Call owners, do you have open swimming water for them in winter?

[Going Quackers]

I have a quad of these little pound cake ducks as i refer to them that said. all this years hatch from spring being the oldest to early summer being the youngest.

So first winter, they are water HOGS.. they have 1 40GAL trough and a few smaller type puddle pools as i call them as the youngest in the flock still cannot fly into the big trough, they hate ramps, tried that... they prefer to fly in(they are penned/covered and all full flight)

The swimming water is what i need advise on, do they need some open year round?? obviously the larger trough can be equipped to be but should it? i can open ice(have so already

) but eventually it'll freeze to where i could ice skate on it lol

The do have a house they go in at night so shelter is not a concern.

 

[seaneduck]

I live in Utah, and we have cold winters. I drain their 80 gallon pool in the winter and just have a plug-in-the-wall dog dish that I keep for them that doesn't freeze. I cover most of it up, just leaving enough room for them to dip their heads in, but not swim around. It takes cleaning out everyday, but don't have to worry about them freezing in the pond (which has happened before, sadly). Other people recommend a submusible heater that keeps the water above freezing, but I haven't tried that.
Good luck!

 

[Going Quackers]

Thank you! so i guess i'll just skip the tubby then, they enjoy their water so much but i don't want anyone froze. I figured the dog bowl heated was the easier option, for dunking they cannot use buckets unless you sunk them in so makes it a little more complicated than the bigger ducks options.