Duck house and pond questions!

[DaSouthernYankee]

So I figure rather than makin two threads for my separate concerns bear with me here!

1. Ducks are messy little sweet things. Im trying to create a better way to clean their house. I’ll try to include pictures but right now they sleep in something like a chicken coop. It has a wooden enclosed housing area with wooden floor which seems to stay pretty dry since they mostly sleep in there at night. Attached to the house is a small wire enclosed run. It’s pretty much become grassy muddy bedding that I am endlessly scooping out and replacing. So I was considering laying patio pavers in that area that I can just hose down. I’d keep dry bedding in the house section still.. do you think this will bother the ducks? They free range the yard all day and primarily use their house to sleep.

2. It’s warm here and I transitioned them outside pretty quickly around 4 weeks.. so they really only had 2 weeks inside with me and bathtub time. I’ve dug them a pond with a UV clarifyer and fountain and so far no one has gone in it!! They barely splash in their water dish! Do my ducks just not know what swimming is?! Not gonna lie, I put Quackers in one time because I was excited when I finished the pond and he got out right away... do I just wait? Can I entice them? I’ve even thrown peas in there!

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

Edit to add my older pair is now 7 weeks! So I just thought they’d be interested in swimming by now!

 

[Cayuga momma]

The patio pavers should be fine. You will find a kinds of things that will work for you depending on the season.
In the summer I just use PDZ sand in their coop, but I add hay on top of it in cold weather for warmth.
You just have to find what works for you.

Give them time to get comfy with their pond. It may take months. Mine use to love their pool, but now they only get in their water dishes right now. I'm sure come spring they will be back to splashing around in their pool again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What about horse stall mats they would be easier on their feet. As for swimming that is something they will have to find on their own. And they will. It just takes time for ducks to accept anything.

 

[chickens really]

What about horse stall mats they would be easier on their feet. As for swimming that is something they will have to find on their own. And they will. It just takes time for ducks to accept anything.

I use sidewalk blocks in one pen and sand in my other two pens. Works great because the sand dries quickly if the Run is covered. Neither have caused issues with my Ducks.

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

The patio pavers should be fine. You will find a kinds of things that will work for you depending on the season.
In the summer I just use PDZ sand in their coop, but I add hay on top of it in cold weather for warmth.
You just have to find what works for you.

Give them time to get comfy with their pond. It may take months. Mine use to love their pool, but now they only get in their water dishes right now. I'm sure come spring they will be back to splashing around in their pool again.

Thanks you for your input! I’m going to definitely throw those pavers in there! Looks like the duck house is getting tile
And that makes me feel a little better! I’d just be sad if they never got in it!! I love to sit outside and watch them and the swimming is extra cute! Perhaps I’ll just keep throwing peas in there!

 

[snow5164]

Is their run covered? A roof would help and a tarp on the windy side is also a good idea

do You mean the 2 foot by 2 foot patio blocks ?? Those with grip stamped in them ? This would be good, but I used a few bricks that had sharp edges , we sanded them off .I think Sand is the best for their feet though.

The ducks might be scared of the fountain and moving water.. I threw one in the kiddie pool and they all piled in. They might just not be hot enough

Enjoy your Duckies
Pictures are always useful and greatly enjoyed

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

Is their run covered? A roof would help and a tarp on the windy side is also a good idea

do You mean the 2 foot by 2 foot patio blocks ?? Those with grip stamped in them ? This would be good, but I used a few bricks that had sharp edges , we sanded them off .I think Sand is the best for their feet though.

The ducks might be scared of the fountain and moving water.. I threw one in the kiddie pool and they all piled in. They might just not be hot enough

Enjoy your Duckies
Pictures are always useful and greatly enjoyed

The house has a roof, the run does not. But yes the patio pavers. I even thought if I put straw over them it would still be easier to scoop that off pavers than the muddy ground!

And I was thinking perhaps the fountain was freaking them out. I’m considering turning it into a water fall which might be calmer and more to the side. I just think the filter had to output in some way to keep it working.

 

[snow5164]

You could give them a shallow dish , (cat litter box) with water so the can see how fun it is

I’ve never had ducklings as I got my hens at 4 months ... yours sure look cute

 

[SkyeT]

We just bought a new set up for our ducks since they are bigger and we wanted them to actually be able to swim. The new pool was 12 inches deep and 55 inches wide. We bought a filter unit that has a fountain. We got it all set up and eagerly awaited their splashing and talking... and didn't get anything the first day.

Talk about a let-down. We were frustrated. Our ducks LOVE water and spend all their time in the baby pools. So what gave? I figured we would just wait it out. Hours later, they approached the pool but only stuck their heads over the side and drank.

The next day, still the same thing. We created a "patio" for them to step up on and get in, but all they did was sit on the patio! You could tell they wanted to get in, but wouldn't. It most likely was the fountain. It wasn't huge, but it was like rain, and our ducks are weird little creatures who dance oddly and duck their heads in the rain.

So, I decided to throw their lettuce bits into the water. Ohhhh, that was it. There was LETTUCE in the water. Now they definitely wanted in. They talked and bobbed and walked around, but nothing. When we got up the next morning, though, the lettuce and tomatoes that I threw in were gone! We didn't know who got in, but someone did.

Later that next day, I threw in lettuce again. This time, 4 of them got in. Now, 4 days later, I cannot get some of them OUT of the pool. Sunshine, our Rouen, and Duckter J, our Runner mix, actually float in front of the side spout and stick their bills into the water flow and drink!

Give it time. Give them something to hunt for in the water to entice them to get in. Eventually, they will figure out that the water is cool and something they want. Then... you will be in my boat. Cleaning a filter every 2-3 days and getting soaked because of the "zoomies".