What’s the coldest temperature ducks and chickens can stand?

[chickens really]

I’m in ontario and we are in a polar vortex, have been for a week (minus 30 and minus 40 wind chill). I have 4 ducks and a couple of geese- 6 months old - they have shelter 8x 6 by 3 feet tall - not insulated - nor heated. I had been using woodships and layering the bedding - switched to hay for the weather this week - seems to be keeping them warmer. They get out to drink ( heated bucket) and eat. The pen is about 50x 50. But they aren’t walking more then 2 feet from the shelter... I’m a little worried - but so far so good. Thanks for the info.

I'm in Alberta..Same weather. I run heat although the water freezes. My Coops are cold but not close to the outside temps ..Best wishes fellow Canadian.

 

[CuteChicks4Life]

Ahahaa.. It's sooo true. We've had a cold snap here -3o's without the windchill into the -40's for two weeks now. Every time I put out fresh drinking water those damn ducks go right for it, jump in and start splashing around. They then spend their day with frosted feathers and not a care in the world.

 

[Yummy mummy]

Thank you, glad to hear this is normal

 

[DucksOhio]

We have seven similarly aged silver appleyard ducks, and we also had a very warm fall. Then winter hit--we have not been above the single digits F during the day, and the nights are as low as -10 for over a week. We also have about 10 inches of snow on the ground, and we've had some very blowy days (40 mph+).

I'm pleased to report our ducks have acclimated well. They miss their foraging time around the property, but their run is covered with a thick layer of straw that gets fluffed daily. 2.5 sides of the run are banked with straw bales providing a windbreak, and they have an area under their elevated duckhouse, which is very protected for daytime naps.

They have free-choice pellets and some cracked corn in their run, along with water in a heated bucket. We feed them a soup at around 3:45 in the afternoon, and then we've been locking them into the duckhouse just around dusk each evening when the temps are below 0F.

The duckhouse is roughly 4'x8' with a thick layer if pine shavings and straw on top of that. We fluff the straw daily and add more as needed. We do not give them any food or water in the duckhouse. The duckhouse is not heated, though it does have power.

In the morning we give them soup, top off their food, change out their water, and inspect everybody.

They seem pretty happy all things considered.

I love the soup idea...can you share the recipe?

 

[3bird]

It hit -10 in the duckhouse last night (although that's up in the eves and not down where the wee flock spent the night snuggled). They were ready to greet the day this morning when we opened the duckhouse door.

The soup is my wife's creation, so I don't have the exact recipe. Basically it's a mix of what we have on hand and some stuff she buys just for them. Usually thawed frozen veggies like corn, peas and green beans along with oatmeal, potatoes, greens, etc. All in warm water with some of their pellets added to the top and maybe a mealworm garnish. Today raisins were a big hit. Who knew?!

They also have freechoice pellets and a separate bowl of cracked corn. There is also a bowl of oyster shells available at all times. Their water stays ice free in a plastic heated horse bucket.

They are happy ducks, but they may be done with this extreme (for us) cold for a while. We have not seen double digits F in the positive direction in quite a while.