ducks ok to stay in the pool all day???

[688peterl]

i built them another island not the one i posted on here a different one, and the food and grit bowls fit on the end of the island with plenty room for them both to stand (i say this because they never sit and chill and the island, only stand), now is it ok for me to leave them in the pool all day, i let them out at 8am every morning and put them back in the run at 8pm, the run is a lot bigger now i have taken the dividing wall down its over 30 square foot which is great for night i just dont like them to be cooped up in it all day! will they be ok in the pool all day?

 

[al6517]

UUUUUUHHHHH their ducks, of course it's Ok to leave them in the water all day. Thats why they call them waterfowl. sounds like a nice set-up you have for them.

AL

 

[Goat_Walker]

No, it is not. Ducks are not aquatic animals and need to be able to get out of the water to preen and forage and such. If you leave them in the water too long they can actually drown - adults included. Of course they arent in there long enough since you take them out at 8 am. and all but still - the max a duck should be stuck in the water is about 3-4 hours.

My ducks only spend about an hour or so in the pool / mini ponds in the field. They they are out foraging and napping in the sun.


Your ducks need somewhere that they can be on dry, non slippery ground so that they can dry off and rest.

 

[rainplace]

they should have a way off out of the pool.

My ducks stay in the pond most of the day, but they can get out when they want to.

 

[QuailHollow]

With the weather being so cold, I am only giving my cull duck a dish-pan full of fresh water every morning at this point. He gets in long enough to bathe and drink. After that, the water freezes up until the next day when I dump it and re-fill.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I have to agree with the first post to an extent. A properly conditioned bird has no time limit to how long they can stay on the water. I raised the migratory and ornamental types for decades, many of them will live 90% of their lives on the water only getting out to nest, fly or feed if they werent divers. They will not drown if their feathers are conditioned, which they can do on the water just as easily as they can out of it, actually getting on the water triggers them to preen and clean themselves more so than being out of it. That's why you have to watch dry brooded ducks closely when first introduced to a pond or pool, they arent conditioned for it as of then from being in a dry brooder and can get waterlogged, thats when they'll drown.

Now that being said, I wouldnt leave them in a manner that they couldnt get out if they so desired. Always if they are not able to get out on their own, leave them some form of a way to get out, if nothing else, build a water level platform big enough for all to get on in the pool. If you do that, you should be just fine with them.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Your ducks will love it if they have access to a pool, but they can't swim all day.
They need to be able to get out of the pool to groom themselves, eat, rest, shade, ect.
Anyway good luck with your ducks - they are lucky to have a pool, island and coop

 

[Smaxx]

UUUUUUHHHHH their ducks, of course it's Ok to leave them in the water all day. Thats why they call them waterfowl. sounds like a nice set-up you have for them.

AL

Some of us new to owning ducks need a nice answer as we know they are ducks however I myself didn’t know the answer and would like a nice respectful answer if anyone knows 100%.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runners and Buffs are addicted to water and will even nap in their pools. Only problem I have seen is their big pool is very poopy by second day so I have to drain and fill it often.