We like to watch the ducks in the local ponds, but due to the recent cold snap, all of those ponds are frozen solid. What has happened to our ducks.

– Callie and Al, Eastham, CT.

But they made the mistake of also coming in with their parents, thus anytime I asked a question, everyone (mostly the adults) answered all at the same time. Through the confusion I heard someone say something about being from Eastham or Connecticut, or both.

By the end of the conversation, I was totally confused and have no idea where Callie and Al are from, or what their real names are. Although, I’m 100% positive they asked about ducks…I think.

Our lakes, secluded kettle ponds, marshes, estuaries and assorted bays are the habitats ducks seek. And Orleans is so duck-friendly, we even have a street with the lovely name of “Old Duck Hole Road.” (That’s pretty good for stodgy old Orleans.) For the most part, the best time to see ducks on the Cape is in the winter.

It’s so busy here in the summer that even the secluded kettle ponds are overrun with activities, and the ducks know it. They would rather raise their families farther north or in the quiet isolation of the prairie states.

For years I’ve preached that length of day and moving cold fronts are the triggers for bird migration, and not necessarily food availability. That is why our feeders don’t prevent Ruby-throated Hummingbirds from leaving here each fall.

The amount of daylight is an important cue, but many ducks don’t do any serious moving until they are forced to by the weather. For example, the Cape Cod Bird Club conducts an annual waterfowl survey.

When it first started, the count was held in early November, but due to climate change (you know, that phony phenomenon), there were no ducks to count. So, the survey was moved to December, when cold weather in the north finally forced ducks our way.

This is a reliable place to see Ring-necked and Ruddy Ducks, and American Coots, which really aren’t ducks, but are close enough. Sometimes this little pond remains open and active all winter.

When that happens the ducks may move around the corner to the larger Great Pond. When that pond becomes iced, the ducks are forced to move again.

Around here, open water is never hard to find. After all, we have the Atlantic Ocean and that never freezes, right.

The open ocean is fine for deep-diving ducks such as eiders, scoters, mergansers and even Buffleheads. But what about the dabblers, those freshwater ducks that feed by tipping their bums up in the air.

They need shallow water to forage in. Tidal marshes and river estuaries are their plan B when freshwater ponds are no longer available.

Doesn’t drinking saltwater make them sick. No, not really.

Ducks have built-in salt (removal) glands, which enable them to drink or at least ingest some seawater with no ill effects. Unfortunately, humans don’t have salt glands.

Ducks are highly mobile creatures. If they become iced-out of one location, they simply move to the next one.

While everyone else was looking for the Snowy Owl, he was busy photographing a surprising number of ducks that had discovered a bit of open water near the bridge. Between the tides and our estuaries, ducks can usually find a place to go.

Although, the way this winter is going, the closest ice-free location may be Tijuana. No matter how cold it gets, Callie and Al (or whatever your real names are), eventually things will warm up and the ducks will return your ponds.

(Just kidding. Bring them in.

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Caring for ducks in the winter can be decently easy as long as their basic needs are met. They tolerate the cold much better than chickens do so they are a great alternative if your climate gets very cold winters.

In the wild, ducks will fly south and migrate to a warmer location. Most domestic ducks cannot fly and thus are stuck with relying on their human counterpart to keep them warm and fed.

When wild ducks fly south for winter they go all over the place depending on what species they are and how cold they can handle. Some will stay in southern Canada and some will go down to the US.

For those that stay in Canada they tend to stay near an open body of water and a good food source. Some areas experience heavy rainfall and can end up with large green areas becoming flooded.

Yes, you could end up with cold ducks in extreme conditions however their bodies are built different than ours. With just a couple basic needs met they will survive the cold winter without any issues.

Or they can end up with severe frostbite and lead to amputation. There are 3 specific factors that keep ducks from getting cold.

And thirdly, they carry a higher body temperature. Ask a Naturalist explains how the countercurrent exchange system works in ducks.

The arterial blood warms up the venous blood, dropping in temperature as it does so. This means that the blood that flows through the feet is relatively cool.

When the ducks feet are similar in temperature to the ground there is reduced heat loss. Some scientists found that at 0o C (32o F) mallards only lost 5% of their body heat through their feet.

The outer feathers are waterproof keeping the moisture, and cold, out where as the inner layer, the down, acts as insulation. Under all their feathers, ducks have a thicker layer of fat compared to other poultry.

Ducks, like most poultry, have a higher core temperature than humans do. Ducks tend to be around 41°-42°C (106-108F).

Domestic or livestock ducks need some help from their humans to keep them warm. One of those things is shelter from the wind and snow.

One thing about ducks like the least about winter is the wind. Providing ducks with some shelter from the wind is important.

When ducks are free range they will naturally find spots to hide from the wind. If there aren’t many hiding places offer a 3 sided shelter giving them a space outside away from the wind.

I try to provide a shelter in addition to their coop to lessen the amount that they are in their coop. The more they are in the coop the more poop and thus the more I need to clean/ add more bedding.

Everyone knows ducks don’t mind the rain but they definitely don’t enjoy the snow as much. If you get a lot of snow it’s a good idea to throw down some straw on top of the snow so they can get some relief from the cold ground.

You can use things like logs or stumps that are close to the ground, planks of wood or pallets also work well. Shovelling out a path from their coop to their food/ water will offer their feet a break.

Ducks burn a lot more energy in the winter trying to keep their bodies warm. To help them keep the extra fat on their bodies you can offer them a higher protein feed or offer them some extra treats including oatmeal, corn, grains, peanuts, scrambled eggs, and peas.

For a detailed list of what foods ducks can eat click here. Water is extremely important for ducks at all times.

