Duck, Duck, Duck, Goose!!!!

[Sarahloveslulu]

I have 4 ducks. The male duck has a very mischievous personality. His name is Goose.
What is a proper water for ducks? We usually don't need to worry because we have a nice creek. But is winter is iced over to about 4-8 inches thick. So there goes their water. We use a rubber black dish from the tractor supply right now. It's a pain though, it freezes over and the ducks tip it over. A heated water dish they mess with the cord and tip over the water. I thought about cementing the darn dish to the pen. But they would probably eat the cement. Please give suggestions and thank you.

 

[Isaac 0]

I have had good success using a heated water bucket; if you get one intended one for livestock there should be wire coils around to prevent chewing. It is important when using any bucket to keep it full, or prevent the duck from getting in the bucket totally as if not, the risks of drowning increases. That is not me being precautious, that is me speaking from my personal experience. I have had several ducks drown in water buckets.

 

[Anime2lover]

I have 4 ducks. The male duck has a very mischievous personality. His name is Goose.
What is a proper water for ducks? We usually don't need to worry because we have a nice creek. But is winter is iced over to about 4-8 inches thick. So there goes their water. We use a rubber black dish from the tractor supply right now. It's a pain though, it freezes over and the ducks tip it over. A heated water dish they mess with the cord and tip over the water. I thought about cementing the darn dish to the pen. But they would probably eat the cement. Please give suggestions and thank you.

Heated water bucket. You may have to make a little enclosure around it with holes that are big enough for the ducks and chickens to stick their heads in, but small enough to prevent the ducks from climbing in.

 

[Sarahloveslulu]

Heated water bucket. You may have to make a little enclosure around it with holes that are big enough for the ducks and chickens to stick their heads in, but small enough to prevent the ducks from climbing in.

We had a wire enclosure around a plant in our garden once. It was embedded in the ground.
I went out one morning and it was torn out of the ground and eaten. The ducks were the culprit.
Also, they like to bathe in the water before they drink it.

 

[KaleIAm]

I have had good success using a heated water bucket; if you get one intended one for livestock there should be wire coils around to prevent chewing. It is important when using any bucket to keep it full, or prevent the duck from getting in the bucket totally as if not, the risks of drowning increases. That is not me being precautious, that is me speaking from my personal experience. I have had several ducks drown in water buckets.

Good advice, sorry about your ducks.

 

[Pinckney]

I use an electric 5 gallon bucket for the chickens. The cord is on the bottom and the bucket isup against a wall so no creatures get to it. The ducks I’m sure use it as well. Never had a duck climb into a bucket as adults...I had 50 Saxonies and 20 Muscovies this summer. But I do also have 5 gallon black rubber tubs for bathing. I dump them during dinner. If I forget I just stomp on the sides. They don’t need water after dinner.

 

[Kaw]

I have 4 ducks. The male duck has a very mischievous personality. His name is Goose.
What is a proper water for ducks? We usually don't need to worry because we have a nice creek. But is winter is iced over to about 4-8 inches thick. So there goes their water. We use a rubber black dish from the tractor supply right now. It's a pain though, it freezes over and the ducks tip it over. A heated water dish they mess with the cord and tip over the water. I thought about cementing the darn dish to the pen. But they would probably eat the cement. Please give suggestions and thank you.

They absolutely need to have water enough to dip their head in over their nares...everyday to stay healthy.

Ducks don’t have the mite issues that often come with chickens because they rinse off and soend so much time in the water and they are happier if the can bathe.

Fresh unfrozen water is one of our biggest challenges. We have 13 Runner Ducks.

We use a system of switching out a frozen big black tub with a warm clean one. Then defrost, clean and repeat.

Our hoses freeze up so we have gotten in the habit of filling a bucket of water and leaving it just inside the door ready to go.

For me, not rinsing out and wiping their food dish everyday grosses me out. But it is frozen, so once or twice a week I bring it in or use water from our bucket to clean it with water and apple cuder vinegar.

It is a pain. There are heaters you can buy for metal buckets and pans but that’s another investment at this time, so we use our big rubber pans.

There is a youtube channel “GoldShaw Farm,” Check it out. He raises ducks and Geese in northern Vermont.

You can find a number of videos in winter, where he waters his ducks and geese and see what he uses fir the size water containers they swim in.
He just kicks over the bucket and breaks out the frozen water.

I hope this helps.

 

[KaleIAm]

I repeatedly read online that ducks don't get mites - but mine have had mites. A veterinarian diagnosed them with mites. It may be less common than with chickens, but it does happen.

 

[Kaw]

Yes, ducks can get mites.

 

[Kaw]

Yes, ducks can get mites.

If they bathe everyday and are healthy they shouldn’t have mites to the extent chickens have mites.
They can keep them in control and have very little or none at all. If they do have mites, they are most likely on their head and neck where they can’t reach to preen well.