Breaking ice from a pond for Muscovy ducks

[MS Muscovy]

Good morning: we are in north Mississippi and are currently in a deep freeze. Highs the past few days have been in single digits to low/mid teens. We have a pond approximately 1/2 acre or so and it’s frozen.

The back of the pond has a high bank which kept it unfrozen longer so I am assuming it is not as solid frozen deep.

We have muscovies that refuse to get in their coop, on the front or back porches or come in the garage.

Please advise ways to safely break ice so they can get in the pond.

Thank you,

 

[nuthatched]

I'm not sure breaking it is a good solution if it will just refreeze.
Most predators a light enough to walk on thinner I've without problems

 

[Sosalty]

I'm next door in Northern Alabamie, have 3 Muscovy and a frozen pond. Unless serious dollars are spent, we aren't going to make a dent in nature. [There's solar water heaters and wood burning units to heat quantities of water.] In moderate climes, such as ours, some folks use pond aerators with success. They work best if your pond has an 8'+ deep hole, which mine does not. You may have limited success placing a strong trolling motor at the end of your dock. You need a round or oval shape for at least that section of your pond, to horizontally aerate less than 8' water. Run on medium speed, not high; allow 45 min for water to get moving. The idea is to get the surface water to slowly spin, mixing the deep and shallow water. The action of an aerator (pump) does warm its' air, albeit very slightly. Primary to getting the ice out is having a deep reserve of slightly warmer water to mix with the surface.
https://shop.rpssolarpumps.com/products/rps-air-ation-kits?msclkid=3a410e8367f912208e966b24893d6d46

Hopefully ya'll see 40f today. If your birds can fly and have been able to prevent any ice buildup on their feathers, they should be OK. Pile some straw along the bank where the sun shines so their feet don't get frostbite.

I'm retired and keep trapping pressure on the 'coons, possums, feral cats, and such. The more affordable $50 cage traps from Tractor Supply, work almost as well as my $300 traps. I see a lot less predator paw prints around the pond when I'm actively trapping. A deer feeder with corn will draw your predators in. Place cage traps nearby. There's lots of baits, canned sardines in oil work for me.

My 'scovies would rather fight 'coons and sleep in ice than go into a warm coop for the nite. Best to 'ya and your 'scovies!

Roll tide

 

[MS Muscovy]

Thank you, Sosalty for the good ideas. The spillway thawed yesterday and they were enjoying themselves. Tail feathers wagging and lots of guppies and worms for all.
We had some work done on it last summer with fresh rocks and some sand. That probably helped it to thaw as it’s only a few feet deep.

The only thing I couldn’t agree with was, Roll Tide. It’s Go Vols here

Take care and God bless.