Ducks and winter

[CrazyDuckFarms]

Keeping ducks watered in the winter time- this kind of weather. Looking for suggestions and how to keep them cleaner and healthier. All suggestions welcome. Im just curious and would like to make living in these harsh winter conditions easier!

I usually put their feed and water on a pallet so they dont get their feet wet and eat left over moldy feed. Other than just looking to improve!
Thank you !

 

[Going Quackers]

I use a combination of a heated bucket(it's in the main duck barn) and chicken waterers and rubber bowls. I use the chicken waterers to cut back on the head dunking in the frigid temps, because most of my ducks consist of Muscovy, i have to watch they don't overly wet the fleshing(frostbite risk)

If the weather isn't completely awful, i will open my heated trough(it's a 50GAL) and fill larger rubber bowls.. but lately it's been awful so i have skipped it.



My calls are more water birds so i will give bathing water more often to them.

Basically, i take the approach of following the weather, when days are more pleasant i get out tubs so bathing can happen without icing risk when it's not, i don't, they get through. It's loads of work to keep enough water going for ducks, it's a definite downside to keeping them but they do bring forth many positives so if you choose to keep them you learn to deal with it.

 

[ducksinarow]

Where did you get your 50 gal heated trough?

 

[Going Quackers]

You buy a stock tank and get a heater that goes into it.. this is no cheap option but it's actually a hand me down from my horses.. as the ducks were constantly in this trough due to it's low height, we cried uncle and gave it to the ducks then upgraded the horses to a much larger(really tall) trough so the ducks stay out.

Here ours is by rubbermaid. The heater is a standard, stock tank/trough heater.

 

[CrazyDuckFarms]

Going Quakers that is a very good idea! I am very old school so I water twice a day and carry water out from my basement. The winter has been so cold its so hard to give them enough water or to keep them from bathing AND making a mess out of the pen. This negative 30 weather here is crazy and has been the harshest one I can remember!
I feed my birds corn and sweet feed in the winter time, have any suggestions on any other feed for winter?
And also thank you EVERYONE for reading and replying!!

 

[Going Quackers]

Going Quakers that is a very good idea! I am very old school so I water twice a day and carry water out from my basement. The winter has been so cold its so hard to give them enough water or to keep them from bathing AND making a mess out of the pen. This negative 30 weather here is crazy and has been the harshest one I can remember!
I feed my birds corn and sweet feed in the winter time, have any suggestions on any other feed for winter?
And also thank you EVERYONE for reading and replying!!

Oh, we do that here too(water hauling) not all have heated sources, most of the chickens and some of the ducks in the smaller housing, hydro wouldn't be safe, plus the sheep don't either. If i haul another frozen bucket i may scream, mind you i think my shoulder will give in first lol

I just use whole corn and the staple feed for the main flock.. the calls i do a bit of scratch as an extra energy feed. Same with the chickens but i add BOSS.

 

[Learningstill]

We do not have anything heated. My newly 12 year old daughter hauls milk jugs of water to fill dishes usually once a day, but since weather has been -10 and below frequently she has been filling once and adding once.

We bought the flexible black rubber buckets. This has made it much easier emptying them and cracking and removing ice. We have not tried this yet, but I read somewhere placing a Ping pong ball in their water dish delays the water from freezing. I want to get a colored ball so it is easier to see in the snow. I do not think this would work for the winter we are having, but a winter that is not constantly negatives, but 10 - 30s maybe.

We bought a shallow large circle rubber bucket (ducks bath and drinking) and a more narrow deeper rubber bucket (drinking only).

In the summer, the ducks have a plastic large litter pan (I think it was for dogs; we used it for our pig) that is usually their pick for a pool. We hung their buckets on the fence with either patio stones under or pallet platform. Although, right before winter we built them a new pen, not sure what we will do for summer.

 

[CrazyDuckFarms]

GoingQuackers: yeah i feel ya completely i wish we would have a warms snap so i can clean! Its been so cold all i can do is add hay :/
Yeah its not easy being a duck fancier in the winter- especially this one. Hahaha yeah thats basically what i feed i do not know what BOSS is but i also try to get a head of cabbage or lettuce and shred it and they loveeeeee it. I also give them Red Cell ( a horse supplement ) for them and makes them very lively and healthy. I also once in a while make them green tea in thier water for energy and antioxidant health.
Yeah i am a crazy duck lady hahaha
I also tried something new i have larger ducks such as Appleyards and saxonies, Muscovies - so dad and i put wood pallets under thier feed and water to lessen the mud. It kinda helps lol kinda wish there was a better way but hey....... They are ducks hahahah

 

[CrazyDuckFarms]

We do not have anything heated. My newly 12 year old daughter hauls milk jugs of water to fill dishes usually once a day, but since weather has been -10 and below frequently she has been filling once and adding once.

We bought the flexible black rubber buckets. This has made it much easier emptying them and cracking and removing ice. We have not tried this yet, but I read somewhere placing a Ping pong ball in their water dish delays the water from freezing. I want to get a colored ball so it is easier to see in the snow. I do not think this would work for the winter we are having, but a winter that is not constantly negatives, but 10 - 30s maybe.

We bought a shallow large circle rubber bucket (ducks bath and drinking) and a more narrow deeper rubber bucket (drinking only).

In the summer, the ducks have a plastic large litter pan (I think it was for dogs; we used it for our pig) that is usually their pick for a pool. We hung their buckets on the fence with either patio stones under or pallet platform. Although, right before winter we built them a new pen, not sure what we will do for summer.

Learningstill, that is what we have are rubber waters and feeders. It doesn make it easier. Yeah we have nothing heather either but hey in this winter i may invest hahaa. I am gonna try the ping long ball i have some haha I may try to put a little bit of olive oil or eucaliptus oil or even flax oil to just slow down the freezing. Dad has been trying it and for ducks it helps with sticky eye and overall health.

 

[Going Quackers]

GoingQuackers: yeah i feel ya completely i wish we would have a warms snap so i can clean! Its been so cold all i can do is add hay

Yeah its not easy being a duck fancier in the winter- especially this one. Hahaha yeah thats basically what i feed i do not know what BOSS is but i also try to get a head of cabbage or lettuce and shred it and they loveeeeee it. I also give them Red Cell ( a horse supplement ) for them and makes them very lively and healthy. I also once in a while make them green tea in thier water for energy and antioxidant health.
Yeah i am a crazy duck lady hahaha
I also tried something new i have larger ducks such as Appleyards and saxonies, Muscovies - so dad and i put wood pallets under thier feed and water to lessen the mud. It kinda helps lol kinda wish there was a better way but hey....... They are ducks hahahah

BOSS= Black oil sunflower seeds.

I've been known to toss some to the ducks too... but it's more the chickens thing. Yes, that is a good idea(pallets) i need something that has a roof.. the snow has been unbelievable this year...

I just love mud that sucks.. you know your gonna loose a boot.

Of coarse right now i have no idea where the ground is.