winter duck housing

[shelleyd2008]

I have 10 ducks, pekins, rouens, and cayugas. They have been living on the pond all summer, and will probably stay there for the winter as well. I was wondering what kind of shelter they will need for the winter? This summer, they layed in the shade of the trees around the pond, and didn't care if it was raining. I am just worried that they will get too cold this winter. They are all at least 5-6 months old, and look full grown.

Also, will they be all right swimming when it is cold out? It seems like they are always in the water when it is colder in the mornings now.

 

[chickmamawannabe]

If you want, you can construct a simple shelter for them for when it's really stormy. Nothing as elaborate as a chicken coop is needed, though. In my experience, ducks are usually pretty hardy.

 

[BackSwampGirl]

Yes they will be ok.I do know that much.Ours lived outside in the rain,sleet,snow and hot all last year.And now they have been mating since the summer.And still mating.Have you ever had any luck with them hatching on their own.That si what I am worried about.Mine will stay in the water just about all the time.That love the water.,Sandra

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have only had females for about a month, and so far haven't found any eggs. My first 4 ducks 2 pekin and 2 rouen, all turned out to be drakes!
I know that the pekins don't usually go broody. The rouens do more so than the pekins, but still might not. The cayugas are supposed to be really good broodies, so I will have to see. I don't have my breeds seperated yet, but I will hopefully by spring!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Yeah I was thinking of something like a lean-to, just to keep the real cold winds off them. We don't get much snow here, but we do get a lot of ice. I'm sure they would be more comfortable. I have heard that their legs will freeze in the winter, that's why I asked about them swimming. It seems like the water is usually warmer than the air. So far it's always had steam coming off in the morning. And it is spring-fed, so the poond itself hardly ever freezes over.

 

[purr]

mine have a dog house with a door I lock at night cause my cousin next door has lost several of his ducks to racoons.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Yeah I did lose 2 hens, about 3 days after I got them

But that was about a month ago? I think, and haven't lost any since. The drakes I got to begin with have been on the pond since they were feathered, and I haven't lost any of them...I think my dog was to blame for the 2 that came up missing, but she is tied up now.
Soon as I get some more $$, they will have runs (thinking like dog kennels?) and will be locked up so I don't get any mixes. Right now, I haven't had a problem with them disappearing, other than the 2. My dad's dog won't let any predators on the land.

 

[purr]

I need a dog like that. I have to say we have a ton of raccoons and coyotes here and as my husband says you'd never swim the sea of tears if anything happened to my chickens or duckies

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
My pekin hen was taken by a land animal. we found some feathers when we mowed. The rouen hen could have been taken by a snapping turtle, we saw a lot of feathers on the pond, but there is always a lot of feathers there!

Yeah this dog is very smart. She is not trained per se, but she will 'get it' or 'leave it' if she is told to. She really loves the fall, that's when the rats and mice come out... Ew. She likes to kill them!! I have free ranging chickens, and a lot of mamas with babies, plus babies without mamas, I have lost more to my dog (before I figured it out) than to them 'disappearing'.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Where i grew up, used dog igloos for the duck/geese...there was some snow, but not alot and their pond was never completely frozen. They seem to be really hardy and just need shelter from cold winds. Swam all winter. Where we live now the winters are harder, so in the eves they will be in a kennel in the goat shed for now until the chicken coop is remodeled.