Ducks in -40C, duck mum freaking out

[Jelibaen]

So its the middle of our great Canadian Winter now and its currently sitting at -38C WITHOUT the windchill. Feels like -44C.
I have 8 ducks in my 8x12 coop. Lots of thick straw, heated water buckets and a little shrub cover to offer some smaller area for them but man I am freaking out. They are all huddled in the corner, some have poop frozen to their butt feathers, but they're still happy to eat and drink. They keep plopping their feet back into their feathers though.

Do I bring them inside for the night? I dont have a heat lamp (we had a chicken coop burn down when I was young from one so I never want one)
Do I go out and fluff up the straw again and just hope for the best? How cold is too cold? I dont have a garage to put them into.
Please offer any advice you have. My anxiety is through the roof.

 

[cavemanrich]

Bring them in for the night.. It will help with your anxiety for sure. In the morning,, if its less cold, then put them out into coop.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[GranderTheGander]

So its the middle of our great Canadian Winter now and its currently sitting at -38C WITHOUT the windchill. Feels like -44C.
I have 8 ducks in my 8x12 coop. Lots of thick straw, heated water buckets and a little shrub cover to offer some smaller area for them but man I am freaking out. They are all huddled in the corner, some have poop frozen to their butt feathers, but they're still happy to eat and drink. They keep plopping their feet back into their feathers though.

Do I bring them inside for the night? I dont have a heat lamp (we had a chicken coop burn down when I was young from one so I never want one)
Do I go out and fluff up the straw again and just hope for the best? How cold is too cold? I dont have a garage to put them into.
Please offer any advice you have. My anxiety is through the roof.

Yes, do bring them in. The freezing weather might be bad for their health, and worrying about them all night is definitely bad for your health! It's understandable how you feel about heat lamps. Worrying about possible fires all night is even worse than worrying about the ducks freezing to death.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Bring them in for the night.. It will help with your anxiety for sure. In the morning,, if its less cold, then put them out into coop.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Agreed

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Yes, do bring them in. The freezing weather might be bad for their health, and worrying about them all night is definitely bad for your health! It's understandable how you feel about heat lamps. Worrying about possible fires all night is even worse than worrying about the ducks freezing to death.

X2

 

[fatty and friends]

bring them in

 

[Kholts]

Bring them in for sure.

I’m in Alberta & am experiencing the sane kind of temps.

My 8 ducks & 4 chickens are in an insulated shed (about 12 feet X 8) with a couple inches of straw & a heat lamp. I also use heated pails for water. I believe my thermometer inside is reading -16. They are doing just fine in there but have the option of sitting under the lamp for extra heat.

One tip is that with the heated Pails they can give off a bit of humidity (as well as the ducks themselves) so if your coop has a bit too much humidity built up it can make the animals extra cold & contribute to frostbite.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you do bring them inside put them in a room that isn't very warm so going from inside to out isn't so drastic. Which isn't good for them either.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

What kinds of ducks are they? I had a rouen and Peking pair that were outside in nearly the same weather (-35F with wind chill) And they were fine.

 

[GranderTheGander]

If you do bring them inside put them in a room that isn't very warm so going from inside to out isn't so drastic. Which isn't good for them either.

That's a very good point!