Duck Water Overnight

[patrickftobin]

Hi all,

I know there are many threads about giving ducks water overnight but they didn’t answer my questions given my particular setup.

I have 5 Rouen females. I live in Maine. The previous owners of our house had ducks and had a small room/coop at the back of the barn for them so I am using that.

There’s a slide up door for the ducks to enter and also a regular door so I have access. The floor is cement, and it’s not very deep, maybe 1 1/2 inches deep.

My problem is, I’ve read ducks can’t go long without water, so I put in water overnight with them. Since the floor is not deep and they make such a mess spilling water everywhere, the pine shavings get soaked very quickly, and I can’t keep adding shavings on top for the deep litter method because then I won’t be able to open my door to access the room, so I have to scoop out all the wet shavings where I put the water almost every 2-3 days.

Is water necessary overnight? How long can they truly go without? I feel like if they didn’t have water overnight I wouldn’t need to go thru shavings so fast, which makes the price add up. I also get conflicting information as to how long they can go without water. In the summer I put them in for the night around 8pm and let them out in the morning, maybe 6-7am. They are out all day. However in the winter it gets dark at 4-430pm and isn’t light again until the following morning. Their time in the coop can vary from 10 hours to 15 depending on the season (because I also understand they can’t be out after dusk bc of predators). I’ve read 8 hours without water is the max but others say 10 hours or longer. If I put them in at 430 in the winter that would mean going out after midnight to give them water.

I don’t know what to do, I’d like to make things easier on myself, and less costly in terms of shavings. I also want to keep my ladies healthy and happy. Basically so far I’ve gone above and beyond and clean out their coop maybe more than is necessary, but given my setup with shallow floors in their coop I can’t afford not to clean as often as I am now. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

What type of waterer are you using?
Try putting your waterer in a hot water tank pan to control spills.

 

[fatty and friends]

reusable puppy pads under the water, keeps the entire area way cleaner and they are so easy to wash

 

[Lor]

Are they getting into the water container? Spilling it or just splashing every where?
What type of waterer are you using? Can you put it on something or something under it instead of the shavings that would corral the water?
What about a corner with fencing blocking it where only their heads go in? Or same fencing over the top of a deep bucket or what have you.
Such as video below.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't put water or food inside my coops overnight because of just what you are talking about the Mess. Once ducklings get around 6 weeks old they can go over night without. I've been doing this since 2004 and have not lost one to not being able to drink and eat during the night.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Is water necessary overnight?

Not for grown ducks

 

[patrickftobin]

Are they getting into the water container? Spilling it or just splashing every where?
What type of waterer are you using? Can you put it on something or something under it instead of the shavings that would corral the water?
What about a corner with fencing blocking it where only their heads go in? Or same fencing over the top of a deep bucket or what have you.
Such as video below.

I put their water in a container like this, inside a larger plastic tub, but they still manage to dribble and spill water all over the surrounding shavings, so shavings in half of their coop is SOAKED

 

[patrickftobin]

What type of waterer are you using?
Try putting your waterer in a hot water tank pan to control spills.

I put their water in a container like this with a lid and inside the larger tub to catch spill but they still manage to drag/dribble water out and get shavings absolutely SOAKED for half of their coop, so I have to change shavings constantly

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hi all,

I know there are many threads about giving ducks water overnight but they didn’t answer my questions given my particular setup.

I have 5 Rouen females. I live in Maine. The previous owners of our house had ducks and had a small room/coop at the back of the barn for them so I am using that.

There’s a slide up door for the ducks to enter and also a regular door so I have access. The floor is cement, and it’s not very deep, maybe 1 1/2 inches deep.

My problem is, I’ve read ducks can’t go long without water, so I put in water overnight with them. Since the floor is not deep and they make such a mess spilling water everywhere, the pine shavings get soaked very quickly, and I can’t keep adding shavings on top for the deep litter method because then I won’t be able to open my door to access the room, so I have to scoop out all the wet shavings where I put the water almost every 2-3 days.

Is water necessary overnight? How long can they truly go without? I feel like if they didn’t have water overnight I wouldn’t need to go thru shavings so fast, which makes the price add up. I also get conflicting information as to how long they can go without water. In the summer I put them in for the night around 8pm and let them out in the morning, maybe 6-7am. They are out all day. However in the winter it gets dark at 4-430pm and isn’t light again until the following morning. Their time in the coop can vary from 10 hours to 15 depending on the season (because I also understand they can’t be out after dusk bc of predators). I’ve read 8 hours without water is the max but others say 10 hours or longer. If I put them in at 430 in the winter that would mean going out after midnight to give them water.

I don’t know what to do, I’d like to make things easier on myself, and less costly in terms of shavings. I also want to keep my ladies healthy and happy. Basically so far I’ve gone above and beyond and clean out their coop maybe more than is necessary, but given my setup with shallow floors in their coop I can’t afford not to clean as often as I am now. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

I can tell you really love your ducks, as do I. I had the same question about seven years ago, but I found out they don’t need the water overnight. They really don’t just do not put any food in there because if they have food, then they need water with it… Even in the winter when you lock them up at 4:30. They do fine without water all night. I know I’ve done it for seven years I have 13 ducks, khakis, goldens ,Harlequins , pekins, runners , appleyards, they all do fine. The important thing is ventilation in the coop and I give them all one last drink of water right before bed. I move a bucket near the coop door. They all take a few sips before they go in for the night.

 

[Lor]

I put their water in a container like this, inside a larger plastic tub, but they still manage to dribble and spill water all over the surrounding shavings, so shavings in half of their coop is SOAKEDView attachment 3549780

Ducks are very messy!