They also use water to clear their nostrils and eyes. If your temperatures are going below freezing you will need to make sure your ducks have constant access to water.

Our temperatures don’t often stay below freezing for long periods so I bring their water buckets inside and fill with warm water in the morning. Keeping your water buckets in an area protected from the wind will help prevent freezing.

I keep our pond full through most the winter except the couple weeks we get each year where we get snow and steady below freezing temperatures. If temperatures are only below freezing for a day or two, or just overnight then I go out and break all the ice in the morning.

They can sleep in the same coop as the rest of the year. Add some extra bedding and be sure to keep the bedding clean and dry.

Ducks can end up with frost bite if they don’t have any reprieve from the cold ground. When the cold weather is heading your way it’s a good idea to get your ducks coop all cleaned out and ready for the colder temperatures.

Straw is a great insulator if you have some. In areas that get cold winters it’s important to have lots of ventilation and keep it up high on the duck coop.

When there is not enough ventilation the excess moisture can lead to frost bite. Having the vents up high also allows the wind to flow through the coop, over top of the ducks.

Peoples chicken and duck coops are constantly catching fire and some losing their whole flock due to heat lamps. If they have enough bedding and its dry they should be fine.

It provides insulation and blocks off some of the dead space, allowing the coop to warm up slightly. Some people take the risk and put in a heat lamp, however since ducks are naturally cold hardy and as long as you have met their basic housing needs, they do not need the additional heat.

The deep litter method is a great way to keep your ducks warm in the winter and also allows you to clean out the coop less often. You start off with a thick layer of bedding and as they soil the top layer you mix up the bedding and then place a thin layer of fresh bedding on top.

If there is not enough dry bedding added the ammonia from the duck poo with build-up and cause health problems for your ducks. General rule, if you can smell ammonia you should add more dry bedding.

Check out this post The Deep Litter Method for Ducks for all the details.

Or you can just add extra stuff to their regular diet. If your winters leave you in snowy conditions for long periods of time, your ducks would appreciate some greens – kale, lettuce, cabbage, chard, and other leafy greens.

You can offer peanuts, peas, scrambled eggs, or any other high protein duck safe foods. Mealworms are high in protein and a top favourite snack for ducks and chickens.

If you are trying to figure out if you’ve got cold ducks you can look for a couple different things. You may notice your ducks hobbling or constantly dropping their bodies to the ground and tucking their feet in.

Some animals hibernate during the winter, while others migrate to warmer areas. However, not all birds leave home.

What do ducks do in the winter. Where do they go.

We have all seen ducks fly in the iconic ‘V’ formation, especially as the temperature decreases. Like tourists, many ducks travel to Florida during the winter before returning to their ‘summer’ home and nesting ground.

Ducks fly south in the winter, looking for warmer and milder conditions. Ducks are hardy creatures, meaning they are resistant to the cold.

Instead of staying and dealing with the snow, most ducks migrate in the winter. Popular migratory spots in the United States include Florida and Georgia.

You are likely to spot the following ducks in some warm and mild southern parts of the U.S during winter: Some domestic ducks brave the winter with warm homes and resources.

Typically, ducks migrate when lakes in their area freeze. There is a common belief that all ducks instinctively fly back to the same place every year, both before and after winter, but is this true.

While ducks don’t have to return to the same place every year, they have a strong breeding ground affinity. Often, ducks will return to their home after winter is done since they have a strong bond with their breeding flock.

Ducks follow navigational cues to make it home. Some species of ducks live in Florida and Georgia all-year round.

The ducks that leave the cold and frozen areas survive by looking for warm land with lakes and food. They fly up to 800 miles looking for a warm home.

Keep in mind that not all winter seasons look the same. For example, some species of ducks live in Florida and Georgia all-year round and do not need to travel further during the “cold” months, as the temperature only slightly drops.

Despite their migratory habits, ducks are hardy and built for the cold. For instance, their fat is naturally dense and water-resistant.

Fun fact, some species of ducks live in the arctic and are used to freezing temperatures. These include the Long-tailed duck and the Spectacled common eider duck.

Like most animals, ducks can suffer from frostbite when the temperature is well below freezing. Their feet need to stay warm.

This may be why ducks fly to warmer areas when the lakes freeze. Interestingly, one study found that ducks are changing how they react to the presence of ice in their lakes due to global warming.

Ducks typically consume small insects, seeds, pondweed, and water snails. But what happens when their lakes freeze over.

It is common to watch groups of wild ducks plow through trash cans and bags, looking for food, especially leafy greens. While you can’t feed ducks bread, you can offer them lettuce, rice, and oats if you spot a straggling duck during the winter.

©Matias Gauthier/Shutterstock.com. Domestic ducks are a lot luckier than wild ducks.

During the winter, ducks need to store warmth to survive the cold temperatures, which means they need much more food. You can feed domestic ducks common foods like:

Make sure to keep their feet dry, as they can freeze on hard surfaces, especially if they are metal. Replace the hay and keep their general area warm with additional dry blankets.

What Do Muscovy Ducks Eat.

13 Foods for Baby Ducks. What Do Ducks Eat.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Anna39. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day.

When housing ducks in winter, there are some simple tactics to keep things hospitable in the duck coop. They don’t mind the cold, really.

They are full of personality, enjoyable to watch, and relaxing to be around. When the weather is warm, they are very low maintenance.

In warm weather, they don’t even need a duck coop. They tend to tuck themselves under shrubs or in grasses when they want to rest.

Keeping ducks in winter weather is a bit different, but not difficult. The big question is, do ducks get cold in the winter.

Ducks have a counter-current heat exchange system which prevents their feet from becoming damaged even in icy conditions. Take a look at these happy ducks having a little bath in snowy conditions.

