Muscovy-How cold hardy?

[yook2000]

I want to hatch some Muscovy ducks. How cold hardy they are? I am living in Connecticut and if I start hatching next week. When winter comes, they will be only 4 months old. Are they strong enough to survive in the winter? I have a 8 square fees coop for them, but I don't put the insulation and it is still very cold in the coop.

I also quote some day old duckling. $121 with 14 female and one male. While the eggs from local breeder are only $10 for a dozen.

 

[queenturkeygirl]

Usually ducks are very good during winter time. But since these are babies they are going to have a tougher time keeping in their body heat. So can you put them in your house? Or get a heating lamp (make sure the heating bulb and the actual lamp are the same watts because mine combusted into flames because it wasn't the same) or perhaps a heated blanket (i don't know how much that'll help)
Hope I helped
Sincerely,
Jackie

 

[froggie71]

I live in NJ. We got our scovies as ducklings in May of last year. They tolerated the cold just fine. They can even adapt to weather in Canada which is 1 of the reasons why the FWS is trying to regulate them. We just had a momma hatch out a bunch of ducklings and she has kept them warm outside by herself (under a wood pile covered with a tarp)where she chose to make her nest. It's been pretty cold here. They've even been swimming and swimming and swimming without any problems. We do not insulate nor heat coops. Our duck coop is open to the run 24/7. The run has snow in it in the winter. Never had any problems with the cold.

I don't know about adult muscovy or eggs, but ducklings are about $5/duckling around here.

 

[FenDruadin]

Ducks are very cold hardy, and four months is nearly full grown (they start laying around 5-6 months in summer). Make sure they have an enclosed space where they can huddle up for warmth and they'll do just fine. Enjoy!

 

[BirdBrain]

I have muscovies here in Alaska. They do just fine. Coop is not heated and a 2x2 foot window is always open. Mine came to me the fist week of June last year.