Ducks okay with only shallow water for the night?

[PowellAnimals]

We have 30 chickens housed along with our three 2 month old ducks. Up until tonight, there has been a feeder, a chicken waterer, and a small plastic tub of water inside the coop at all times. Unfortunately, I am getting sick of the water getting everywhere from the tub so I am thinking of removing it tonight. Would the ducks be okay with a feeder and a chicken waterer at night? They drink from the waterer regularly but it is not deep enough for their nostrils. They would be without deep water from 7-8pm until 7 am in the morning (longer in the winter due to light). Currently it is a one gallon waterer but I will be getting a bigger one tomorrow although I doubt it will be big enough to dunk their entire heads in. I do not want to remove the food completely for the night. Will they be okay with this setup or do I have to rethink?

 

[JadeComputerGal]

We have 30 chickens housed along with our three 2 month old ducks. Up until tonight, there has been a feeder, a chicken waterer, and a small plastic tub of water inside the coop at all times. Unfortunately, I am getting sick of the water getting everywhere from the tub so I am thinking of removing it tonight. Would the ducks be okay with a feeder and a chicken waterer at night? They drink from the waterer regularly but it is not deep enough for their nostrils. They would be without deep water from 7-8pm until 7 am in the morning (longer in the winter due to light). Currently it is a one gallon waterer but I will be getting a bigger one tomorrow although I doubt it will be big enough to dunk their entire heads in. I do not want to remove the food completely for the night. Will they be okay with this setup or do I have to rethink?

They'll be fine for half the day without being able to dunk as long as that's how it stays. If you are positively sure they're drinking from that waterer and you're getting a bigger one, even if they can't dip their entire heads in it. Maybe you can give it one more day since you already plan to get the bigger waterer tomorrow? The key thing to remember is that water without food is okay overnight for ducks, food without water they can consume isn't.

 

[PowellAnimals]

Great! Yes they are definitely using the waterer as I sat and watched them for a few minutes after I put them into the coop. I will wait until tomorrow when I get a bigger waterer although their nostrils still won't be able to be submerged. I was just worried that they needed deep water with the food but if shallow water and food is okay, then that is wonderful! I will check in on them a few times the first few nights and hope for no problems.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Great! Yes they are definitely using the waterer as I sat and watched them for a few minutes after I put them into the coop. I will wait until tomorrow when I get a bigger waterer although their nostrils still won't be able to be submerged. I was just worried that they needed deep water with the food but if shallow water and food is okay, then that is wonderful! I will check in on them a few times the first few nights and hope for no problems.

You're going to do great. The fact that you're even asking the question tells me that. They need the water to wash down the food. As long as they have something half the day to dunk in, they'll be fine. they don't have to do that every few minutes.

One thing I have to caution about is that some ducks are very skittish about changes, even positive ones. The bigger waterer is a great idea, but please make sure they're drinking from it before you remove their water dish. You might want to also leave the smaller one in there for a bit so they can have a transition.

 

[PowellAnimals]

So I swapped the waterer on Sunday morning and verified that everyone was drinking out of it and the coop is much cleaner.

This evening however, one of my six week old ducklings appears listless. I found her asleep on the patio after everyone already came indoors and picked her up which she never lets me do. When I put her down, she wobbled for a little bit and then fell back asleep. A silkie is showing similar symptoms. Could it be from the new waterer? Dehydration? Or something worse going on?

 

[Amiga]

What are they eating, and how often?

I would put a teaspoon of food grade activated charcoal in a pint of water for them to drink overnight.

If you can get them to a good vet, I would.

Listless - could be dehydrated, ingested a toxin, infection, virus, injury . . .

 

[PowellAnimals]

They free range during the day but always have access to their coop which has Purina medicated chick starter in the feeder. The other two ducks and the rest of the chickens show no symptoms. This is definitely sudden as nothing was amiss this afternoon when I went to check in on them. The duckling in question ate mealworms out of my hand with no problems and now suddenly about 5 hours later is listless. I will have to wait out the night and see where the chips fall in the morning and figure out how to proceed. I am quite perplexed and hoping they perk up over night.

Edit to add that I have seen them eating out of the feeder three times earlier today although I can't confirm the chick in question as I have multiple silkies of the same color. But the ducks definitely ate.

 

[Amiga]

I wish I had a bead on what's going on. . . .

 

[JadeComputerGal]

They free range during the day but always have access to their coop which has Purina medicated chick starter in the feeder. The other two ducks and the rest of the chickens show no symptoms. This is definitely sudden as nothing was amiss this afternoon when I went to check in on them. The duckling in question ate mealworms out of my hand with no problems and now suddenly about 5 hours later is listless. I will have to wait out the night and see where the chips fall in the morning and figure out how to proceed. I am quite perplexed and hoping they perk up over night.

Edit to add that I have seen them eating out of the feeder three times earlier today although I can't confirm the chick in question as I have multiple silkies of the same color. But the ducks definitely ate.

I wish I had a bead on what's going on. . . .

Ditto to Amiga. This doesn't sound good that you have both a duck and a chicken showing these symptoms. Nothing has changed other than the waterer for the ducks, but the chicken is showing the same symptoms? I would bring both of them inside for the night if I were you. The weak ones are sometimes attacked or otherwise injured by the ones that aren't ill.

 

[Kleonaptra]

Ducks can poison themselves on medicated feeds. Not saying that's what's going on, just a thought