Ducks and drinking water

[TimG]

I recently added a pair of ducks to my flock of chickens. Everyone seems to be getting along fine, except for one small matter. The ducks play with the water, emptied a 3 gallon poultry waterer last night. I thought moving from a watering bowl (that I used when the ducks were by themselves) to a poultry waterer would likely fix the problem, but no.

Any suggestions on how to keep the drinking water in the drinking water vessel?

 

[wafflechicken]

Get rid of the ducks?

Seriously, I haven't been able to keep mine out of the waterer when they're in the coop. Lucky for me mine have decided they prefer to sleep outside in the pond instead of in the coop with the chickens so it's less of an issue for me anymore.

 

[Amiga]

Some people have separate duck and chicken watering stations, with the chicken station up a little higher than the ducks care to go.

Also, ducks need to be able to wash their entire heads to avoid serious infections. So they need at least a shallow bucket. Do yours have a swim pan?

 

[TimG]

I do have a shallow bucket/bowl for the ducks, but i took it out of the coop when I added the chickens and the poultry waterer.

The have no outside access at the moment.

 

[Amiga]

Can you set up a platform the chickens can get up on for their waterer?

Wish I were more help. We are ducks-only here.

 

[TimG]

I guess I'll think about a platform.

What do you do in winter when water would freeze daily? I can understand putting water out for them every day, but f they just splash it onto the coop floor, doesn't that make a skating rink before long?

 

[Valntyn]

We don't put water in our coop, so there's no wet/frozen mess to clean up in there. However, you said they don't have outside access right now, so.... how about some sort of little pan under the water bucket? I've seen others here who have inside set-ups & think they use litter boxes with absorbent material, then set their buckets in that. Hopefully one of them will see your question and show their solution.

 

[Valntyn]

Funnily enough, the next thread I read had a picture of what I was just talking about! In this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/722173/how-cold-is-too-cold

Amiga posted a picture of the litter-pan set-up I was remembering.

 

[Crafty-Duck]

I know when my Muscovy's were younger they loved the water they would swim and play in it then they grew out of it.They still make a little mess when drinking but I don't think there is anyway around that.I would try the litter pan idea!!! I think I will too!!!!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Also it would be a good idea to have some outdoor access so they can do all their bathing outside instead of inside.