This is my first winter with ducks. During the warmer weather I used a garden hose on the jet setting to blast their poo from the pea gravel. It washed it well and drained well. We are now experiencing freezing temps and my old method is no longer working. I have been using my dog pooper-scooper to get the bulk of it but I also got a lot of the gravel with it because it is frozen in clumps. The last few days have warmed up a bit and this morning it was warm enough to bring out the hose. I was able to blast some of the poo but because the gravel is frozen it didn't drain well. It was kind of gross.
I was thinking about putting a layer of straw down and then raking it into the deep litter area of the run every couple of days. The problem I see with that it that the ducks heated bowl is on the gravel and I already have ice building around where it sits. I worry the straw will get wet and freeze to the gravel and then I have a bigger mess. I'm wondering how those of you with pea gravel clean it is winter. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I was thinking about putting a layer of straw down and then raking it into the deep litter area of the run every couple of days. The problem I see with that it that the ducks heated bowl is on the gravel and I already have ice building around where it sits. I worry the straw will get wet and freeze to the gravel and then I have a bigger mess. I'm wondering how those of you with pea gravel clean it is winter. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.