Runners and cold weather

[NettyM]

It's -7 here at the moment and my 2 ducks are outside in their pen . It's covered on 3 sides with their sleeping hut right at the back . In their pen they have food , water and loads of straw , locked in their hut they have no water till they're let out at 7am . They usually go to bed at 11pm but I'm wondering if it's too long without water if I put them in out of the cold at 9pm (till 7am ) . They are free to take themselves up their little ramp into their bed at any time to keep warm but they never do . They prefer to sit looking out of the uncovered side of their pen . What's the best ? Out in the cold or inside without water ? I'm struggling tonight as to what to do for the best . What does everyone else do when it's freezing ? Thanks in advance for any advice !

 

[DuckyDonna]

It's -7 here at the moment and my 2 ducks are outside in their pen . It's covered on 3 sides with their sleeping hut right at the back . In their pen they have food , water and loads of straw , locked in their hut they have no water till they're let out at 7am . They usually go to bed at 11pm but I'm wondering if it's too long without water if I put them in out of the cold at 9pm (till 7am ) . They are free to take themselves up their little ramp into their bed at any time to keep warm but they never do . They prefer to sit looking out of the uncovered side of their pen . What's the best ? Out in the cold or inside without water ? I'm struggling tonight as to what to do for the best . What does everyone else do when it's freezing ? Thanks in advance for any advice !

I don't know where you are but I'm in Georgia. My ducks go to bed at dark which, right now, is a bit about a bit after 6pm. I let them out again at 7:30am when it's just getting light again. My ducks have lots of buckets of water and food all day but get nothing at night. I have to admit that I do put water buckets in the pen with it gets really hot.

 

[Kessel23]

Well right now it is freezing, -12 without windchill. It will drop to -31 during the night. The water I give my ducks freezes pretty fast, haven't had a problem yet. I give them water every few hours during the day time and I give them water when it gets dark at 5:20, then again in the morning, at 6:30 most days. I have not had a problem yet.

 

[NettyM]

I don't know where you are but I'm in Georgia. My ducks go to bed at dark which, right now, is a bit about a bit after 6pm. I let them out again at 7:30am when it's just getting light again. My ducks have lots of buckets of water and food all day but get nothing at night. I have to admit that I do put water buckets in the pen with it gets really hot.

We're in the UK . It's unbelievably cold tonight . I've been in the pen with them and they've had more food and water after I defrosted their bucket . I've thrown loads of extra straw all over the pen for them but they have minds of their own and seem to head away from all the home comfort's I give them ! They're like a pair of mischievous toddlers. Thanks for the advice

 

[NettyM]

Well right now it is freezing, -12 without windchill. It will drop to -31 during the night. The water I give my ducks freezes pretty fast, haven't had a problem yet. I give them water every few hours during the day time and I give them water when it gets dark at 5:20, then again in the morning, at 6:30 most days. I have not had a problem yet.

Thanks , and are they out all through the night or in some kind of enclosure ?

 

[Kessel23]

I lock my Rouens and Pekins up at night because they have a kinda poorly made run that I don't trust to keep predators out but on my other coop with the muscovies, they have access to a very nice coop but stay out in the run all night long. I actually made a thread about it just the other day-
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/night-in-the-run.1289826/
Set the trail cams up to spy on them

 

[NettyM]

I lock my Rouens and Pekins up at night because they have a kinda poorly made run that I don't trust to keep predators out but on my other coop with the muscovies, they have access to a very nice coop but stay out in the run all night long. I actually made a thread about it just the other day-
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/night-in-the-run.1289826/
Set the trail cams up to spy on them

Thanks , it's causing me a real dilemma , there doesn't seem to be a right or wrong way , some are in , some are out !

 

[Miss Lydia]

I put my flock to bed this afternoon at 4 pm it’s so cold and windy and all they were doing was hunkering down behind things to stay out of that bitter wind. Against my better judgement I did put food and water inside because it will be below zero in the morning and most of my flock won’t come outside till it gets up into the teens. It really is up to the individual as to what you feel is best,most of us who live in the USA cannot leave their birds outside over night because of predators even in a run I wouldn’t be able to sleep worrying something found it’s way in.

 

[quackiemama]

I put my flock to bed this afternoon at 4 pm it’s so cold and windy and all they were doing was hunkering down behind things to stay out of that bitter wind. Against my better judgement I did put food and water inside because it will be below zero in the morning and most of my flock won’t come outside till it gets up into the teens. It really is up to the individual as to what you feel is best,most of us who live in the USA cannot leave their birds outside over night because of predators even in a run I wouldn’t be able to sleep worrying something found it’s way in.

I too put my ducks up early for the evening. Normally I put them up at sundown but it is cold and windy

 

[NettyM]

I put my flock to bed this afternoon at 4 pm it’s so cold and windy and all they were doing was hunkering down behind things to stay out of that bitter wind. Against my better judgement I did put food and water inside because it will be below zero in the morning and most of my flock won’t come outside till it gets up into the teens. It really is up to the individual as to what you feel is best,most of us who live in the USA cannot leave their birds outside over night because of predators even in a run I wouldn’t be able to sleep worrying something found it’s way in.

Thanks , I'm going to put them to bed shortly . I'll make sure they have full tummies before they go in .