Mallards vs the cold

[MallardMomx2]

Hi everyone!
This will be my mallard ducks second winter. I live in Ohio and the weather gets pretty nasty, this week it’ll get down to 8 degrees Fahrenheit and it’s only the beginning of November.

Last winter, I used a heat lamp, but I had to deal with the bulb bursting three different times. I’m also concerned to use the heat lamp again because of fire hazards.

My ducks really aren’t smart enough to lay on/near a heating plate, so that really isn’t an option either. Would this produce enough heat just by being in the coop?

I’m aware that ducks are winter hardy, but with them being bantam mallards, I’m concerned that they’ll be colder than other ducks would be. They only weigh about 3 pounds.

Will they be just fine without any heat? Options? Opinions? I’d greatly appreciate any advice!

(picture of them from last winter, just because they’re cute)

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Ducks do have some blood veins in their feet which allows them to swim in cold, cold water. So their feet will probably be fine. In my opinion I would use hay. What surface do they live on? If it's concrete I would def get hay and heat lamp for them. If it's grass I would use hay as well, and def it's the surface is snow( ) which it probably is.

The pic is ADORABLE TOO!!!

 

[Jpat]

if your heatlamp is hooked up safe enough you could use ceramic bulbs

i had a couple heat lamp burst into my brooders so i switched to ceramic

Check your heatlamp for its maximum wattage if you decide to use one


Cute ducks!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

They are soo cute..do you have any way to enclose the coop..we are in NW PA..very ugly here too in winter...if there is anyway for you to make them a shed type small structure..since there’s only two it doesn’t need to be big..and it does need ventilation due to the ammonia in their..poop...but, I believe they need shelter...3 days ago we got 5” and our ducks had never seen snow..they were sooo sad that day...

 

[MallardMomx2]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your rapid replies. Here is a picture of their enclosure (from summertime, obviously.)

They do get locked up at night and stay locked in on super windy days. Their coop as well as their outside run is covered in straw, though it’s hard to keep up with the straw outside as it snows almost daily, so it needs redone very often.

@Jpat ceremaic bulbs are a great idea, thanks! I never thought of that.

I just want to ensure they’re warm enough this winter. They’re not the smartest ducks in the flock, and would rather sit outside on the windiest, coldest, snowiest day, shivering rather than walking inside. I don’t want any duck-cicles
@FluffTheDuck @Duckfarmer1

 

[Jpat]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your rapid replies. Here is a picture of their enclosure (from summertime, obviously.)
View attachment 1956744
They do get locked up at night and stay locked in on super windy days. Their coop as well as their outside run is covered in straw, though it’s hard to keep up with the straw outside as it snows almost daily, so it needs redone very often.

@Jpat ceremaic bulbs are a great idea, thanks! I never thought of that.

I just want to ensure they’re warm enough this winter. They’re not the smartest ducks in the flock, and would rather sit outside on the windiest, coldest, snowiest day, shivering rather than walking inside. I don’t want any duck-cicles
@FluffTheDuck @Duckfarmer1

 

[chickens really]

Plastic bulbs actually are good too. They are shatter proof. I honestly never heard of ceramic bulbs but ceramic fixtures .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your rapid replies. Here is a picture of their enclosure (from summertime, obviously.)
View attachment 1956744
They do get locked up at night and stay locked in on super windy days. Their coop as well as their outside run is covered in straw, though it’s hard to keep up with the straw outside as it snows almost daily, so it needs redone very often.

@Jpat ceremaic bulbs are a great idea, thanks! I never thought of that.

I just want to ensure they’re warm enough this winter. They’re not the smartest ducks in the flock, and would rather sit outside on the windiest, coldest, snowiest day, shivering rather than walking inside. I don’t want any duck-cicles
@FluffTheDuck @Duckfarmer1

That's a nice set up for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

if your heatlamp is hooked up safe enough you could use ceramic bulbs

i had a couple heat lamp burst into my brooders so i switched to ceramic

View attachment 1956639


Check your heatlamp for its maximum wattage if you decide to use one


Cute ducks!

Plastic bulbs actually are good too. They are shatter proof. I honestly never heard of ceramic bulbs but ceramic fixtures .

Ceramic bulbs mainly used for reptile enclosure but also work for added heat in a coop. .
Never heard of plastic bulbs got any pictures?

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your rapid replies. Here is a picture of their enclosure (from summertime, obviously.)
View attachment 1956744
They do get locked up at night and stay locked in on super windy days. Their coop as well as their outside run is covered in straw, though it’s hard to keep up with the straw outside as it snows almost daily, so it needs redone very often.

@Jpat ceremaic bulbs are a great idea, thanks! I never thought of that.

I just want to ensure they’re warm enough this winter. They’re not the smartest ducks in the flock, and would rather sit outside on the windiest, coldest, snowiest day, shivering rather than walking inside. I don’t want any duck-cicles
@FluffTheDuck @Duckfarmer1