Rouen ducks

[Lemon and Marshmallow ;)]

My first year with ducks, I have two Rouen ducks. They are 7 months old going into fall 2018. We live waterfront on a lake in NC. They have the life here! They are on the water all the time and I regularly feed them at least twice a day. The concern is we are “snowbirds”, leaving for FLORIDA in January thru March. We bought an automatic feeder that will spray food 2-3 times on a timer. I have a chicken coop at waters edge with pine straw and a heat lamp ready, but they won’t go inside. I need opinions from those of you about how/if my ducks will be ok through the time I’m gone. I have a neighbor to periodically check on them/feeder. The winter here is mild, the lake doesn’t freeze. They hang with other mallards that might hang around also. Anxious for your thoughts.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Skip the heat lamp, ducks are cold hardy and it isn't worth risking a fire.

Biggest issue I see is predators... not sure there is much that can be done there.

 

[Lemon and Marshmallow ;)]

The coop is a foot near the water with all sides open. The escape for them would be easy, and into the water. I have straw and barrier to the wind. I don't know if they will even go in it. There are other wild ducks that they "hang with". One can't fly for migration, and a couple others might just stay. It's pretty mild here with occasional bad spells.
The automatic feeder is on it's way from a company called www.oneanddone.com.
Geez, these $2.50 duckies have cost me more than $1,000 so far.