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That means that the warm blood flowing in veins from their heart flows very close to the cold blood flowing from their feet. This helps normalize the temperature in their feet.

Domestic ducks survive winter in gentler conditions than wild ducks, as we take a bit more care in providing a hospitable duck coop. Ducks will survive even when temperatures dip into negative numbers, but on these cold nights, take extra care to make sure you take the following into consideration.

Setting up a duck shelter for winter is easy, though.

A winter duck house can be a productive duck house with just a few extra steps of care and some planning ahead.

The ducks have a layer of fat under their skin that keeps them warm.

If your ducks will be locked into the coop for extended periods of time, provide 4-5 square feet of ground space per bird. If you live where the temps dip below freezing regularly and plan to keep the ducks inside for a good part of the winter, even more space would make them happy.

Round them up at night and tuck them back into the coop where they’ll be warmer and safe from hungry predators. Do they have to be locked up.

If they’re safe from predators in a fenced area, the answer is no. The ducks will make themselves at home wherever they are comfortable.

Since most duck breeds don’t roost like chickens do, they are on the ground all the time. Extra straw helps keep them off the cold ground and helps to manage the copious amounts of duck poop that will accumulate.

You’ll likely need to put down a full bale of straw two to three times throughout the winter.

The ducks will settle into the straw, and build nests to lay their eggs in. This makes it much easier to find their eggs instead of the daily hunt, too.

With this method, you’ll just add fresh straw every few days as needed to keep the pen fresh. (Ahem, cover the poop.) The thick layer of straw helps keep the ducks warm during the cold months.

When spring weather arrives, shovel out the straw and move it into the compost pile. A coop that’s raised off the ground by a foot or is another option.

If you live in a very cold region, you can insulate the floor to keep the space cozier. You’ll still want to provide straw on the floor of the coop.

Ducks LOVE water and need it to process their food. Heated bowls assure the duck water does not freeze.

Depending on the size of the containers, you may need to replenish the water daily.

Heather shared a great idea in the comments section:. I got the long flat storage tubs that are for under your bed.

It’s deep enough that they can get their whole head in to clean their beaks off, but cant get in to swim. I have almost no ice around their waterer.

Works great.

The straw helps to minimize the formation of ice. Replace it often, and send the old, wet straw to the compost pile.

Related: 5 Reasons to Add Ducks to Your Homestead. During mild weather, ducks forage for snails and slugs and bugs.

Plan on at least doubling their food rations each winter.

Ducks do NOT need a heat lamp in their coop. They are a terrible fire hazard, especially if the coop is not wired specifically for lighting.

The layers of fat and feathers that ducks are equipped with keep them warm, even when they are wet. As you can see, it’s pretty easy to keep a happy, healthy flock all winter long, even in the coldest of areas.

This post was originally contributed by Heather Harris from The Homesteading Hippy. It has been completely updated with new information.

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Winter is just around the corner, and if you have ducks, you can’t go into hibernation quite yet. There are some things you need to know about caring for ducks in winter.

Luckily, ducks are pretty resilient creatures. There’s not much that you need to do in order to keep them healthy and warm.

If you’re gearing up for winter and have ducks to worry about, here are some tips to set your mind at ease. The first thing you need to know is that you don’t have to do all the work – ducks are smart creatures that have their own natural protection against the elements.

These slick feathers sit on top of a thick layer of warm, insulating downy feathers.

Beneath that is a dense layer of fat that helps your ducks maintain an average body temperature of 106 to 108° Fahrenheit – yes, up to 10 degrees warmer than your own temperature.

This is because ducks don’t have combs and wattles as chickens do. These are the areas on chickens that make them prone to frostbite.

In addition, ducks have unique veins, arteries, and blood vessels that lie close together and lace-up like capillaries. These help transfer warm blood down the legs for better heat transfer.

Despite these natural benefits, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to keep your ducks warm while caring for your ducks in winter.

They use water not just for drinking and hydration, but to digest their food. They also utilize water as a way to clean out their eyes and sinuses.

You don’t need to worry about maintaining a pond or swimming pool during the winter. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a naturally-fed pond on your property, this can be a nightmare.

Instead, consider just keeping a heated bowl filled with water for your ducks. Don’t just settle for standard heated poultry water, as ducks will have a hard time drinking from the same shallow, narrow channels as chickens.

You can’t give ducks food without water, so make sure they have thawed-out water at all times. It’s best not to keep this water in the coop because your ducks will continue to splash in the water (as they love to do.

As with chickens, duck egg production might decrease in the winter. You can use artificial lighting in the coop, adding light half an hour at the beginning and end of each day.

The cessation in laying can actually serve as a healthy break for your ducks. While the majority of your ducks’ diets should still consist of a high-quality layer pellet, as it does during the rest of the year, you will want to change your feeding strategies up a bit.

This will help your ducks put on weight. You might also want to consider adding scratch grains in the evening as an added treat.

You should also add plenty of fresh greens like kale, lettuce, or wheatgrass since your ducks will naturally have a harder time foraging when everything’s covered in snow. Just as you should also provide extra treats and greens, you also need to add a bit more protein and fat.

Think of adding winter greats like mealworms to help them stay healthy.

You can also grow your own fermented feed. This not only contains extra protein and other nutrients but can help you save some money on feed, too.

Lay down some straw in the pen so that your ducks can get up and off the ground. You can also put out some wooden planks or low stumps so they have a place to get their feet off the icy ground.

Ducks like to splash, and that behavior doesn’t stop in the winter. However, the water spilled outside of the bowl will quickly turn to ice.

This will minimize ice formation. As you likely know, ducks like to nest on the ground.

