My ducks keep surprising me in what they enjoy and what they don't enjoy. I really thought when cold temperatures and snow arrived that I'd have to work hard to keep them warm considering how messy they are with water. I did a lot of research before winter and read numerous peoples' advice about how to care for pet ducks in the winter. I've come to the conclusion that everything I read was wrong and my ducks really don't need much to get through a Tennessee winter. Ducks are cold hardy birds and seem unaffected by cold temperatures or snow.

Day one of our most recent blizzard...

The first day of this past weekends blizzard brought six to seven inches of snow. My ducks wanted nothing to do with it. They are smart and didn't even try to venture out in the snow when I went to feed them in the morning. I set up a small heater in their pen and they were cozy swimming in their pool and sleeping in beds of hay.

When the snow melted enough days later and it wasn't deep, the ducks felt they were ready to take an adventure out in the snow. I'd read ducks can get frostbite on their feet so I watched them closely all day to make sure they were fine free ranging in the yard. They were perfectly fine in the snow.

I left their pen open with the heater on and they could go in and out to get their feet off of the snow and warm up. They roamed around the front and side yard most of the day. If they wanted off the snow they went in their cage or under our carport where I keep a bit of hay on the ground near the yard or they went under our deck which is built on a hill and has space for me to stand up under. The ducks were smart to get out of the snow when they needed to and continue foraging as they needed. They came back to the carport at suppertime and were quacking like crazy telling me it was time for a meal. As I came out with the food bucket they went straight to their cage where I feed them and went to bed for the night.

The girls did a lot of foraging to try to find food. I feel bad for them because all the bugs and plant-life are gone so they aren't finding much. I've been giving them more duck food and add cracked corn to their dinner when I put them up at night to give them what they need to stay fat and keep warm.

A duck's feathers are so impressive. They are waterproof. The water just rolls right off of them when they get in the pool. Those ducks were happily swimming in their ice filled swimming pool out in the yard. The cold didn't bother them at all. It's so much fun to watch them and discover new things about them. Ducks don't mind the cold and can get wet without it being an issue. They spent their first snow day swimming in their pool quacking loudly and later exploring the white stuff all over the yard.

I know the girls will be happy when spring comes. The bugs and plant-life will come back and they will have plenty to eat. I'm planning on lots of varieties of tomatoes in my garden next year and the ducks love tomatoes so they will feast in the summer. For now, during the winter they depend completely on duck pellets to eat. I give them treats of Cheerios, tomatoes from the store, and cut up grapes when I have them. I know they miss all the good bugs and plants of warmer months but we are a long way from those. At least the snow has mostly melted by now and the girls can stretch their legs in the yard without getting cold feat.

photo credit: all photos are my own.