quite hardy):

ducks slowing down their activity, stopping foraging, pulling in their necks, hopping from one foot to the other, plopping down on the ground pulling their legs way up and shivering. Oh, and standing at the garden gate, looking toward the basement shelter door, yelling.

I think people here know there is chatting, calling, and then there is yelling.

Then when I open the garden gate, they make a running beeline to the shelter door.

So, we get out several times a day, no one appears to be suffering. We seem to prefer it 25F or above for more than an hour outdoors.