Sub 20 Degrees

[Bill83]

Quick question, My ducks have a house with alittle duck door that leads into their run. I have a heat lamp in the house that keeps it about 15 degrees over the temp outside. Tonight its supposed to be about 11 degrees should i lock the ducks in the house or will they be smart enough to just go in there at night. I dont want them getting frostbite on their feet.

 

[PirateGirl]

I do not heat my duck house, but I do choose to lock them in it at those temperatures. It eliminates any drafts from the door and will keep them a bit warmer. Yours will probably go in there on their own, but it doesn't hurt to lock them in until sun up.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

If your duckies are as stubborn as mine, i would herd them inside and lock them in. My ducks were feeling uncomfortable outside the whole day, you could see it, they were sleeping most of the day close to the house to protect them from the cold wind:

But going into the warm, draft free, cozy duck house? Pffft! What do you think, Humon?! You think we're stupid? Freedom for the Duckies! - Even when the freedom is ducking cold…

 

[DucksOhio]

Quick question, My ducks have a house with alittle duck door that leads into their run. I have a heat lamp in the house that keeps it about 15 degrees over the temp outside. Tonight its supposed to be about 11 degrees should i lock the ducks in the house or will they be smart enough to just go in there at night. I dont want them getting frostbite on their feet.

I always worry about hold cold my ducks are in winter. If the pond is almost freezing, they’ll still go in.
After some research, I read the ducks have some weird leg/foot reverse blood flow...that their feet actually can withstand the really freezing cold ice and water and never get frostbite.

I’ll try to find the article and post.

In this severe cold, I think my ducks are more bored than cold.

 

[DucksOhio]

Here’s the story

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/a...ucks-get-frostbite-when-swimming-in-icy-ponds

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I always worry about hold cold my ducks are in winter. If the pond is almost freezing, they’ll still go in.
After some research, I read the ducks have some weird leg/foot reverse blood flow...that their feet actually can withstand the really freezing cold ice and water and never get frostbite.

I’ll try to find the article and post.

In this severe cold, I think my ducks are more bored than cold.

It was not the temperature here today, but there was the permanent blowing, gusty wind that made it really uncomfortable outside, even for the Duckies. A dry duck, with protection from the wind is a warm duck. They have their builtin down jacket…

 

[cymbaline]

I spent years worrying and fussing about my ducks every winter. I'd put out a heat lamp, which they would avoid like the plague; I put out houses, which they refuse to get into 90% of the time; sometimes I would just bring them inside for the night, and they'd spend the whole time looking out the door and trying to get back outside. I've seen them go swimming in the creek when it's less than 20 degrees out (only little patches of water not frozen solid). At this point I don't worry until it gets at least below zero, or if there's a bad wind chill, and honestly I'm not even sure I need to worry then, lol - they really just don't care.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would never give my ducks anything with water in it they can climb into an sleep over night here is why. this is from @Eggcessive


Welcome to BYC. I am not a duck owner, but it does sound like the toe may have become wet and gotten frostbite, or suffered a crush injury from being stepped on or getting stuck. Can you post any pictures? If it is black and becomes dry and leathery, it will just fall off at some point.
The pictures below show severe frost bite in a foot and another where a duck has lost both feet:

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[quackiemama]

Mine all go into their duck house at night and I will be honest when it is super cold like 11 degrees I do use a heat lamp. But mine seem to love it.

 

[DucksOhio]

Mine all go into their duck house at night and I will be honest when it is super cold like 11 degrees I do use a heat lamp. But mine seem to love it.

I have heat lamps from raising ducklings. We get quite cold here as well. I worry about the safety of them, though. What’s the electric for those heat lamps? Our duck house is low voltage.