Question about temperature and sleep

[deannamil]

My Cauyagas are 21 weeks old.
Last night in Riverton Utah it got down to 43 degrees.
My duck babies have a coop to sleep in but at 11pm, 215am and 4am they were sleeping in the pond.
I guess I just need to stay in bed and not worry about them
But I want to (no not really) cover them with a blanket.

Brrr I was freezing.

When it is cold enough we plan to not have water IN the pond.

They seem fine just someone tell me they are ok or crazy?

 

[quackingdom]

As far as I know, the cold is okay.
But if there are predators, they won't be okay outside all night. It would probably be safer for them to be inside. Could you lock them in their coop for the night?

 

[deannamil]

There is no need to. They are locked in an enclosed pen that house the coop and pond. When they were ducklings they had to be in the coop at night. I do understand it would be safer but since they cannot fly and we are in the city, with their hound (protectors) they are good to go. They are getting a new home in spring but I have to wait to rebuild until after any snow melts off.

 

[jducour]

There is no need to. They are locked in an enclosed pen that house the coop and pond. When they were ducklings they had to be in the coop at night. I do understand it would be safer but since they cannot fly and we are in the city, with their hound (protectors) they are good to go. They are getting a new home in spring but I have to wait to rebuild until after any snow melts off.

Hey WOW! Small world! I am in Riverton too! Do you have the top of their run covered? We have had a lot of trouble with racoons this summer - they have climbed over and through gaps on top of the run. Do you have pictures of their run?

Other than their safety with predators - I wouldn't worry about providing heat until it dips below 30. I plan on adding a heat source by the end of the month. Ducks are extremely cold weather hearty - as long as they have shelter. Sometime you have to do what you know is best for them - just like a toddler. They might love sleeping under the stars, but being locked in their coop at night is what is best for them. That way, you can provide some warmth and shelter from the wind, and keep any hungry predators at bay.

We have also had a marmot and hawk attacks in our neighborhood in the last month, and I swear, I live right in the middle of a neighborhood right off 13th.

 

[deannamil]

We are near Rosamond Elementary. I have never seen a raccoon, I wonder if the dogs keep them away? The only time they go in is for lightening and hail so far. I had them covered but it blew away which is why I am rebuilding. My Cayuags are very very nice to people but we do have one Daschund and if she even looks cross at them they kick her butt. When we housed some orphaned wild ducks earlier in the spring we had to separate them because the Cayugas were "beating" them up and they Cayugas were younger. (Wishfull thinking but maybe these two are just too mean lol) A few mice did get in but I got them out quickly.
I will get some photos tonight of the entire run.

 

[jducour]

Ok, I am just east of you. We are closer to the river, so we probably have more predators. I would love to meet your ducks some day, and you should come meet mine!

 

[JadeComputerGal]

My Cauyagas are 21 weeks old.
Last night in Riverton Utah it got down to 43 degrees.
My duck babies have a coop to sleep in but at 11pm, 215am and 4am they were sleeping in the pond.
I guess I just need to stay in bed and not worry about them
But I want to (no not really) cover them with a blanket.

Brrr I was freezing.

When it is cold enough we plan to not have water IN the pond.

They seem fine just someone tell me they are ok or crazy?

Well, I'm not sure at this point which is more important..the welcome to BYC or welcome to the "my ducks don't do what I'd do in their situation" club. Maybe it's the same thing, so welcome to both!

We have a similar setup with a pen/coops/big pond in the pen. Here is my experience, in case it helps...

Me: <Peering out the door> The ducks are cold.
Hubby: They'll go somewhere else if they get cold.
Me: I'm not sure if they know to go there.
Hubby: Well, they know to go there to lay their eggs, and the drakes go there to see what's going on, so they know to go there.
Me: Well, yes, but that's for laying eggs. Maybe they don't know to go there if they're cold.
Hubby: Whatever. Go show them. I'm going to go look for the last tool I misplaced. I'll check on you later.
Me: <In the pen telling ducks to go in one of the coops and ducks looking among themselves.>
Me: <Telling the ducks a little more forcefully to go in a coop. Ducks looking at me and among themselves because they don't understand what I want.>
Me: <Shooing ducks into one coop or another, and the ducks not understanding what they did wrong.>
Me: <Falling in the duck pond because of ice while I was trying to shoo the ducks out of the pond.> That has only happened once, but it was uncomfortable. I'm more cautious now.
Hubby: Why are you in the duck pond when you didn't even want them in it?
Me: #&^%$%^$@*#$. DID YOU FIND THE TOOL YOU WERE LOOKING FOR???
Hubby: Not yet. I was just coming to check on you. Looks like you've got it under control.
Ducks: <Crowding into the doors and windows of the coops wondering what's wrong with me.>
Ducks: <Staring suspiciously at me from the doors and windows of the coops wondering if I'm going away anytime soon.>
Me: <Going to take a hot shower because I just fell into 42 degree water.>
Ducks: <Back in their pond and looking at me when I go back out to check on them wondering if I'm going to have another irrational episode.>
Me (to hubby): I think I'll just leave it up to them.
Hubby: Good idea. Can you help me find my wrench?

