What to do with ducks on this frigid night?

[markschicks]

We've had a Pekin for several years & acquired an Indian Runner just this summer. I'm not familiar with the hardiness of Indian Runners. The 2 ducks stay on our pond & will not go voluntarily into a shelter. We have an aerator, so an area about 15' x 6' is free of ice right now. It is currently 16 degrees but 23mph winds make a wind chill of -2. In the past, we've waited until the Pekins no longer had an area to swim, captured them & put them in the shed with our chickens. I'm worried about them tonight but to wrangle them, we'd have to go out in the dark onto the ice of the pond to try to chase them out of the water. What are your thoughts?

 

[silly silkies]

First. I think your ducks will be okay in -2 wind chill but if they are sensitive to the cold bulid them a house aka a coop or a little house to go inside the coop (makes it even more snug) or a heat lamp but make sure it is safe so your coop or whatever doesn't burn.

 

[silly silkies]

btw my ducks and chickens live in a barn that gets as cold as -34 so i have a heat lamp and a mini house thingy

 

[markschicks]

They have a little shelter near the pond with wood shavings that would at least be a wind break but they won't go in it

 

[silly silkies]

they probably will if they get cold enough i was scared about that with my ducks but they soon went into it

 

[Miss Lydia]

They have a little shelter near the pond with wood shavings that would at least be a wind break but they won't go in it

They won't go inside their shelter because they would be vulnerable to predators. they are smart that way. I'd lure them out of the pond because predators will walk on the ice and even swim for a tasty duck dinner. They need to be locked up before dark and the Indian Runner also may not be able to take the cold as well since she/he is upright and doesn't have the chubby body of other domestics. My Runners are inside at 3pm today because with wind chill it is 6* so are the rest of my ducks, chickens and geese.

Welcome to BYC @markschicks