I hate this polar vortex!

[4 ever Orpington]

It's -3 degrees here. Take the quiz:
Are my ducks in the provided (draft-free, hay-bedded, easy-access) coop where I drove them two hours ago?
OR
Are they huddled in the middle of the chicken pen, all in a big pile with no shelter?

Take a wild guess.

For some reason, my ducks are still alive. I checked their feet this morning. They didn't even have the decency to validate my worry by getting frostbite.

Huddled in a pile. Like all silly birds. Gotta love them though

 

[microchick]

I don't think anyone is feeling all warm and fuzzy about this weather. We all got spoiled by mild winters the past few years here in Missouri. Now mother nature is reminding us who is really in charge.

I have three coops. One with my bantams and a few standard sized BO and Welly hens that have proven to be resistant to Marek's disease....so far. A bachelor coop for my extra bantam cockerels and a pen for my standard roosters and a few hens that are waiting to prove resistance to Marek's. When this cold weather set in last week I moved the bachelor cockerels back in with the bantams and the others. I call them my packing peanuts. The bantam and standard hens are not thrilled with having 16 hormonal young males in with them and the bantam roosters in with them aren't exactly happy to see the youngsters back either but I told them to shut up and snuggle up to them. I wasn't exactly tickled having to shuffle them around either.

Maybe if we all sit and on the count of three think warm thoughts........

 

[GC-Raptor]

I bought a new heated waterer with nipples and spent a good amount of time trying to teach them how to use it and they all go and eat the snow instead

Yeah my girls love to eat snow and ice crystals.

. They just don't like to walk on it. GC

 

[DucksOhio]

Ive changed a few things in the house.

I purchased a bird bath heater for the large tub of open water.

I’ve also installed a 200w flat screen panel heater in the duckies’ “bedroom”. It doesn’t really give off much heat, but it’s absolutely safe, and I think it slightly cuts the bitter edge of the cold in their 6’x6x8’ bedroom.

I’m getting rid of the heated dribble water fount. It works, but I think they really need the deep open water.

Lots of food, peas, mealworms. Going through straw in an insane fashion. And it’s unfortunately too frozen, snowy and cold to burn the wet, frozen poopy straw, so my burn pile is getting out of control.

In nicer weather, I normally scrub out the whole house every 2 weeks, but I can’t see that happening now.

I pick up poop and frozen straw every day.

Miss the good old days from a month ago when I just had to go out early in the morning to release the flock so they could go swimming in the pond!

 

[GC-Raptor]

It was -7F at 5am today. -3 at 9. There is a lite wind, so my girls are hanging out under the raised coop. All 4 sides are covered in plastic to block the wind, with a small crack along the top on all sides, for ventilation and the chicken door is open if they want to venture out.
I have been scattering their treat of seeds under the coop. Through the trapdoor ramp, in this cold. . GC

 

[I Love Layers]

Ducks are extremely hardy. I know yesterday mine sat outside all day in this temp. Just give them some water and they will be fine

 

[Louise Waffles]

I am going out of my mind with worry, my ducks are all shivering, and look miserable. We have a -20F windchill. These ducks are not staying in a heated shelter, they are getting wet in their water, it's freezing on their feathers. Then they are sitting in the wind, shivering, covered in ice. I've herded them into their shelter and shut the door. If they don't warm up, I'm just going to put them in my garage for a couple of days until it's out of the single digits and below zero temps. This weather.... It's just not giving them a chance to get warm at all.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

First Happy New Year Everyone
Second adorable feathered family member pics
Lastly brrr- 3 not normal in these parts, old man winter is brutal Please give us back our southern weather

 

[DucksOhio]

I am going out of my mind with worry, my ducks are all shivering, and look miserable. We have a -20F windchill. These ducks are not staying in a heated shelter, they are getting wet in their water, it's freezing on their feathers. Then they are sitting in the wind, shivering, covered in ice. I've herded them into their shelter and shut the door. If they don't warm up, I'm just going to put them in my garage for a couple of days until it's out of the single digits and below zero temps. This weather.... It's just not giving them a chance to get warm at all.

I think most of us share your thoughts. I’m considering bringing my duckies indoors to the spare bedroom, but I think my husband would have a fit if I did!

 

[I Love Layers]

It's -3 degrees here. Take the quiz:
Are my ducks in the provided (draft-free, hay-bedded, easy-access) coop where I drove them two hours ago?
OR
Are they huddled in the middle of the chicken pen, all in a big pile with no shelter?

Take a wild guess.

For some reason, my ducks are still alive. I checked their feet this morning. They didn't even have the decency to validate my worry by getting frostbite.

Exactly! Animals are not stupid like humans. Once it gets to cold for them they will go in, until then they would rather be outside. Which saves you a lot of work in terms of cleaning.