A few duck questions

[Frosty]

Quote:
Could I ask how you heated the water, and how often it needed changed? Right now I just change their water a few times a day, this might work...

 

[MissPrissy]

You can buy a floating tank heater at your farm supply store.

 

[swampducks]

Quote:
Soitently!

I bought a submersible heater from Drs Foster and Smith, it was for up to 300 gallon tanks and cost around $40. Worked great, sometimes if the night temps dropped below 10f there would be a thin film of ice on top but that would go away as the outdoor temp rose or I just broke it with my foot.

The barrel comes with a spout hole at the top with a screw on lid so I just positioned that half at the bottom when I laid it on its side. It was positioned off a hill so I could open the screw lid and let the water out. I changed the water maybe once a month, the ducks didn't stay in longer than a dip or two, so they didn't mess it up as quickly as they could have.

I'll go take a picture of it later and post it, in the meantime, here's a winter photo though with all the snow it's hard to see.

 

[chickenman7]

I had mallards and flying geese, thought they would fly away, never did.I had this duck that someone gave us it would fly back and forth between houses in our town. severel ppl we knew told us they had seen it at their house

one day it just disapeared?

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
Hmmmm... I do have a bunch of stock tank heaters ranging from 500 watt to 1500 watt. I currently just use a small tub for the ducks and a heater that doesn't have an exposed element (the ones with an exposed element do get hot!)

The barrel comes with a spout hole at the top with a screw on lid so I just positioned that half at the bottom when I laid it on its side. It was positioned off a hill so I could open the screw lid and let the water out. I changed the water maybe once a month, the ducks didn't stay in longer than a dip or two, so they didn't mess it up as quickly as they could have.

I wonder how painful it would be to pull the plug when it's below 0... we have a lot of days when the temps don't get above negative numbers, with night time temps ranging from -20 to -30. The hardest part for me will be finding somewhere for it to drain since we don't have any hills. Might work, I guess I would just have to make a hill. Gives me a good starting point, thank you!​

 

[DuckyBoys]

Quote:
Well...hmmm...I'd report them to the police or sheriff and then the next time they come on the property and eat your birds I'd shoot them. Or maybe miss them on purpose to get the point across to the neighbors. There is no excuse for a loose dog who kills people's livestock. I would also have sent them the bill for the dead chicks and if they didn't pay i'd take them to small claims. Again, just to make a point. I could think up a million ways to punish the dogs, but it is the neighbor's fault for not being responsible.

grrr- Your situation really ticks me off - why do people have to be so obnoxious??

 

[dreammaker8482]

I have yet to have one of my neighbors dogs to eat my poultry, but I do have a horrible problem with all 10 inbred and obnoxious chihuahuas that come into my yard and harrass my dogs. I warned them once---so now I either throw rocks at them or water balloons. Both are affected short term, but if they keep it up, I am calling animal control.

 

[Chickfever]

I called before when the dogs they had previously were mean and would chase my kids. I started keeping the kids inside and we went elsewhere to play outside. Ridiculous I know but hubby INSISTED I not start trouble since they were here before us. I called animal control, the guy said I had to prove they were dangerous before he could do anything. The dogs attacked my in-law's dog (not the first dog to be attacked, they killed the other neighbor's dog) and my FIL told them they had 2 days to get rid of them or he would. Animal control came the next day. I just assume that the same thing would be said.....prove they are dangerous or eating eggs/chicks.... hard to prove on the spot.

 

[swampducks]

Here a couple photos of my duck pool.

Sorry for the delay, Mom and I've come down with a nasty cold!

Usually, I have a couple logs stacked on the drain side for the ducks to climb on so they can get poolside access on both ends. It also keeps the snow cleared of the drain hole in winter.

 

[Frosty]

I appreciate you posting pictures, I'll have to see if I can make something like that work. It looks like a great idea!

And take care of yourself, colds are just miserable!