Duck Pool water question

[wabbit1964]

The last week the duck kiddie pool color is different when it gets 'dirty' instead of the usual dirty water color or if left more than a day green this week it has been turning cloudy white within a few hours. We do have two new pekin ducks in addition to the rouen/mallards. I guess I am just puzzled over the science over the change in the water color when it gets dirty.

Has anyone found any tips so that hot days like this the pool stays cleaner longer for the ducks?

 

[TheMauveDuck]

You can get a pond filter (cheap at hardware stores) it will circulate the water and get rid off the majority of the nasty stuff. Usually the water just looks foul but is actually not that dirty. You'll know it's getting really bad when the ducks start swimming or drinking out of it less often. We replace some pond water with fresh water once a week. Every other week we drain it and refill. The pond filters are very low maintenance, we have to clean it out sometimes. Ours has a feature that squirts the filtered water from the top like a sprinkler the ducks love it!

 

[MaureenD]

Question: has anyone used oxine in pool water to help extend cleanliness for a day or so? In extreme heat? my pool is one of the smallest kiddie pools out there ($10), I think it's about 21 gallons. I dump and refresh about every three-four days.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I use a very tiny bit ot this... works great... if it's not at your feed store, it's online at jefferspet.com...

 

[Cherib603]

I have 4 ducks and they ignore their big stock tank pool in favor of the tiny kiddie pool. I simply dump at the end of the day and refill in the morning when I give them fresh water. Doing both takes a total of 12 minutes. They get clean water, the lawn gets a drink and there is no stinky build up.

 

[cayugaducklady]

I have 3 ponds. A 50 gallon, a 20 gallon and a kiddie pool.

They swim, fluff chest feathers and drink out of the 50 gallon. topped off when it needs it and cleaned when the water starts smelling.

The 20 gallon is used for drinking, grooming and for "practice". Topped off daily and cleaned once a week.

The kiddie pool is used for a spa day complete with feather beating and multiple bird "practice" They only drink out of it right before i put them back in the pen. cleaned every few days.

The kiddie pool is the only one not in their pen.

 

[MaureenD]

Great replies, thanks! My girls also preen, clean, fluff and "practice" in their kiddie pool. We downsized from a larger one we had last summer that cracked, I am glad we went smaller- much easier to maintain. It sits on a large bed of wood chips (from where large kid pool was a while ago) and they love the soil beneath those chips! Water gets siphoned out 1 or 2 times a week. The girls are hilarious- they wait for the pool "service" to finish, then they are in right away. I put large landscaping bricks around the pool as a border; keeps it much cleaner, and they all get in now at once, before it seemed like there was always one of the four walking around kind of confused on how to get in.

They seem to know when the water is not to their standard.