Question about water and freezing temps?

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you are really feeling the cold Miss Lydia and others. Sounds like you all are doing the best you can to care for the kids. Will pray this cold snap comes and goes quickly!!

Thanks zook, well I can say the buckets have come through like champs. none frozen up at all except where the ducks have spalshed around the rims but the water inside the buckets is nice and liquid. Most of the flock decided to come outside and are hunkered down behind the wind breaks I put up for them. I have noticed when it's as cold as it's been yesterday and today they don't eat as much I guess conserving energy? any thoughts on that one?

 

[zook]

Thanks zook, well I can say the buckets have come through like champs. none frozen up at all except where the ducks have spalshed around the rims but the water inside the buckets is nice and liquid. Most of the flock decided to come outside and are hunkered down behind the wind breaks I put up for them. I have noticed when it's as cold as it's been yesterday and today they don't eat as much I guess conserving energy? any thoughts on that one?

I noticed that too, on the coldest days there was a small amount of food left at day end but never on warmer days.Not sure why that is. Maybe some other keepers have some thoughts on that.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Speceider has told me that wild ducks commonly hunker down and do not eat during extreme weather, plus elsewhere on this site (sorry-no link!) there was an interesting discussion regarding how temperatures effect how a duck regulates its own metabolism (and thus energy requirements) to adapt. I just assume that they will take what they need. Observing the flock is really important.

 

[canard]

Ducks are supposed to be fine without food & water for 8 hours.

i leave water because I prefer to leave food with mine so they can eat to boost their temp if needed. I leave 1/4 to 1/2 full bucket (Don't fill more than 1/2 full at the very most or they will throw it on their backs to bathe & soak the entire coop!) in a hollowed out area of hay so they can't knock it over. I put in very warm water and swap it out every three to five hours before I go to bed so they have the warmest (but not too hot to drink) water possible so it will not freeze & so they don't have to fight to keep their internal temps up.

I let them have ice cold water and cool thawed or frozen peas in summer to cool them down.

in the winter I thaw and run frozen veggies under hot water to warm them up before giving them to them.

I know many people do not put water in their coops but I see them drink all the time & can't imagine them without water.

Then again, I heat their coop. I fight wetness of straw from the heater & them pooping A LOT! I periodically remove newer layers of straw & put down Sweet PDZ or barn safe lime and then fresh straw on top. I put down a little layer of fresh straw often when they are stuck in their coop day & night to keep it drier for their feet & so they can stay warm.

When my boyfriend gave them cool water one evening when I was gone, he said they all quacked loudly until he brought them warm water instead. He said they quieted down & happily started to drink. I thought he might have been joking a bit but he said they would NOT quiet down until he brought them warm water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducks are supposed to be fine without food & water for 8 hours.

i leave water because I prefer to leave food with mine so they can eat to boost their temp if needed. I leave 1/4 to 1/2 full bucket (Don't fill more than 1/2 full at the very most or they will throw it on their backs to bathe & soak the entire coop!) in a hollowed out area of hay so they can't knock it over. I put in very warm water and swap it out every three to five hours before I go to bed so they have the warmest (but not too hot to drink) water possible so it will not freeze & so they don't have to fight to keep their internal temps up.

I let them have ice cold water and cool thawed or frozen peas in summer to cool them down.

in the winter I thaw and run frozen veggies under hot water to warm them up before giving them to them.

I know many people do not put water in their coops but I see them drink all the time & can't imagine them without water.

Then again, I heat their coop. I fight wetness of straw from the heater & them pooping A LOT! I periodically remove newer layers of straw & put down Sweet PDZ or barn safe lime and then fresh straw on top. I put down a little layer of fresh straw often when they are stuck in their coop day & night to keep it drier for their feet & so they can stay warm.

When my boyfriend gave them cool water one evening when I was gone, he said they all quacked loudly until he brought them warm water instead. He said they quieted down & happily started to drink. I thought he might have been joking a bit but he said they would NOT quiet down until he brought them warm water.

Spoiled rotten lil things aren't they? Mine actually like warm water my gander will especially stick his head right into a bucket of warm water.

 

[canard]

Oh Miss Lydia, they are spoiled little beggars. Sometimes they run out to stick their heads in ANY fresh buckets of warm water just to check if there are any veggies in the bucket. The Pekin, will sometimes start trying to get up the deck stairs & will look inside and quack just hoping to get a treat. They beg just like little whimpering dogs and mewling kitties.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh Miss Lydia, they are spoiled little beggars. Sometimes they run out to stick their heads in ANY fresh buckets of warm water just to check if there are any veggies in the bucket. The Pekin, will sometimes start trying to get up the deck stairs & will look inside and quack just hoping to get a treat. They beg just like little whimpering dogs and mewling kitties.

Yes they do make good beggars, I have a Brahma hen in the house right now healing from bumble foot and today I cooked up some older deer meat for my dogs and my hen was standing right there with them waiting for some of the meat.

 

[duckins]

I took my feed and water up 11 last nite I think no food was fine but taking the water may have been bad idea they seemed really cold this morn and have been drinking all day but if I'd left water all nite I'd worry b/c have 2 ladies that sleep by water bucket so I was concerned about that. I really believe every duck is different I guess they adapt to how their raised another good reason for people NOT to dump their ducks at the local pond! Here's a question that stumps me why would one of my ladies move all the shavings and lay on the bare concrete she's been doing that all day and hardly no one used heated houses but the prefer to sit in shavings and shiver here temp was 2f -20f windchill the houses were 25-30f

 

[Miss Lydia]

I took my feed and water up 11 last nite I think no food was fine but taking the water may have been bad idea they seemed really cold this morn and have been drinking all day but if I'd left water all nite I'd worry b/c have 2 ladies that sleep by water bucket so I was concerned about that. I really believe every duck is different I guess they adapt to how their raised another good reason for people NOT to dump their ducks at the local pond! Here's a question that stumps me why would one of my ladies move all the shavings and lay on the bare concrete she's been doing that all day and hardly no one used heated houses but the prefer to sit in shavings and shiver here temp was 2f -20f windchill the houses were 25-30f

I know you said one was kinda wobbly this morning is it okay now? and they are funny creatures aren't they, all mine have access to their houses during the day, but only one went in for a while that I know of. most just laid around on top of their feet and legs. but why she would prefer to lay on the concrete is beyond me unless she just likes to have a cold belly.

 

[duckins]

She's better I think stiff this a.m. The winds gone so that's a plus nobody wanted to come out today except Butter who was highly upset when she climbed her pool steps to realize she's only going to ice skate today why she would attempt to swim in freezing weather is beyond me.