Am I doing this right? I want happy ducks!!!

[Duck Lady1]

I love my ducks. They make me happy... but I get so sad when I step outside and see this... What can I do so that they are happily splashing in the water I have right there for them or keeping hydrated with the water I have for them or taking shade in the large shady area right there about 10 yards from where they are panting in a sliver of shade next to the fence? Am I doing something wrong? I get so worried for them looking so hot that I find myself picking them up and placing them in the water multiple times in the day. I put a video on YouTube for you to see. Please don't judge me for messing this up. I trying. You experts are so needed here!!!

. Oh yes, and BTW, the water buckets spickets are usually pointed towards them. I find myself following them around the yard with that water feeder and they still just sit and pant rather than drink!!!

 

[hayley3]

What state are you in that it's that hot already?
What is the noise in the background? Is that maybe scaring them from the pool?
Do they have a step up to get into the pool?
Have you splashed your hand in the pool to see if they will become interested?
The panting is not good.
Can you get a video of the pool and around the pool?
Explain what you mean by spigots?

 

[Duck Lady1]

Yes - I'll get the video. Also, my neighbor is helping me make the better feeder.

I'm in SC and it's 90 degrees already here. That sound was an airplane and it's not typical. Usually it's quiet.

 

[CindyinSD]

They look too hot. Water doesn't always solve this, especially if heated by the sun. Can you put out a picnic umbrella or pavilion over their pool? A fan, maybe blowing across a bowl of ice? A sprinkler. I see that it's 80° in Charleston. That doesn't seem too awfully hot, but they do need shade. Pekins are meat ducks and I think they'll probably have a hotter metabolism just as CX chickens or Broad-Breasted turkeys do. They may need iced water. I found it helpful to give my CX iced water last summer. I've chosen not to raise the top meat breeds this year because of this and other issues.

 

[Duck Lady1]

Okay so I went out there again and that water in the pool is like BATH water. And I just put water in their waterer about an hour ago and it's already like really warm.

I've put a little shade over the pool and smashed some of the hot water out and replaced it with cold water (for the fifth time today -not looking forward to seeing my next water bill!). And I set up a mist over the pool. I noticed them right away walking toward the pool.

When I empty out the pool I will refill it in the corner of the yard that gets more shade and perhaps find some kind of table to place near it for the times of the day when they don't have shade.

the pool has those sides that collapse to the inside if you push on them, and when the weather was cooler they didn't hesitate to push their way in and could hop out pretty easily. Love that pool for that reason.

I think it's the temperature of the water.

Thanks for confirming for me... panting not good. I'm getting these rascals more shade.

Yeah - it doesn't feel like the end of may - we went from April to August it feels like.

 

[Duck Lady1]

T

They look too hot. Water doesn't always solve this, especially if heated by the sun. Can you put out a picnic umbrella or pavilion over their pool? A fan, maybe blowing across a bowl of ice? A sprinkler. I see that it's 80° in Charleston. That doesn't seem too awfully hot, but they do need shade. Pekins are meat ducks and I think they'll probably have a hotter metabolism just as CX chickens or Broad-Breasted turkeys do. They may need iced water. I found it helpful to give my CX iced water last summer. I've chosen not to raise the top meat breeds this year because of this and other issues.

Thank you! That helps. Yes I'm inland from Charleston and it's actually 85 here. I noticed a neighbor tossing out a sturdy wooden table. I think I'll get that and place it partially over the pool.

 

[hayley3]

The things we do for our ducks!
Our weather also was very cool and then got really warm. I'm at the top of Kentucky.
Today it's a beautiful day. Mine have a gigantic pine tree to get under..but their pool is not , I'll have to watch mine too to make sure they are using the pool enough to keep cool.

 

[CindyinSD]

DH bought me one of those market canopies on sale at Sam's Club for $125. I only ever used it once, but we set it up for the cows (outside their paddock but casting shade inside). It was great while it lasted, but just make sure, if you get one, that you anchor it down REALLY well. Ours is gone to the dump now. Something of that kind would likely keep your pool water much cooler and keep those (and you) happy.

 

[hayley3]

I did check my pool and the water was hot but they were not panting (I refilled the pool with cold water) but it's pretty breezy where I live and they also have that big pine tree, although it's not near their pool, they hang out there, including the chickens. Made me decide to plant another tree so that they will have shade over their pool one day.

 

[hayley3]

DH bought me one of those market canopies on sale at Sam's Club for $125. I only ever used it once, but we set it up for the cows (outside their paddock but casting shade inside). It was great while it lasted, but just make sure, if you get one, that you anchor it down REALLY well. Ours is gone to the dump now. Something of that kind would likely keep your pool water much cooler and keep those (and you) happy.

I had a similar greenhouse that lasted a week! The wind demolished it.