winter

[cleo72]

I'm a new duck owner and would like to know how you seasoned duck owners in the northern states keep your ducks during the cold winter months?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

lots of wood shaving in their coop. do NOT use a heat lamp or any heat, it could lead to a fire. put lots of toys in the coop, they’ll have to be in for most of the day and will be bored. feed them extra treats and corn.

if they seem to be cold, move them indoors for a few days until it warms up. we use pet play pens for them to stay in. let them take daily baths in the bathtub so they stay clean.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I'm a new duck owner and would like to know how you seasoned duck owners in the northern states keep your ducks during the cold winter months?

I live in Northern Vermont at a decently high elevation, where it gets down to -20 degrees F at night not uncommonly, and January and February are simply miserable in general. Honestly, my ducks do just fine. Better than me! I just use loads of deep bedding (straw on top of shavings on top of rubber mats) and make sure that the bedding stays dry. Soiled bedding is easy to remove in the winter as the poops freeze solid. They stay in a stall in a barn that is well ventilated, but not drafty.

They can roam around the barn whenever, and can go out, although my ducks are wusses and prefer to stay in if it is 25 degrees F or below. I am going to try to encourage them to get out more this winter.

I use a black cement mixing tub for bathing purposes and they are allowed to bathe on all but the worst days. I use a bucket to bring them water twice daily. I use rubber livestock bowls for both food and water as they never ever break.

Winter duck care is simplified in the winter - no pools to dump, they don’t range far, etc. I do always spill the drinking water on myself, especially on the coldest days, especially when I’m on my way to work. Finding a way to dispose of dirty bedding can be a pain in the rear in deep snow. However, winter care is not nearly as bad as you would think.

Oh, and I agree with the above. No heat lamps!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I do want to add - Beware the predators of winter. Even if you don’t have predator issues currently, you will in winter. Animals become desperate, and duck starts looking like a mighty fine menu option for even those that would normally prefer other prey.