Pekins sleep outside?

[redstarbill]

I have 2 pekin ducks, male and female. they have a nice house 3ft wide by 6ft long filled with wood chips. the female made a nice nest spot inside and lays her eggs there. but they sleep outside even when it rains and it's starting to get colder. is this all right? they seem happy.

 

[MissPrissy]

Ducks don't go to roost like chickens. You will find them outside swimming in ice crusted water in the middle of night in the dead of winter. They know what they can physically tolerate and are good at managing themselves.

My DH built me a very nice duck/goose house. They NEVER use it. I ended up hanging a couple $2 tarps from TSC as a wind break just to ease my own concerns over their welfare. They chewed it to pieces.

 

[Fudgie]

LOL miss prissy! I agree! I think we get so concerned that we have to be the keeper of the flock that we forget that these animals came from the wild to begin with. Geese and ducks migrate thousands of miles in the wild every year. Through the heat and rain and sleet and snow and blizzards etc. They are pretty resilient and know what they need to do instinctively. If they NEED the house they will go in. Otherwise. I agree when you try to protect them they just eat the protection!

 

[ametauss]

My ducks sleep in the kiddy pool I put out for them in the summer... still has water in it and I'll go out there in the early morning hours and find them still there where they were the night before.... even in 30 degree weather...

go figure...

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

my goose adopted my 4 baby orphan ducks, and he insists that they sleep in the goose/duck house. He herds them inside every night, and makes them lie down and sleep.

 

[doubleostud]

My ducks seem to put themselves up on the perfect nights, but like everyone else is saying when its freezing or raining, they are outside playing.

 

[Samarai Jenn]

My ducks, I was told they were Rouen now I don't know, they love being outside. In the middle of winter, where ever and whenever... Sometimes my kids ask me why they're outside and I don't know what to say! They want to sleep outside too...When it starts getting really cold, I try and put them in the barn, but they sneak out through the horse gate... So if it makes them happy, I say go ahead

 

[Heather J]

My ducks and geese have a little A frame that I built in their fenced night enclosure. I've never seen them use it except as a shady spot in the heat of summer. lol Still, it's nice to know it's there if they decide they want to use it. If you've provided the shelter, you've done all you can, and have to trust if the weather gets too nasty, they'll take advantage of the shelter.

 

[jmc]

If predators could get at them, I personally would MAKE them go in, no matter what.

But that's just my mode of operation. I think they'd prefer to be imprisoned in the coop at night than being ripped to shreds by a Fisher, Coon, or Weasel..............I'm sure they would agree!!

 

[mahsmaj]

My friend is thinking about ducks but they dont know what to do... and neither do I. . . My friend will have some haybales and boards to make a shelter, they have a large pond, and they also have a dog that will eat anything if it can get them. The dog is fat and slow and very old but is it still a problem??? the shelter would be beside the pond. Will they sleep on the pond or in the shelter??? There are also alot of feilds around. Will there be many predaters trying to get them??? And I would like to know if the ducks woud be fine overal???