Questions regarding a mixed flock

[Dwayne Bard Rock Johnson]

So I will be adding ducks to my existing chicken flock. I plan on building them their own coops, and adapting the feeders to accommodate the ducks (and get a whole flock feed).

As I think about what I'll need to change the thing that concerns me at the moment is having something for the ducks to swim in. I was either going to get a kiddie pool, or something similar, or use an old bath tub I have access to. I liked the idea of the bathtub as it's got a drain to make cleaning it easier. My concern was how to prevent chickens from going in and potentially drowning. And presumably I need to build a ramp to allow the ducks to get into it, but do I need to install a step or something for the ducks to be able to get out? Would this be sufficient for a chicken that found its way in? Is there an added danger of the bathtub being too deep?

If it helps to imagine my setup, I have a run that's approximately 16' x 24' that the birds will all be sharing, the "duck pond" will be located somewhere in this area.

 

[nitrosnail]

It would be good to find a shallower basin that the chickens will not drown in, if they were to wonder in. A couple of inches of water is sufficient enough for ducks to be able to dunk their heads in for cleaning, whilst not endangering the chickens through a risk of drowning.

 

[Dwayne Bard Rock Johnson]

It would be good to find a shallower basin that the chickens will not drown in, if they were to wonder in. A couple of inches of water is sufficient enough for ducks to be able to dunk their heads in for cleaning, whilst not endangering the chickens through a risk of drowning.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'll avoid the bathtub then. I assume a typical kiddie pool would be shallow enough? Especially if I don't fill it up all the way?

 

[Plague]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'll avoid the bathtub then. I assume a typical kiddie pool would be shallow enough? Especially if I don't fill it up all the way?

You would definitely want to make sure they could get out. If you have some young or smaller breed ducks it could be very hard for them to get in or out without a ramp. I would definitely keep on it and make sure the ducks don't make the area too muddy for the chickens.

 

[Yardmom]

I use a kiddy pool with my chickens without a problem. Unfortunately we found out the hard way how chickens can drown in deeper trough waters. I'm not sure if the steps would prevent that.

 

[Plague]

Yeah we have a kiddie pool for our ducks, when chickens have been let to free range with them, so far the chickens haven't been interested in the pool, thankfully. They do want to eat the ducks food, when they have their own food ha. My brother did have some ducks and chickens last year together in a run. He did have a pool he would fill up in the run. Never had a chicken drown in it, but they made the run so muddy and messy and then he had to figure out a way to stop it, cause his poor chickens ended up a muddy mess too. He would fill the pool all the way. Although all his ducks and chickens were full grown, and bigger chicken breeds he had at the time. I don't remember him putting anything in it other than water or ramps or anything.