I have seen some ducks look surprised by snow, while others enjoy wading through to create their own snowtails.
Though ducks are more winter-hardy than chickens, they need extra care when the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
So, before winter hits your ducks hard, learn how you need to care for your ducks in the cold weather.
Winter Duck Coop
Thanks to their legs and heavy feathers, ducks can be fine at 22 degrees Fahrenheit.
Their legs are great at circulating blood, which helps keep warm blood circulating throughout their body and cool blood circulating in their legs.
Also, their bottom feathers are pretty special at trapping in heat, and for this reason only, people use them in their winter jackets all the time.
Winterizing Coop
You can keep your ducks snug and warm in their coop or house by creating a warm environment indoors. So, make the duck coop dry, draft-free, and well-insulated.
For this, you need to seal any cracks or holes in the lower part of the coop that allow air to pass. But keep a small opening near or beneath the roof to allow moisture to evaporate.
Ducks create lots of moisture with their watery poops, and damp air can cause frostbite.
And you don’t want your duck house to have poor ventilation. My duck coop has a roof with a ⅛ inch gap at the hinge and a few vent holes in the front.
Many keepers build a double-wall coop and fill the gap between the walls with vermiculite and perlite. This helps prevent the burning of minerals (in fact, they don’t).
Also, these minerals don’t mold or emit gas.
Besides, you can install a three-panel clear plastic drop ceiling for extra insulation. It has ½-inch hardware cloth at the top to cover the large gaps, providing good ventilation.
The panels are easy to move to either close the ceiling completely or open it up for extra air in the summer months.
If winter is ordinary, you can install standard roll insulation to keep your duck house warm. Insulation is not necessary if you have a usual winter temperature, but it helps in cold areas or when your duck house is made of metal or plastic, which holds little to no heat.
Warm air sits between the wall layers, so tin on the bottom of the walls and plywood for the rest can also trap warmth inside.
You can also wrap the coop with windproof plastic or polythene.
Straw bales, cardboard, old feed bags, silver-foil insulation rolls, and foam boards also work well to wall off the draft.
Hide things like foam boards. Otherwise, your ducks will eat them out.
While blocking the drafts, you also need to properly secure the coop with hardware cloth to prevent predators from entering.
Best Bedding for Ducks in Winter
I find straw to be lower dust and slightly warmer on duck feet in winter. To keep your bedding dry and warmer, don’t put any food or water anywhere in or near it.
When the straw gets flattened or trampled, and manure starts piling up on top, I have to sprinkle pulverized lime and throw more straw.
The timing for shuffling or piling up straw depends on how dirty the bedding gets and whether it smells of ammonia.
I also stuck up extra straw to put out anywhere on the ground or floor that gets frozen over.
This process continues for several weeks until the coop is about a foot deep in straw. After that, I open the door and pitch the mix of straw and litter out into the wheelbarrow, then haul it off to the compost.
If you have flaked pine shavings, you can lay them about 3 -4 inches thick on the floor. Those who don’t like the deep litter method for their poultry must clean the coop daily.
Pick out the litter, stir it up, and add a new layer on the top. You can replace it all weekly and rake it into their run, and there you need to use the deep litter method.
Besides, you use horse stall mats over the floor for easy cleaning if you have a small duck flock.
Do Ducks Need Heat in the Winter?
No. Your ducks don’t need supplemental heat or heat lamps. They have natural insulation in feathers and can lose their health when they travel from an extremely warm and well-conditioned environment to a harsh, cold outside.
Every year, people share that they burn their coops and barns by using heat lamps. I have been keeping animals for many years, and I haven’t needed a heater or heat lamps.
If you feel it is very necessary, use a brooder plate or heat plate that is designed explicitly for safer coops, but again, not foolproof.
How to Keep Water for Ducks in Winter
Ducks are waterfowl and need water during the day, regardless of weather or season. And winter is also no different, but keeping water for them this time is really challenging.
They don’t eat their food without water, so you cannot keep water in the coop, as your birds would splash it around and create condensation buildup inside, making the coop chilly.
This can cause respiratory issues and frostbite. But don’t worry, they don’t need water overnight.
You can take them a bowl of water outside and remove it after they finish drinking. I often bring my ducks a drink of water in the evening and check if anyone is left thirsty, as they have to spend more time indoors due to early darkness on colder days.
In case your ducks are rigid, try to get them in the coop at night this way.
If you have to allow water inside for any reason, make sure you use unbroken waterers and foot protection under them to provide traction and prevent slippery ice and mess around.
To keep water from freezing, you can use heated dog bowls or heated waterer bases, but with precautions, and make sure you unplug them overnight.
Check them daily to see if the bowls are empty, as it can give the water a shock. Large water containers take longer to freeze over, so they’re a good option for winter days.
Besides, soft rubber or heavy-duty, flexible plastic containers don’t crack easily when water freezes inside, so you can take the ice out of the container without worry.