However, their ground-nesting grounds can be a bit troublesome in the winter if they don’t have something guarding them from the cold ground beneath them.

This will give them somewhere cozy to lay down if the wind starts to blow and it will also protect their feet. The feet of a duck is the part that is most vulnerable to cold weather-related injury.

While you’re adding straw to the coop, go ahead and stack a few bales around the exterior walls of the coop – or you can line the inside, if there’s space. These bales will help insulate the coop and protect it from drafts.

While a three-sided shelter isn’t ideal for nighttime housing (it will allow predators to invade), it is a good option for giving your ducks somewhere to hunker down during the day. You can keep it up year-round as it will also provide shelter from the sun in the summer.

When caring for ducks in winter, they do tolerate cold well but the wind can be an issue. The hut will give them a place to rest out of the wind.

Your ducks will love being outside in the winter, even when the run is covered with snow. They are more resilient than you give them credit for.

Resist the urge to add a heat lamp to the coop. Not only will this introduce the risk of fire but it’s also wholly unnecessary.

Ducks are known for their ability to emit a ton of moisture in the coop. This isn’t a problem – and likely isn’t something you will even notice – except in the winter.

Too much moisture can chill the coop, and it can also lead to frostbite. To prevent this, make sure the coop is well-ventilated.

This is all well and good, but make sure you have vents that are high up. This will prevent drafts while also allowing for ventilation.

Don’t forget – you should take advantage of those warm, sunny days that we occasionally get in the winter. Ducks love swimming, so it’s a good idea to set out a pool for your ducks on the warm days.

If you’re interested in raising ducks around the calendar year – and not just in the summer – you’re in luck. It’s not difficult to do.

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Where do the ducks go in the winter. Holden Caulfield famously obsessed over this question in the classic novel Catcher in the Rye.

Watching them glide across the Harlem Meer or Prospect Park Lake is a relaxing and enjoyable experience, and a favorite pastime of many New Yorkers. But despite the vibrancy these waterfowl add to New York City’s public spaces, few people know much about them beyond what they look and sound like.

Most regular park visitors will be unsurprised to learn that mallards are the most abundant and widespread duck in both New York and North America. There were an estimated 11.6 million of them on the continent as of 2014.

Mallards can live in almost any wetland habitat, including ponds, lakes, marshes, and bogs, among others. Though they are generally migratory, urban mallards will stay in the city all year due to a number of factors.

It can be hard to stand out in a city as big as New York. Male mallards, called drakes, try their best though.

These bright, varied colors give them a better chance of attracting a female.

They are generally a mottled brown color throughout, with an orange bill that is sometimes speckled with black. These colors provide good camouflage for them while they nest.

These patches are known as “speculums.”. While their colors can be captivating, watching mallards awkwardly waddling around the shores of the Central Park Lagoon might give you the impression that they are not especially graceful animals.

Their widely-spaced legs and webbed feet make them great swimmers. And when the water gets cold and begins to freeze in the winter, their hefty bodies, which can reach up to 26 inches in length, keep them warm with the help of their thick, waterproof feathers.

In addition to being well-suited to living on water, mallards are very strong fliers. This is thanks in large part to their relatively light weight (two to three pounds) and wide wingspan (32 to 37 inches).

This comes in handy for the populations in Canada and Alaska, which migrate all the way to the southern United States and northern Mexico in the fall. However, most New York City mallards stay in the area year-round.

Although their breeding season occurs in the spring, they begin courting very quickly—sometimes as early as the preceding fall. Males can often be spotted courting females by shaking or flicking their heads from side to side, or raising themselves up in the water and fanning their wings.

Nests are built on dry land close to the water, usually in an area concealed by vegetation. Mallard chicks take after their parents and are very fast movers.

Chicks cannot fully take care of themselves until they are 52 to 70 days old though, so they stay with their mother until then for protection. Mallards are foragers, and can adapt their diets based on what is seasonally and locally available.

Instead of diving completely beneath the water, they simply tip themselves forward and feed on whatever aquatic plants or animals they can reach with their bills. During breeding season, they feed on animal matter including insects, worms, small fish, and aquatic invertebrates.

In city parks they accept food handouts from people, but this is damaging to mallards’ health. Food items commonly given to mallards, like bread and corn, are low in necessary nutrients.

Feeding can also promote water pollution and disease in waterfowl populations, and cause mallards to become dependent on people for their meals. In the interest of preserving mallards’ overall well-being, it is very important that New Yorkers avoid feeding them.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (2017), Stop Feeding Waterfowl. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Mallard.

National Geographic, Mallard.

Ducks are fairly easy to care for even in the cold months of the year. They don’t really mind the cold, so caring for ducks in winter is pretty straightforward.

Domestic ducks are a lot of fun and something I believe all homesteaders should venture into keeping ducks at some point along their homesteading journey. They’re messy, yes, but they’re hardy birds that don’t have the same issues that can oftentimes plague laying hens.

In the summer, ducks really just need a pool or pond and nourishing food and they’re good to go. While we do choose to coop up our ducks year-round to protect them from predators, many folks choose to leave their ducks outdoors all summer long to free-range.

Caring for ducks in the winter is still pretty easy and not nearly as involved as caring for chickens in the winter, but it still requires some thought and consideration. Let’s learn a few facts about ducks so we can properly care for them when the cold weather hits.

It’s worth noting that adult ducks are pretty well-equipped to withstand the harsh, winter elements. Where chickens begin to feel old man winter’s chill around 45°F, ducks can comfortably exist down to around 20°F.

Even if they’re soaking wet, ducks stay warm. Wild ducks and domestic ducks are both equipped not only with a double layer of waterproof feathers on top of a nice, warm downy layer but also have a nice dense layer of fat beneath all of those feathers and down to keep their body temperature a toasty 106°F to 108°F.

