Metal Stock Tank

[LemonDoodles]

I was going to get a metal stock tank but then thought of the "tongue on the flagpole" issue in the winter with little wet feet. Any thoughts?

 

[gryeyes]

I bought a great big 300 gallon stock tank, made out of UV resistant PVC stuff.

 

[SamuelMcF]

That is a good concern. if you had lots of bedding on the bottom it wouldn't be a problem. But if the weather isn't cold enough to freeze the water you'll be fine. Just a thought you could always spray the sides with "Pam" or some other sort of spray. No idea if that would work or not but maybe something along those lines? It probably wouldn't even be a problem though

 

[LemonDoodles]

I love that PVC stuff but 300 gals is too big for me to change everyday. Anything smaller is too deep and not enough surface area - I have one that is 50gal. I found the perfect size tank for my pen (12" x 48" diam round) but it only comes in metal. I seriously think I am going to end up with the turtle sandbox as my best solution.

 

[njduck]

your talking duck feet not your tongue. have you ever seen a duck standing on ice with wet feet. I have yet to see 1 frozen to something. diver ducks sit on metal bridges and everything else in the wild. I wouldn't worry about. plus if you use a stock tank water heater you won't have any ice or freezeing.
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wait I just realized you are down south. it doesn't get cold enough or stay cold long enough. put a water heater in it. the water heater will only kick on when the water gets cold enough which won't be much. you will be fine. we have ice and everything is frozen for about 4 months out of the year here. The meadow was froze solid for about 80 days straight this winter and the ducks and geese just sit on the ice. they have a small hole thawed out that about 6,000 of them share

 

[dianaross77]

This is the one I was thinking about getting and adding a drain plug to.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...roducts-heavy-duty-oval-tank-110-gal--2229862

 

[veronicasmom]

I have had a duck frozen to the ground two different times. Not sure what happened, but one was frozen to the shed floor (there is a rubber stall mat in there) and one was frozen to the ground. I have heard of ducks frozen onto the ice on ponds or lakes too. Mine were fine, I just poured some of the warmer water from their bowl under them and lifted gently and they were ok. Few feathers stuck, but they were fine. So, just a caveat, it CAN happen.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If the water is going to be freezing, then drain the tank and let them go without swimming until the weather warms up a bit.

Since the sides of a metal stock tank go straight up and down, I am very anxious to see photos of how your ducks are standing on the sides of the tank to get their feet frozen to the metal.

 

[LemonDoodles]

Not that they'd be standing on the edges, but I can see them springing off the side. They do it all the time in my rubbermaid stock tank and it has up and down sides.

 

[LemonDoodles]

Quote:
That would be so perfect for me if it wasn't so deep. Are you going to use a ramp?