What Are Your Winter Woes?

[PotatoWaffles]

Nothing says 'I love my ducks' more than chipping away at frozen poop every day to keep their pen nice and clean for them. This is the first winter that my fiancé and I will have ducks, and we thought we prepared for everything. We got a heated waterer, heat lamps, a submersible water heater with a protective cage for the outdoor pool, extra layers of bedding, insulation and the overall works for winterization. But I never thought about how difficult and annoying it would be to scrape away at their frozen poop piles. But we do it because we love our duckies. Anyone else have winter woes to share?

 

[Jessica89]

It's also my first winter having ducks and it's so much easier in the summer! Haha.
It's not that cold here yet so no frozen poop but it's been wet to their enclosure is so muddy. It drives me mad!

 

[emmajane07]

This is my first winter too I would agree, warmer weather is so much easier! I don't worry about cleaning up the poop. I think my chickens must dig around in the bedding enough to where I don't notice it. I'm not sure what your set up is, but I would put another layer of bedding down, throw/sprinkle some feed on the ground and let them mix all the bedding up.

My biggest issue is frozen water---I don't have electric in my coop

 

[Jessica89]

I don't have electric either.. I dont know what to do when the temperature's drop! hmm :/

 

[emmajane07]

From what I have read you don't need to heat your coop. If you have proper ventilation you should be fine . As long as the birds aren't babies of course. Having electric just makes life easier.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

I think my two ducks like their heat lamps. I went in the other day and Waffles, my big pekin female, was shivering and looked miserable. So we put the heat lamps up in their indoor pen and they both huddle under them and look all cozy. I know a lot of people say the the lamps aren't necessary, but it's been getting down into the single digits here at night, and my duckies looked cold. It also gives her a place to lay her eggs where they won't be frozen and burst open when we pick them up.

 

[StephMagee]

It's my first winter as well! Well 2nd winter but last year there were just little so they live in my closet! We set up the shed for them so they are out of the weather. We also put heat lamps in there for them on the real cold nights it's get down to the negatives. One side has the heat lamps and the other side doesn't that way if they get too warm under the lamps they can get away from them

 

[jbugw]

Frozen water and more frozen water. Our house has no electric but well insulated. We haven't had to mess with poop because it just sinks below the foot of snow we have. Its going to be a nasty mess out there come spring.

 

[Miss Lydia]

From what I have read you don't need to heat your coop. If you have proper ventilation you should be fine . As long as the birds aren't babies of course. Having electric just makes life easier.

X2

 

[veronicasmom]

I am a huge worry wart. But I just have to say PLEASE, to those of you using heat lamps, BE CAREFUL. They scare me to death. I have seen and heard of too many stories of barns and coops catching fire due to them. I know they are necessary for the little ones, but grown ducks honestly don't need them if they are healthy. A dry place to get out of the wind/snow/rain is imperative, along with enough food and unfrozen water. Ducks wear down coats!!! And yes, they may act cold, but they are able to deal with it pretty well. I live in Maine and mine all do well in the winter. There are heated resting pads for animals. I use them for my rabbits. Maybe you can use those if you really feel a duck needs them. And old, sickly or young ones might. The ones I have are made of plastic, I have them in an old cat carrier (cut a hole for the cord) and they go in that when they are chilly. It is still heat, but not as dangerous as heat bulbs. Just had to say this, I would hate for anyone to have a fire and wish I had said something......................