Also, unlike chickens, ducks do not have wattles and combs that are prone to frostbite. In fact, the only exposed areas ducks have are their feet.

Ducks have a special counter-current heat exchange system. The cold blood from their feet is met with the warm blood from their bodies and warmed up through their vessel system.

But, all of this doesn’t mean they can’t use a little help from you. When that mercury drops below 20°F, as it often does here in northern Indiana, they’ll appreciate your assistance.

Ducks need fresh water. They utilize it to help them swallow and digest their food, so it’s an absolute necessity for their survival.

In fact, it’s not necessarily a good idea to provide those things in the winter. Especially if you live in an area that gets below freezing for extended periods of time or has extreme wind chills.

Because waterfowl are waterfowl and if they find any water they can get in, they will play in it. Which is a terrible idea.

No one wants to see a duck frozen to the ground. If your duck experiences the unfortunate event, hopefully, you’re around to notice.

Bring them indoors for just a tad bit of time to warm slightly, and place them back in the coop or duck house. Instead of utilizing pools, we use rubber buckets with heaters in them.

You want something that they can dip their bills and heads all the way in, but not something they can swim in or splash around in. So, buckets work well.

Keep this bucket outdoors, not in the coop. We keep all food outdoors for our mixed flock and all water.

Moisture is a problem for all animals, so it’s best to avoid it.

Like I mentioned, we keep all food outdoors. This helps maintain the rodent population and keeps them out of our coop.

The main diet of ducks should always be quality layer feed of some sort. Whole grain feed is amazing, but quality layer pellets will also do the job.

That being said, you can supplement their feed a bit to help maintain their warmth on those very cold days. Kind of the same idea as caring for chickens in the winter.

These foods take a little longer to digest and help them stay warm overnight.

Ducks are perfectly happy trudging along in the snow on some of the coldest days of winter. They’ll dig along in the snow with their bills and be perfectly content, unlike their chicken friends who’d rather stay in the chicken coop all day long.

That being said, they still need a safe, predator-proof, warm place to get out of the elements. While ducks do enjoy nesting on the ground, we have a raised coop where we house all of our mixed flock together.

Ducks need a minimum of 2 square feet per bird if they have regular access to fresh air, if they’re going to be cooped up more often than not, you’ll want to provide them with 4 to 5 square feet each to keep them comfortable.

On very windy days with extremely cold temperatures, our ducks are inside a good deal of the time. The straw acts as a great insulator to help them stay warm and they enjoy nesting in it.

We also place straw in the run and replenish it a few times over the winter. This seems to make the birds more comfortable and also helps during the spring melt when mud season begins full force.

Not only are they completely unnecessary, but they’re also a fire risk. The birds will be just fine with a roof over their heads and protection from howling winds.

Ducks don’t require a lot of fuss in the winter, or any time of year really. But these tips will help your ducks stay happy and healthy and they’ll appreciate the little bit of TLC to keep them comfortable and safe on those cold winter days.

Other Duck Posts You’ll Like:.

By Chad Manlove. Have you ever wondered what ducks do during the cold winter months.

But what really determines a duck’s daily routine on the wintering grounds.

For some species, including mallards, important activities like courtship and pair-bond formation also occur in winter. So it should come as no surprise that Ducks Unlimited’s habitat conservation efforts in priority waterfowl areas like the Central Valley of California, the Gulf Coast prairies, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and the mid-Atlantic coast focus on providing optimal foraging habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl.

By the middle of December, most waterfowl have reached their wintering grounds across the southern half of the United States. The most important biological need of wintering ducks is food.

Habitat needs vary over winter by species and location. Daily energy demands differ by species, but a typical mallard-sized duck generally requires about 290 kilocalories of food per day throughout winter.

The availability of waterfowl foods on many wintering areas is often determined by the amount of rainfall. Heavy rains can suddenly flood thousands of acres of agricultural fields and river bottoms.

Such natural winter flooding typically occurs during fall and winter in one of DU’s highest priority areas for waterfowl, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). To better understand how habitat conditions change over winter and how they vary among years, conservation planners at Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Regional Office performed a landscape analysis of winter waterfowl habitat in the MAV.

Information gathered during the analysis was summarized by state into specific habitat categories including public managed habitat, private managed habitat, and unmanaged naturally flooded habitat (that is, flooded agricultural fields or bottomland hardwood forests). The research showed that during years of average to heavy precipitation, the MAV provides abundant feeding opportunities for ducks, especially mallards, pintails, and wood ducks.

Tom Moorman, director of conservation planning at DU’s Southern Regional Office. “In addition, we’ve observed 500,000 acres of flooded agricultural fields and moist-soil wetlands,” he continues.

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), a federally funded program that is part of the Farm Bill, has been a major driver in the restoration of wetlands in the MAV and many other regions of the United States. DU works in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to restore wetlands under this program.

Landowners typically provide a perpetual easement to the NRCS in exchange for a one-time easement payment and payment of restoration costs. Restoration of forested wetlands is an important aspect of DU’s conservation activities in the MAV because DU-supported research indicates that waterfowl prefer these areas in winter.

Under WRP, restoration activities include reforestation that incorporates a suite of bottomland hardwood tree species. The species mix for each site is determined by careful consideration of the site’s elevation, flood frequency, soil type, and other factors that influence which trees are suited to the area.

“Our plan is to plant several species of oak such as nuttall, overcup, willow, water, and more. We’ll also plant sugarberry, green ash, and many other soft mast species.

DU’s role in WRP is to complete reforestation and restoration of hydrology on lands enrolled by the NRCS. DU biologists work with the NRCS to complete tree-planting activities, and DU engineers design levees and water-control structures to restore wetlands.