 

[jducour]

Well, I'm not sure at this point which is more important..the welcome to BYC or welcome to the "my ducks don't do what I'd do in their situation" club. Maybe it's the same thing, so welcome to both!

We have a similar setup with a pen/coops/big pond in the pen. Here is my experience, in case it helps...

Me: <Peering out the door> The ducks are cold.
Hubby: They'll go somewhere else if they get cold.
Me: I'm not sure if they know to go there.
Hubby: Well, they know to go there to lay their eggs, and the drakes go there to see what's going on, so they know to go there.
Me: Well, yes, but that's for laying eggs. Maybe they don't know to go there if they're cold.
Hubby: Whatever. Go show them. I'm going to go look for the last tool I misplaced. I'll check on you later.
Me: <In the pen telling ducks to go in one of the coops and ducks looking among themselves.>
Me: <Telling the ducks a little more forcefully to go in a coop. Ducks looking at me and among themselves because they don't understand what I want.>
Me: <Shooing ducks into one coop or another, and the ducks not understanding what they did wrong.>
Me: <Falling in the duck pond because of ice while I was trying to shoo the ducks out of the pond.> That has only happened once, but it was uncomfortable. I'm more cautious now.
Hubby: Why are you in the duck pond when you didn't even want them in it?
Me: #&^%$%^$@*#$. DID YOU FIND THE TOOL YOU WERE LOOKING FOR???
Hubby: Not yet. I was just coming to check on you. Looks like you've got it under control.
Ducks: <Crowding into the doors and windows of the coops wondering what's wrong with me.>
Ducks: <Staring suspiciously at me from the doors and windows of the coops wondering if I'm going away anytime soon.>
Me: <Going to take a hot shower because I just fell into 42 degree water.>
Ducks: <Back in their pond and looking at me when I go back out to check on them wondering if I'm going to have another irrational episode.>
Me (to hubby): I think I'll just leave it up to them.
Hubby: Good idea. Can you help me find my wrench?

Why don't the ducks understand our language yet?

 

[quackingdom]

Well, I'm not sure at this point which is more important..the welcome to BYC or welcome to the "my ducks don't do what I'd do in their situation" club. Maybe it's the same thing, so welcome to both!

We have a similar setup with a pen/coops/big pond in the pen. Here is my experience, in case it helps...

Me: <Peering out the door> The ducks are cold.
Hubby: They'll go somewhere else if they get cold.
Me: I'm not sure if they know to go there.
Hubby: Well, they know to go there to lay their eggs, and the drakes go there to see what's going on, so they know to go there.
Me: Well, yes, but that's for laying eggs. Maybe they don't know to go there if they're cold.
Hubby: Whatever. Go show them. I'm going to go look for the last tool I misplaced. I'll check on you later.
Me: <In the pen telling ducks to go in one of the coops and ducks looking among themselves.>
Me: <Telling the ducks a little more forcefully to go in a coop. Ducks looking at me and among themselves because they don't understand what I want.>
Me: <Shooing ducks into one coop or another, and the ducks not understanding what they did wrong.>
Me: <Falling in the duck pond because of ice while I was trying to shoo the ducks out of the pond.> That has only happened once, but it was uncomfortable. I'm more cautious now.
Hubby: Why are you in the duck pond when you didn't even want them in it?
Me: #&^%$%^$@*#$. DID YOU FIND THE TOOL YOU WERE LOOKING FOR???
Hubby: Not yet. I was just coming to check on you. Looks like you've got it under control.
Ducks: <Crowding into the doors and windows of the coops wondering what's wrong with me.>
Ducks: <Staring suspiciously at me from the doors and windows of the coops wondering if I'm going away anytime soon.>
Me: <Going to take a hot shower because I just fell into 42 degree water.>
Ducks: <Back in their pond and looking at me when I go back out to check on them wondering if I'm going to have another irrational episode.>
Me (to hubby): I think I'll just leave it up to them.
Hubby: Good idea. Can you help me find my wrench?

 

[MaureenD]

Cute story!
You all are great to follow. Thanks for all the cool weather advice. I have October to get our coop in order, I am in Wisconsin and I think we are in for a cold, wet winter.
Does anyone have electric wire security around their pens (we have a solar powered elec wire about 6" off the ground around both day grazing pen and night coop). We are going to have to make adjustments for winter as snow on the wire will cut the charge. It gives a poke like a dog's invisible fence. Works well...neighbor dog got his first and last warning and he is 97 lb choc lab!