Duck Pool Heater Alternatives?

[backyard pigeons]

Oh sorry @Soon2BChixMom i raise pigeons not ducks. Glad you stepped in.

 

[chickens really]

Uh, don't use salt water, ducks drink water - a lot of water. They swish their face in it too. The salt water would not be good for them.
@CherpNPeep The ducks don't need a pool everyday. But, the rubber feed bowls work well for fresh water and you can break the ice out of them. My ducks keep the water from freezing just by the interaction with it.
Admittedly though, it has not been as cold here yet as it could be in Canada. Just a few days of some below average temps.
I think @chickens really gets a pool out when it's nicer (not sure what temp that would be though) and she has a short hose that she uses. I think she keeps the pool close by the spicket. But, I dont think she keeps the pool filled all the time. Maybe she will pop in and clarify.

Definitely not filled all the time.Only above 0C I fill the pool and let the wash up...

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I use a heated water bucket for mine but will go back to having the pool available when it gets back above 40°. On the rare days that temps are that high now in NH I still fill their small pool.

I'm using a big round water bowl for my Cayuga ducks for drinking water in their pen, bird bath heater in it and just put a board over half with a heavy rock on top.
Today I let them out and give them some bath water even though it was only 32 degrees. . they don't care how cold it is
They had droplets of ice on their backs when they got out

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I'm using a big round water bowl for my Cayuga ducks for drinking water in their pen, bird bath heater in it and just put a board over half with a heavy rock on top.
Today I let them out and give them some bath water even though it was only 32 degrees. . they don't care how cold it is
They had droplets of ice on their backs when they got out

Mine bathe in the rubber feed bowls. They don't care how cold it is either.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

If you get a large pan or lid full of saltwater it wont freeze where you place it. You could do that each day to melt a place for the ducks to swim. A heater to keep water from freezing would be very expensive.

I watched a you tube video about doing this last winter. . the lady put salt water inside a 2 liter bottle and then placed the sealed bottle in the water bucket. It didn't work for her
But I've never tried it myself.

 

[PattyNH]

I'm using a big round water bowl for my Cayuga ducks for drinking water in their pen, bird bath heater in it and just put a board over half with a heavy rock on top.
Today I let them out and give them some bath water even though it was only 32 degrees. . they don't care how cold it is
They had droplets of ice on their backs when they got out

That's awesome! Mine would too The biggest problem I have with winter is that it is dark by the time I get home from work and I am too nervous to let them out when I can't see what predators are lurking... plus I can't tolerate the cold as well as they can!!

 

[Jpat]

Salt doesnt make it heat it just raises the freezing point so anything non salty near it is gonna freeze

 

[shawluvsbirds]

http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/bird-bath-heater.html
I use the farm innovators one that it shows on this site. I don't notice a huge spike in my electric bill, however being in Missouri my temps go back and forth. So it wouldn't have to run as much as it would have to in Canada.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

That's awesome! Mine would too The biggest problem I have with winter is that it is dark by the time I get home from work and I am too nervous to let them out when I can't see what predators are lurking... plus I can't tolerate the cold as well as they can!!

I don't mind being out in the cold too bad, but getting dark by 5:30 stinks. I barely have time to haul water before it's getting dark.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I watched a you tube video about doing this last winter. . the lady put salt water inside a 2 liter bottle and then placed the sealed bottle in the water bucket. It didn't work for her
But I've never tried it myself.

One of the BYC members did it for her chickens last winter and it didn't work either. I think at a certain temp it might have, but not when it was well below freezing.