WRP is offered nationwide, but its greatest impact has been in the MAV, where DU with the NRCS has reforested approximately 125,000 acres over the last 10 years. In addition, more than 42,500 acres of moist-soil wetlands have been restored through managed seasonal flooding on private lands.

While WRP has been extremely successful on private lands in the MAV, several well-known public areas have also benefited from WRP restoration activities. The Steve N.

In 2000, an obscure 4,200-acre parcel of land in Arkansas was considered marginal farmland because of its susceptibility to spring and summer flooding. As a result, this property was enrolled in WRP.

Thus, DU helped the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission purchase the property. Following the acquisition of Raft Creek WMA, DU and NRCS quickly went to work restoring various wetland complexes.

By August 2003, partners had successfully restored 1,500 acres of moist-soil wetlands and reforested 2,700 acres of bottomland hardwood trees. “This was truly a partner-driven restoration project made possible by WRP funding,” says Craig Hilburn, director of conservation programs for DU in Arkansas.

Wilson/Raft Creek WMA winters thousands of ducks each year, and when weather conditions are right, it provides outstanding hunting opportunities for waterfowl hunters.”. Together, WRP lands in the MAV states of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi constitute the single largest bottomland hardwood restoration effort anywhere in the United States.

Curtis Hopkins, director of conservation programs for DU’s Southern Regional Office. “The forested wetlands restored under WRP will provide excellent habitat for mallards, wood ducks, and other waterfowl, and they will also provide a host of other functions important to people, including natural flood storage, enhancements to water quality, and other ecological functions.”.

The Red River meanders through an important region commonly referred to as the West Gulf Coastal Plain (WGCP). Bottomland forests and associated moist-soil wetlands support substantial populations of migrating and wintering waterfowl in the WGCP including mallards, gadwalls, green-winged teal, and wood ducks.

Landowners and farmers in this area have used Farm Bill programs like WRP to restore marginal, flood-prone agricultural land back to bottomland hardwoods and emergent wetlands. In the WGCP, DU has reforested more than 25,000 acres of bottomland hardwood wetlands through WRP.

These ecosystems provide crucial habitat for millions of migrating and wintering waterfowl every year. DU biologists and.

Sure, I like hunting ducks over still water as much as the next guy. I’m always ready to jump-shoot a farm pond, crouch in the cattails at the edge of a beaver swamp, or camp in a boat blind, heater and hot breakfast included.

Creeks, streams, rivers, or any kind of water with current are all good places to ambush waterfowl—the smaller, and shallower, the better in my mind. I’ll take a warm-water slough, a tiny tributary, or a small tidal marsh creek over a still-water pond any day.

What’s so special about ducks and moving water. To me, it’s the intimacy of hunting over just a little bit of water.

that is, a puddle with current. You make an impromptu blind in a small stand of willows, watch a big ‘ole beaver come by to check out the intruder in his watery realm, and watch your decoys swim back and forth in the flow, making them look all the part of real live ducks.

The initial challenge to hunting moving water, be it a jump-across creek or the Missouri River, is first finding the birds. Unlike on a shallow-water marsh that will see duck activity here and there, moving water will have more specific pockets where the birds will be.

They’re where you find them for a reason. Often, that reason isn’t so much food (though that can indeed be a variable in the overall equation) but rather comfort.

They feed, and, best they can, conserve those calories for when they’re needed most. In a moving water scenario, like a small tributary river, the birds aren’t going to fight current constantly.

Rather, they’ll seek out sections of calm or calmer water—a quiet eddy, a backwater, the inside of a bend, or the slack water below a sandbar or small island—effectively turning the moving water into something resembling still water. Now, add a food source like coontail or other submerged vegetation, along with dabbler-shallow water, and you’ve potentially found a honey hole.

Modern technology, e.g. Google Maps, is a great way to chart the course of a stream or smaller river.

But there’s no better way to scout moving water than to get on the water. I’ve often done just that in the Midwest during September, combining smallmouth fishing with squirrel hunting and some duck scouting.

I also check sandbars for things like tracks and goose poop to find possible loafing spots. Then I make notes and plan a return trip come October or November.

I knew the landowner on that bank, so I took a short walk upstream and was soon glad I did. Seventy-five yards from the Wapsi, a large industrious rodent had partially dammed the feeder, creating a shallow pool among the willows roughly the size of my basement.

I bumped 30 or 40 mixed woodies, mallards, and blue-wings from the corners—activity enough to prompt my finding a quick hide on the edge next to a yellow-leafed cottonwood. Thirty minutes later, I had a six-bird limit on the water, all taken from ones, twos, and tiny groups that filtered back to their previously undiscovered refuge.

This experience wasn’t an isolated instance. Such scenarios can exist coast-to-coast.

Several years ago, a young friend of mine walked into the “Way Back,” as he called it, off the main river channel flowing through a very popular Iowa WMA on a hunch, only to find a glorious, albeit temporary beaver pool filled with mallards, grey ducks, woodies, and even a black duck. He and his son hunted it quite successfully until freeze-up.

You just never know what you’re going to find. In terms of frustration, setting decoys in moving water can rank right up there with trying to separate two cheap paper plates.

True, decoys aren’t nearly as costly as a good duck boat or a brand new Beretta, but there’s no need replacing what doesn’t need replacing. Moving water and current means more drag on decoys and decoy lines.

The knots I use depend upon the type of decoy cord I’m using. With nylon cord, a good, old-fashioned double clinch knot, the same knot I use when I’m fishing, holds well, and as my father is fond of saying, “does nothing but get tighter the more you pull on it.” With the popular Tangle-Free cords, however, I’ll use a circular lead crimp-lock to ensure the cord doesn’t pull free.

