Preparing for cold cold winter with Pekin Ducks

[Urban Waddler]

Hi. I have two Peking ducks and have built a small (4’X6’) coop for them with a 12’ run. In the summer, they have a pool in the run and are really only in there if I need to leave, which is not often as I work from home. Otherwise they just play in the yard. I am worried as winter approaches. I have several questions. What is the best way to keep water from freezing, clean things without a hose, and how often should I clean inside the coop. Some folks have mentioned deep littering, but I worry this wouldn’t work well for ducks because they poop so much and get everything wet. I guess I’m looking for creative ways to keep my girls warm without burning down our house, and ways to keep them clean and happy without cleaning the coop as often as I currently do (once a day), since it will be so cold. Any pointers ar very much appreciated. Oh and should I cover most the windows (obviously not all) in the winter?

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a cute house. Nice run for them too. Ducks are very hardy birds and really don’t require much in the way of heat besides what their down and feathers provide as long as they have a choice to go inside if they want on cold wet snowy days as for cleaning I do use deep litter of horse bedding in my coops then once daily I go and scoop up wet poopy areas and then fluff up bedding I put new bedding in about every 2 Weeks to replenish what I have taken out . With you only having 2 ducks to keep up with that would be pretty easy, I am cleaning up after 14 water fowl and 25 chickens and that is small potatoes to others on here but I can’t say enough about deep litter I have been doing It this way for about 8 yrs now.

 

[Urban Waddler]

What a cute house. Nice run for them too. Ducks are very hardy birds and really don’t require much in the way of heat besides what their down and feathers provide as long as they have a choice to go inside if they want on cold wet snowy days as for cleaning I do use deep litter of horse bedding in my coops then once daily I go and scoop up wet poopy areas and then fluff up bedding I put new bedding in about every 2 Weeks to replenish what I have taken out . With you only having 2 ducks to keep up with that would be pretty easy, I am cleaning up after 14 water fowl and 25 chickens and that is small potatoes to others on here but I can’t say enough about deep litter I have been doing Italy this way for about 8 yrs now.

Thank you so much!! This helps a lot. Do you do anything special to keep water from freezing?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use heated buckets TSC has them some of mine are 5 yrs old and still going strong. They work on a theromostat so they don’t run all the time.only on if 35 and below. Well worth the money

 

[Urban Waddler]

I use heated buckets TSC has them some of mine are 5 yrs old and still going strong. They work on a theromostat so they don’t run all the time.only on if 35 and below. Well worth the money

Perfect! Thanks again!

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

I bought some heated dog water bowls to try out this winter. The plan is to put something over the top so they can't swim and splash that everywhere and turn the yard into a skating rink. I'm working on how to let them bath infrequently this winter. We'll probably get daily rain October-June, so they'll get daily showers in any case.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I put a piece of scrap wood over half the bucket or bowl that keeps them from using them as their personal hot tub

 

[llombardo]

I have a pool and I got a 5 gallon heated bucket they use now without heat. There is no way I can carry that back and forth daily when it gets cold, so I got a 2.5 gallon heated bucket, which will be much easier. I am taking the pool down for the winter and I am putting a tarp staked down in that area and I'm making a open shelter out of pallets with straw and I'm going to put straw in their house. I was going to put a couple whole bales in there with some loose straw with the bedding in the hopes the straw will keep them warm.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have one of those 5 gal heated buckets I very rarely use it since I have to dump it right where it sits it's so heavy then we have a skating rink. I actually bought it for my geese, but they use the smaller ones with out trouble.

 

[chickens really]

Nice set up. I put vapour barrier plastic around my Run in winter. I use pine shavings and straw in my Houses and a straw bed in the Run so they can huddle down when outside. I have rubber livestock bowls so I can easily remove the ice. I fill water a few times a day from the outside tap into a pail. Then I haul water..