Safe heat source for duck pen????

[Sue S]

Is there a safe heat source for my ducks during winter??? It has been a very mild winter in Pa so far but it's going to change soon. I have winterized the duck pen with hay & put tarps over their run, the enclosed part of the pen is made with treated wood & also has hay in it, but they always sleep in the run for some reason . I want to make sure they are safe from the cold weather were going to get soon, I won't put a heat lamp in the pen/run ( don't feel it's safe ). So, is there any other type of heat source that I can use that is safe???? If it gets too cold I will put them in our shed that's heated but it's not as big as the duck pen, but it will keep them safe & warm when it gets really cold outside. Any ideas??????

 

[Kkrista123]

Hello from PA!! Sorry, little advice because my duck is indoors. However, I wanted to discuss this winter we’ve been having. (Anyone not in pa- we only had 1 small snow so far which is very unusual). Some of my friends and family are telling me we’ll have no winter and others are telling me it will snow until April. What have we done to the ecosystem?! Do you think our winters going or coming? I’m scared to think about it but I have no clue what’s up with this weather.

The only thing I could think of for your ducks is more hay and you already got that covered! Also a little dog house or something to shelter from wind, rain, snow etc. Happy flock keeping!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

How cold are you talking? Most ducks don't need a heat source with their natural down coats they wear they stay plenty warm.
Be careful with the tarps and everything that you don't block too much ventilation. High humidity is more cause for concern than the cold. They just need a dry place without a major draft and some deep bedding and they will be fine.
The trouble with adding heat is that for one like you said there is fire risk. And two If they become accustomed to the heat and say you have a power outage it is much worse on them.
@BantyChooks keeps her duckies in the frozen North and doesn't use heat and they do very well.

 

[Kkrista123]

How cold are you talking? Most ducks don't need a heat source with their natural down coats they wear they stay plenty warm.
Be careful with the tarps and everything that you don't block too much ventilation. High humidity is more cause for concern than the cold. They just need a dry place without a major draft and some deep bedding and they will be fine.
The trouble with adding heat is that for one like you said there is fire risk. And two If they become accustomed to the heat and say you have a power outage it is much worse on them.
@BantyChooks keeps her duckies in the frozen North and doesn't use heat and they do very well.

It's 29 degress in Philadelphia part of PA with no snow. The other end of PA, (Pittsburg) is 33 degrees with very light snowfall. The weather has been solid in the 30's but some days will randomly jump back to 50 or down to 20's... Not sure which side of PA OP is on but they're pretty much the same in temp. Low but not too low and each end is getting minimal snow... for now

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Don't worry about your ducks in the PA winter! We have similar weather here in WV. As long as your ducks have a shelter from rain/snow, are out of the wind and have something warm like straw or hay to build a little nest in they are fine. Mature ducks do not need a heat lamp! I had one of these ceramic infrared bulbs in my duck house until i noticed that they were avoiding the heated area. My ducks voluntarily go into their house only for three reasons:

1. They are hungry - their house is divided into tho parts, one half is the bedroom, the other half is for food, water and indoor playtime.
2. It is too hot outside. My ducks had more problems with the hot summer weather that with the cold weather now. Remember, they are wearing a built-in down-jacket.
3. Something scary is above in the sky. Could be a bird of prey or one of the National Guard's C130s.

Other than that they won't go in unless i herd them.

 

[Jpat]

-11 Here with 4 ducks different breeds no issue

Thick woodchip bedding, wood walls with no other insulation amd 2 big screen windows

 

[DuckyDonna]

-11 Here with 4 ducks different breeds no issue

Thick woodchip bedding, wood walls with no other insulation amd 2 big screen windows

Last year when we had our big Dec 8th snowstorm of well over a foot my runners were perfectly happy to come plowing out of their pen and into the run through the snow. It stayed very cold for days, in fact, we had no power for 3 and water was an issue becaue we're on a well but they were fine. They were sheltered in their pen (which has no insulation) from the wind with lots of thick hay to snuggle in and no problems.

 

[BantyChooks]

Agreed with Shaw. It's stayed below zero F for two weeks before, including daytime temperatures, and the ducks were out and about, running over snowbanks and making messes out of their water. They are incredibly hardy. This picture was taken when it was -1F. I was worried about the camera, so I didn't get any pictures when it was colder. They don't even lose their nails to frostbite!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Agreed with Shaw. It's stayed below zero F for two weeks before, including daytime temperatures, and the ducks were out and about, running over snowbanks and making messes out of their water. They are incredibly hardy. This picture was taken when it was -1F. I was worried about the camera, so I didn't get any pictures when it was colder. They don't even lose their nails to frostbite! Lots of the chickens do.
View attachment 1635558

Yes, built in down-jackets and snow-shoes!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

It's 29 degress in Philadelphia part of PA with no snow. The other end of PA, (Pittsburg) is 33 degrees with very light snowfall. The weather has been solid in the 30's but some days will randomly jump back to 50 or down to 20's... Not sure which side of PA OP is on but they're pretty much the same in temp. Low but not too low and each end is getting minimal snow... for now

Sounds like perfect duckie weather to me! Similar weather pattern here in Missouri. The only thing I ever worry about is when it goes from 60 during the day to being in the 20s at night. I honestly think they have a harder time acclimating to it getting that warm after a nice cold night. My Call duck pen is about as predator proof as it can be so I don't even put them in the house at night until we have an extended period of cold that will be way under freezing. Even then the only reason I do that is if their pool is open I don't want them sitting there getting ice freezing around them in the pool. They will gladly sit on the water all night in below freezing weather because it's warmer to them under the water than it is out in the cold air.