Then pull the loop entirely over the decoy and snug it up. Tie a half-hitch in the tag end of the cord to prevent it from pulling through, and clip the excess off.

Here’s a trick I use when working with older decoys in current. Approximately two inches back from the eye on the decoy keel (a water keel style), drill a 1/8-1/4 inch side-to-side hole.

Tying the decoy off to this modified eye makes the decoy “swim” back and forth. The lengthened leading edge of the keel acts like the lip on a crankbait.

Read Next: The Best Duck Hunting Shotguns. Tidal situations spell an entirely different set of conditions for the decoy user.

Eventually, the decoy lifts both cord and weight from the bottom, leaving the decoy to float about on its own, and, depending upon the wind and where you’re hunting, either out to Europe or China, whichever’s closer.

To remedy this, at least in part, rig several decoys, six to a dozen is common, on one main line with weights at both ends, or, in calm conditions, with a single anchor. Decoys rigged as such can be easily moved in or out as the tide dictates.

Ducks belong to the Anatidae family, which contains some 174 species spread across 43 genera. With their broad and stout body, large beaks and webbed feet, ducks are a common and recognisable sight throughout the world.

Though ducks are primarily associated with the water, many are strong flyers that migrate huge distances during winter. The Garganey duck is one such example that migrates from its Northern and Central European breeding grounds all the way to South Africa and India.

As it happens, ducks are confident on both the land, sea and air. Some species, such as the Shelduck, can fly at altitudes of 17,000 feet where the air temperature is well below -15C.

Read on to learn more about the migration behaviours of various ducks.

In Northern and Central Europe and North America, ducks tend to migrate at the end of the summer, around September, but possibly as late as October on a mild winter. Ducks in Siberia or the Palearctic might migrate as early as August.

Most ducks return to their breeding grounds as early as April, but March or May is more common. It does depend on the season, though – some ducks, like Mallards, may even choose to not migrate at all on a particularly mild winter.

Others remain residents in their host countries and don’t migrate at all.

Not all British or North American Mallards migrate, but those that do tend to leave in September and move to the Mediterranean or the Middle East, or the Southern US and Central America. The ornate Mandarin duck also doesn’t migrate from the UK, which is quite surprising given that many of its hardier cousins choose to migrate.

A flock of Mallards in flight together. Most Wigeons migrate – the Eurasian Wigeon is a frequent summer visitor in much of Central Europe, departing its cold Scandinavian and Siberian breeding grounds, though many end up as far south as East, West and Central Africa.

Many pintail ducks are also strong migrants and excellent flyers – one Northern Pintail is reported to have completed a journey of some 3,000 kilometres (1,864 miles) non-stop whilst migrating. Many end up in Sub Saharan Africa, South Africa and Asia, with some Russian populations ending up in Japan and China.

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) male taking off from a lake. Perhaps the most prolific migrating duck is the Garganey.

Ducks are flexible birds and have flexible migration behaviours to match. Most can handle the cold very well, so they generally don’t need to migrate as far as they do.

Close up of a male Garganey (Spatula querquedula) in breeding plumage. In the Northern Hemisphere, ducks tend to migrate from Central and Northern Europe to either the Mediterranean (e.g.

teals and wigeons). Some fly all the way to South Africa (e.g.

Ducks distributed very far north, e.g. in Siberia or the Palearctic, might just fly as far as Central and Western Europe (e.g.

In North America, both the US and Canada, some ducks move just a few hundred miles south in winter (including Mallards). Mergansers tend to move southwest in winter.

Most ducks migrate just as far as they need to in order to find warmer roosting sites and food. In many cases, this might take them just a few hundred miles, if they migrate at all.

Longer distance travellers include Mallards which can fly for some 800 miles (1287km) without stopping. Northern pintails breed across much of northern Europe and the Palearctic but head all the way to the equator in winter – a journey that can exceed 5,000 km in total.

A flock of Northern Pintails and Mallards migrating from Canada. Ducks, like many other migratory birds, are not always wholly committed to migration.

After all, ducks are equipped with the ability of flight and nabbing a free holiday in Africa, Asia, South America or somewhere in the Mediterranean is free for them. Whilst many ducks are well-adapted to cold environments, they still choose to migrate.

Ducks may or may not migrate in the winter – it depends on the species and region. Ducks who are content with their environment tend to stay put, finding a warm roosting site near a lakeside, river or coastline.

Migratory ducks usually fly south in the winter, seeking out warmer regions in South and Central America, Asia, Africa and Southern Europe. Common Teal duck resting on ice during winter.

Their thick, water-repellent down and dense fat help insulate them from freezing temperatures. Duck down is even covered in an insulative oil that helps keep them waterproof.

These are amongst the hardiest birds on the planet. Ducks have a strong breeding ground affinity, meaning they try to return to the same sites year after year.

Whilst most ducks are not monogamous, they still form strong social bonds with their flock with whom they often migrate. Breeding flocks will often return to the exact same breeding grounds each year.

There are around 22 species of ducks that frequent the UK throughout the year. Many of these ducks are residents, meaning they stay here all year round, whereas others are immigrants or migrants.

The well-known Mallard is one such duck that may either remain a resident in the UK or migrate to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Other Mallards arrive on UK shores from elsewhere.

Wigeons, Gadwalls, pintails and some teals also spend winter in the UK, though others may continue on down south towards Africa and the Middle East. A male and female Gadwall.

The closer to the equator they get, the hotter it is. It’s not just temperature that drives migration, though, but also food abundance and preference.

Ducks fly back north after winter, which may occur as early as March. Ring-necked Ducks in flight during migration.

