water for ducks in winter???

[alscatS]

So this is our first winter with ducks. And now that it will be 10 degrees for the next several days i got the heated pet bowl i heard so much about. I put the board and brick on top to keep the ducks from swimming it. Questions: Anyone keep this plugged in all night? If you do, does it melt easily in the morning by the morning? I was thinking just unplug at night, then put new warm water in the morning - hoping combination of warm water and heat will melt any left over ice. THOUGHTS???

 

[Miss Lydia]

So this is our first winter with ducks. And now that it will be 10 degrees for the next several days i got the heated pet bowl i heard so much about. I put the board and brick on top to keep the ducks from swimming it. Questions: Anyone keep this plugged in all night? If you do, does it melt easily in the morning by the morning? I was thinking just unplug at night, then put new warm water in the morning - hoping combination of warm water and heat will melt any left over ice. THOUGHTS???

I just leave mine plugged in over night.

 

[LeannS]

So this is our first winter with ducks. And now that it will be 10 degrees for the next several days i got the heated pet bowl i heard so much about. I put the board and brick on top to keep the ducks from swimming it. Questions: Anyone keep this plugged in all night? If you do, does it melt easily in the morning by the morning? I was thinking just unplug at night, then put new warm water in the morning - hoping combination of warm water and heat will melt any left over ice. THOUGHTS???

I also use a heated water dog bowl. They come with a automatic thermal control. I levave mine on 24/7. I like this size so the ducks can dip their head in to wash their face. I also have a heated pail that I have used but it is harder for the ducks to get their heads in to wash and drink, It is a little high. I was keeping a board on half of the pet water but took it off because the ducks could not get their heads in far enough to wash their eyes. With 6 ducks, most of it is used to wash. I refill several times a day and add a little apple cider vinegar.

 

[Yooperducker]

Thank you so much for simplifying this water issue. I live in the upper peninsula of Michigan and we have pretty intense winter conditions. I do not have the ability to keep larger volumes of pool water available and kept clean throughout the winter. I did not consider that the frequency of their agitating the water would be sufficient to keep it from freezing. I have 5 ducklings arriving in March and although this will not become an issue until next winter I want to know now what I will need to implement then. Can I ask what size bucket you recommend for daily use? Now if only I could get them to follow me the block and a half to the lake they would have a great pool experience there!

 

[Yooperducker]

Where did you get your heated pet bowl???

 

[Lana Horton]

We use the black rubber tubs from Farm and Fleet/Fleet farm. You can just flip them over stomp on them get the ice out and fill them back up and on nice sunny days the black actually helps keep the water from freezing. We are also in Wisconsin

This is an old post, but I'll try to ask a new question. I one time supplied water that the ducks could get into, like a rubber feeding tub, but when they stepped out on the ice, they froze to the ground and a couple died there. Did you put something on the ground around the tub?

 

[Siwash]

We get water from the bathtub put in a 5 gal bucket and hike it out to the back yard each morning. End of the day, knock out/splash out the water from the outdoor rubber water containers (3 gal) that we have.

Used to have a 3 gal heater, built in electric heater, but the thing didn't last a winter. Junk.

 

[Angela Thomson]

I go everyday after work and dump the duck water out and refill it. Every. Day. Just the drinking water. The big tub pond hasn't frozen yet, but when it does, too bad! They will have to wait for it to thaw out right along with me to thaw out! I hate winter.
Love my little Cayugas!

 

[LeannS]

I go everyday after work and dump the duck water out and refill it. Every. Day. Just the drinking water. The big tub pond hasn't frozen yet, but when it does, too bad! They will have to wait for it to thaw out right along with me to thaw out! I hate winter.
Love my little Cayugas!

All they need is enough water to dunk their heads in to wash their head so they can clean out their bills every day. They root all the time and stuff gets in their nose. I give mine warm water several times a day just for that. They drink it and also use it to wash their head.

 

[Vickihollis]

Use a bird bath heater, they work very well. We've been using them for 8 years now and have never had a problem. Make sure it is a bird bath heater not a livestock tank heater. I used a heated dog water bowl for their drinking water, but am thinking of using a small 8 qt heated bucket for drinking water, they won't be able to get in it and make as much of a mess.

Could you please post what type of bird bath heater you use. This is my ducks first winter in Kentucky, so it doesn't get AS cold, but I still want warm water for them to swim. What type of "tub" did you use with it?

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