Triple digits heading to texas .......

[StormyMoon]

My ducks have access to pool/water/feed all the good stuff but the one Pekin will crawl up on my porch and pant with mouth open wide.
How else can I keep them cool or is this normal behavior?

The Porch is shaded and gets a nice breeze but the Pekin is still young but huge and are not fully feathered yet they are covered in fluff with a few feathers but I have noticed now that when they get in the pool the water does not soak them but rolls of them. I have a Penkin and a Ruen its only the Pekin that pants like he is over heated.

 

[littleduckfl]

We don't get quite that hot here in the Gulf Coast of Fl, it just feels that way. I was having the same problem with my young Khaki panting. My husband brought me home one of those dog igloo things that someone giving away. I put his water, food, mirror, and a Powerade bottle with frozen water in it. The fan that is too loud for the house is pointed that way. It's about 12-15 degrees cooler in there then outside. He actually has figured out that if he lays up against the frozen bottle he can cool off. If I put the flat, hard plastic ice packs in there, he will lay right on top of them. I also put up an awning so the sun does not get in there. I was bringing him in the house during the hot part of the day before I got the igloo, but he is not too fond of being inside. I hope it cools off for you soon.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Its seems like just a few weeks ago- Iwas driving home on my luchbreaks to hose down my ducks- Now I am worried they will get too cold during the day and maybe I should leave them inside the shed for the day... Panting is one way that a duck cools itself- So apart from being a sign they are hot- you little one is doing what it can to help itself anyway. I find that my pekins do pant but my Runners rarely do in the same temperatures- so it could be something to do with how fast growing a breed they are.

I usually give my ducks plenty of cut up cold fruit in summer- as well as putting ice into the water. It doesnt take long to melt- but at least it stops the water getting too warm. Ensuring they have shade and water at all times is the most important. Try them with some cold watermelon- apart from the cooling effect- if they are anything like my ducks they will love the treat.

 

[OmaBird]

We had a heat spell of 115 last year. My birds where free ranged where they where they could get under bushes and trees for shade. I wet the whole area down and hung a mister in the trees. My girlfriend left hers in the pens and some in cages. She had lots of losses. In the hundreds. I had one loss. A big cochin rooster. I think his heart could not take the heat. If we ever get that hot again I will do the same.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Here north of Houston: Its getting hot.

Omabird, I agree, let them free range in the heat of the day, they will find the coolest spots. My chickens and ducks seem to hang out under the tree that has a water faucet by it. Convenient for me. So I dug out a "creek" that heads toward the fenced off garden. I'll run water in the "creek' for them in the afternoon and wet down the area. When its really hot that tree sprouts water basins at it roots all around the base and they get filled with icecubes about 3 or 4 in the afternoon and I wet down the whole area several times a day.

Of course it helps that Daddy buys them Melon and gives them slices to munch on. Mommy gives they Cucumber Peel and tomato scraps, all nicely diced up. Iced carrot pulp from the juicer and cool yogurt help keep them cool and healthy. Then Daddy and Mommy sit back have some Melon and Cucs with Tomatoes and a glass of cold carrot juice and watch their antics. Frozen peas are also a favorite. Or cooked mashed split peas, refrigerated then served thinned with ice cubes. No, I don't consider this pampering, this is our Chicken and Ducky TV, well maybe we're pampered. They could do without the above now but we can't seem to and the frozen treats will get new birds through a short time of excessive high heat.

Don't forget a little pool for the ducks to jump into and cool off. Mine have their little dog pool (Petsmart) under the favorite tree. Even the chickens, will dip their beaks in and stand around it. My ducks like to splash around a lot, so the ground is cooler there. When they get feisty, I've been know to refill that pool almost daily in the summer. Yes, my water bill is higher with Ducks.

Just let them roam, plenty of water and shade, watch them and make lots of ice cubes. They should be fine.

 

[katharinad]

Ducks will die in very high temperatures. Add high humidity and they are in serious trouble. They do not sweat and can only pant, which is not very effective at all. They need shade and some means of cooling. This can be water, ice, etc. Move all the kiddie pools into the shade. That way they can sit in it without the sun hitting them. A mister is perfect, because it can reduce the temp by 10-20 degrees! You can buy misters or water hose misting attachments at the hardware store or even Walmart. Check out your garden nozzle, some of them have a misting setting. Just turn on and hang into a tree or fence. Your birds will thank you.
Katharina

 

[OmaBird]

All bigger faster growing birds will be the most effected by the heat. Thats why the pekins seem hotter. Do what you can to keep him cool. Even change the pool water if it is heating up.

 

[Wifezilla]

Excellent suggestions. My ducks have plenty of shade, fresh water and a kiddie pool, but they are still panting a bit. An old milk jug filled with water and frozen will last a good while before melting. Just put it in their pool

 

[StormyMoon]

Thank you for the suggestions. My Pekin and Rouen are free range but they follow me and the kids all over.
If we are in the house they will come up on the porch so now we have a pool on the porch and by the shed under the porch is a pool.
I am going to do the water bottle idea freeze them and put several under their favorite hiding places and a few in their pools.
We are currently under water restrictions by our county, so we can only water certain days of the week.
But I will store water the days we can use it and put some in the freezer to collect several bottles of water going at the same time.

Again Thank You

 

[WriterofWords]

It's triple digits here already, everyone free ranges, I run a sprinkler to soak the areas under the bushes and trees for them and I have a mister I bought at Wal Mart that is made for porches and I run it for them.