Whilst they’re usually sighted swimming on the water or waddling on dry land, many ducks are powerful flyers that are capable of long-distance flight.

For much of their journey, ducks do not stop to take a break. Mallards are known to complete 800-mile migration trips without a break, for example.

Ducks are extremely cold-hardy and actually need very little in order to make it through the cold weather just fine. But there are several things you can do to help your ducks happier and healthier this winter.

Below that however, they can suffer frostbite on their feet which could lead to amputation or lost limbs if they don’t have a dry, draft-free place to hang out.

However, there are a couple of extra things you can do for your ducks to help prevent the frostbite and make them comfortable in the freezing cold. A duck’s body temperature is a toasty 104 degrees, while their feet, due to a unique vessel system, stay far cooler, very close to the ambient air temperature, right down to just about freezing when it gets extremely cold.

You might see your ducks standing on one foot. They’ll pull the other foot up into the soft, warm down on their bellies to warm it up, then switch feet.

However, prolonged contact with frozen ground or ice is not good for ducks. The will appreciate some straw on the frozen, snowy ground they can stand on.

Their waterproof feathers and thick layer of body fat keep them nice and warm. Like any animal, your ducks will appreciate a bit of extra TLC come winter, and will be far happier and healthier if you take these few steps to ensure they stay warm on those frigid, blustery days.

Ducks fly south for the winter. They’ll seek warmer nesting grounds when temperature drop, except if they’re already living in an area that’s warm enough all year round.

But where do they go.

While ducks are very hardy, as they can withstand very cold temperatures, they aren’t very fond of the cold. In this article, we’re going to explore where ducks go in the winter and take a look at what scientists have discovered about duck migration.

They leave their northern nesting ground for warmer habitats. This includes the southern areas of the US, Europe, and Asia.

Perhaps it’s where the food is more abundant or where there are no predators.

Some places are wetlands, coastal marshes, flooded agricultural fields and forests. Yes, ducks do migrate.

They do so in flocks, and can travel for many miles at a time. Migrating is another word for an animal that moves from one region to another, depending on the season.

They move back and forth from cold and warm climates, according to the season. From late Spring until early Fall, they’ll spend their time at their summer grounds.

When the Fall comes around, they’ll fly off to their winter grounds, which are habitats in warmer areas, where it’s also warmer in the winter. This way, they can avoid extremely hot summers and extremely cold winters.

Every year, ducks migrate. Ducks fly south for the winter to find warmer nesting grounds.

Mallard can fly up to 800 miles in a single stretch. While ducks can’t soar in the sky as hawks do, they can still travel far by using wind currents.

This way, they don’t have to use as much energy to fly. No, not all ducks migrate.

Ducks such as the Pekin duck, which is too large for flying, can’t physically lift themselves up into the air, and hence can’t migrate. Other ducks simply live in places where it’s not necessary to migrate.

Related: Can Pekin ducks fly.

However, most domestic ducks have been bred too large for their bodies to effectively sustain a long flight. This has also affected their migratory instincts, which have been obsolete in modern domestication.

Migration requires a lot of energy and is very difficult for birds, especially waterfowl. The domestication of ducks, which dates back to the first domestication in China nearly 5000 years ago has caused them to weigh too much.

This is not the only instinct that has been lost due to domestication. Humans have also bred out other migratory qualities in waterfowl.

They can return to where they were born.

This behavior would limit their capacity for being introduced into new regions. Related: Animals that migrate.

They sleep outside, either in water, or on land. Some ducks migrate south where it is warmer for the winter, while others stay where they are.

Hence, they can continue loafing around in the water all day long. Ducks also have multiple layers of feathers, which help protect them against cold temperatures.

Ducks survive the winter by migrating, storing up on fat, and growing out their winter-layer of feathers. Ducks have some different methods for surviving cold temperatures:

Ducks have semiplume feathers, which work as a layer of insulation. Semiplume feathers are not very dense so they can still allow air circulation in between them and keep the duck warm.

This allows ducks to remain warm when winter approaches. During winter, some ducks swim underwater to find food.

But they don’t freeze, due to counter-current heat exchange. Counter-current refers to two different fluids moving in the same direction but at different speeds.

Instead of their arteries and veins simply being in one long line, they intertwine. This allows for them to pass on the heat before it reaches ducks’ feet.

Many of us living in cold climates dread winter. It’s so difficult to get out of bed and trudge through the snow and ice just to get coffee, piling on more clothing every layer we go.

But many animals welcome the colder months because they have large fat reserves that help them survive, one of them is ducks.

They’ll eat more, building a thicker layer of fat, which helps keep them warm. It’s the same concept as putting on a large jacket.

This helps animals survive, as it allows them to move to new areas with more food, warmth, and mates. One major form of animal migration is long-distance travel and the movement is usually marked by a specific time period or season.

Yes, ducks can freeze to death. While their feet can withstand extremely cold temperatures, there’s a limit.

Although they have been known to live in colder climates when the weather is mild, there is such as thing as too cold. Ducks may freeze to death for two reasons:

However, if the weather changes too quickly, the water may freeze. Some ducks need water to take off, making it impossible for them to leave, until the water unfreezes.

Ducks will come back to their summer nesting ground between early and late spring. When the weather starts to warm up in the spring (e.g., March through May) ducks will migrate back north for the summer.

Some ducks come back to the same area, while others find new nesting ground. Some ducks return to the exact location they left in the fall, while others choose to build a new nest somewhere completely different.

They’ll typically return to the same location if it was a spot with plenty of food. If not, they’ll find somewhere else to live.

They fly south in the late fall and will return in the early spring. This happens both in the US, Europe, and Asia.