You yourself warm water on the stove and pour in gallon jugs to thaw the ice, which is a manual task, by the way. And warm water is more likely to freeze faster than cold water.
Do Ducks Need Water to Swim in the Winter?
Ducks are like your toddler who pester for toys, chocolate, or something else. These birds don’t stop quaking until they get water to swim, even in frigid temperatures.
They don’t need to swim every day, but need to be provided every now and then throughout the winter to keep waterfowl happy and healthy.
After swimming, they need to dry off in an area with dry footing and a windbreak.
I don’t suggest you let your ducks go down the water pool when the outdoor temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, you needn’t allow your ducks to swim at night, as they can sleep standing without realizing the water is frozen over.
Don’t use kiddie pools, as they cannot withstand winter use and are harder to empty. Instead, you can get small tubs where ducks can have a quick bath.
Take concrete mixing tubs and lay some bedding stuff around them to prevent icy footing.
If you have large duck ponds, you can prevent ponds from freezing throughout the winter by keeping the water flowing.
What to Feed Ducks in Winter
Though your ducks are restricted to having fresh forage and bugs, they can still enjoy supplement treats in the winter.
This time, the majority of their diet comes from quality duck feed (store-bought), or you can prepare homemade duck feed if you’ve a backyard garden or farm crops.
Give your ducks a handful of scratch grains. I prefer corn that produces a lot of energy for birds and internal heat during digestion, which helps them remain warm in cold weather.
During the winter months, you can increase the intake of corn for your birds. Are you going to decide between cracked or whole? You can always check it beforehand and give them their best preference.
Whole Kernel Corn also makes an excellent treat for ducks, but it should not make up more than 1/3 of the feed during the coldest months, and not more than 10% of the diet in the warm months.
Instead of cracked corn, whole kernel corn takes longer to digest for birds, so it keeps them steadily warm for hours. Peas and black sunflower seeds are also welcome for warmth.
To provide them with protein intake, you can offer mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, dried river shrimp, minnows, and grasshoppers.
Some duck-safe veggies and fruits help remove winter boredom in the run and provide them with extra protein, carbs, and nutrition.
I toss boiled yellow zucchini and squash, cooked long-grain rice, and a commercial waterfowl feed (I don’t name it, as they haven’t sponsored me), and some mealworms for breakfast.
They get romaine lettuce, peas, and corn as a treat during the day. You don’t need to give water and food to your adult ducks at night.
I suggest you grow your own sprouts, microgreens, and some pet grass and herbs for your ducks, which can cut down feed costs.
Outdoor Time and Exercise
Don’t worry, ducks can go outdoors during the daytime to roam around and get sunlight for vitamin D.
They enjoy walking on snow, but you shouldn’t let them on icy or wet ground.
Your waterfowl forage here and there, but it is less likely that they get anything to eat. So, it’s wise to keep them in the snowproof and windproof runs.
For a windbreak, you can cover the run with tarps, wrap it with greenhouse plastic, use plastic roofing sheets, or use transparent, heavy-duty shower curtains.
The tarp is going to collect lots of snow if you live in the hilly areas. Also, it can get heavy to cave the roof for the run.
Straw, pine shavings, pine pellets, and sand are great to lay on the ground to keep the area dry. When ducks return from swimming, they can dry and warm their feet there.
You can also create a shed roof or gabled roof, anchoring it to one or both sides with rope.
I often lay a tarp down and then cover it with cotton canvas. Then, you need a heavy-duty waxed cotton thread or yarn and a large tapestry needle, and sew it to the wire.
The canvas helps weigh down the tarp and prevent it from flapping during cold windblow. You can also tack the center area periodically to reduce fluttering.
On the mid days when there is less snowfall, you can stamp down some snow to make clear paths and shovel some areas for ducks to go out and play.
Then fill a large container with water for them to bathe.
On other days in the run, you need to give them water in a large pail with holes for their heads to fit through.
If not, your duck run will be sopping wet or a skating rink.
Health Care in Winter
Many claim that their ducks survive in temperatures down to -35 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit, but standing long on the cold surface, they cannot make it through the winter months and freeze in the middle.
The biggest problem is frostbite caused by cold, harsh weather indoors and outdoors. Identify if your duck is suffering in winter by the following signs.
- Sneezing
- Wet feathers
- Loss of appetite
- Randomly sit down frequently anywhere (ducks are active foragers when they’re healthy)
When you see your ducks’ feet are too cold or the signs above, lock them in their coop and put out extra straw and enhance some insulation, but naturally.
Also, keep the unwell birds in a separate shelter until they’re active.
Add brewers’ yeast and a duck herb salad to their feed to improve their immune systems. Oregano, thyme, mint, cilantro, and some dried marigold petals work like a charm.
Final Thoughts
As days get shorter, duck laying slows, and many stop laying. It’s totally normal, and you can rest the layers in the winter months.
You have to stock more duck feed for winter than for summer days.
I suggest you avoid keeping Muscovies if you live in a mountain area, as they’re not as cold-hardy as others.
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