Winter marches on....

[Thompsonv]

So we made it through the few days/nights we had of -35 degrees with the wind chill. I moved the ducks from their house and small run/pen into our shop which is insulated and made a small pen with hay for bedding and a heater which kept it between 5-15degrees in there. We got hit with 40 degrees and rain for half a day then it flash froze so everything is ice and the snow is crusted pretty good. It looks like we should be back in 20's during the day and mid to low teens at night for the next week or so. I was wondering about kicking them back into their house and run/pen. They've been inside for a few days now and i feel bad just kicking em out when they seem so happy. I let them have a little time outside in the 40 degree weather but the snow was so crusted they were having a really hard time moving around and walking with the ice. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated, and I know they spoiled but they they're not just ducks they're family

 

[chickens really]

I have been doing the same on Cold nights....Put straw down in the outdoor run and they will be so happy to be back home....Mine are when I put them back..........No place like home......


Cheers!

 

[Thompsonv]

They were evicted this afternoon. They spent about two hours in their house before coming back out. But I put plenty of hay down and they came out once or twice to play with the dog. So they seem happy I just felt bad was all. Thanks

 

[purslanegarden]

I've been watching some videos on YT and some coop designs incorporated insulation into their coops, knowing that their winters would be very cold. I might do that for some future coop.

Otherwise, I've been bringing in the ducks also, on some really cold nights. But I use a portable plastic dog house. However, I think one of those pet-carrying things might have worked OK too, with straw as bedding material. In fact, I've been looking for another that I think I might cut out the bottom, and use it as either a nesting house or some other kind of shelter for them.

 

[Thompsonv]

They actually have a really nice coop we built it's just that I got concerned because of the vents i have up under the eaves I thought might have been drafty when we had the horrible wind chill that past week.