Ducks, snow, bath time

[sowNreap]

This is my first winter being duck mama & my Muscovy ducks 1st winter too, so I was just a bit worried about them getting cold. I guess I really didn't need to worry when I saw one taking a bath with about 5" snow on ground and temps in the 20's. It did get down into the teens the next 2 nights not above 25 the next 2 days nor any sun but they didn't seem to care.

I put straw out in couple places where they sleep at night but they didn't use any of those spots. They have an enclosed duck house with lots of straw but they don't like sleeping there. Crazy duckies. lol

I was able to keep the fountain running in order to keep small hole in the ice that built up during those 2 low teen nights. I carried out some hot water about 2am to help make sure the pool didn't totally freeze over. I didn't get pic of the pool the 2nd morning but it still had 2' round spot free from ice. It's where the fountain overflows the strongest so it helped keep the ice from building up there.

Of course I carried out more hot water in the morning to break the ice up. Ducks love playing with those ice chunks! I have several water containers scattered around the yard some froze harder than others. Them not having access to water now concerns me more than the cold temps.

This photo is after it snowed earlier that morning, before it froze at all. The cold set temps in after that. That's Fudgie in the pool and Brownie standing next to it waiting his turn. It's become a one-duck-at-a-time pool now. They don't like sharing swim time with another duck. So guess I need another pool.

 

[azygous]

Well then, hustle out and get Brownie his own pool. It's your job.

It's things such as this that has me nearly convinced the human species has been enslaved by higher life forms. Such as ducks and chickens.

 

[DukesDucks]

-25C/-13F this morning. Major snow storm on its way. I don't give my Muscovy ducks a swimming pool during the cold season. They have water deep enough to be able to fully dunk their heads which is replaced several times a day. I make them go into their coop at night for both weather and predator protection.

 

[sowNreap]

Well then, hustle out and get Brownie his own pool. It's your job.

It's things such as this that has me nearly convinced the human species has been enslaved by higher life forms. Such as ducks and chickens.

haha actually Brownie can use the 5 gal aluminum bucket that some of the other ducks use, it's not very big around so they can't fit their butt or their head in only their body but somehow they manage to bath in it. Or he can use the 7 gal rubber stock tub in front yard that they also like to bath in. Actually I have big cooler that's filled with water to wash poop off the porch and the ducks bath in it too. lol And there's that other container for drinking they bath in. So it's not like he doesn't have at least 5 places to bath. Crazy ducks, bathing in their drinking water. Yeah I have lots of water containers around my yard so the ducks don't have to walk far to get a drink. I spoil them. lol

Brownie & Fudgey are best buds, usually, so he was just waiting for Fudgey to finish his bath. Now if Brownie tried to get in pool with him then there be some feather pulling & chasing happening.

All 6 ducks have learned to take turns bathing. But I will probably get another small pool for them soon.

I have a small stock heater that works well, it needs to be in something though. The hole in a cement block works well, keep it off the plastic and off ducky feet. I think 300 watts so not super duper hot

I had one of those in the smaller pool I had few years ago. The fountain at that time didn't have as big a pump so the water didn't flow over the edge very hard. The first time it got into the single digits using the heater, the whole pool froze over so hard I had to wait 2 days before I could get the heater out to return since it did nothing at all to keep even tiny hole open. I couldn't pour enough hot water in it to even chip the ice.

The fountain pump usually keeps it ice free down into the 20's if temps go up some the next day or the sun comes out. I've got higher flow nozzle & hose on it now so I'll see if that works out even better.

This is how the fountain & pool looked back years ago when it froze over, not sure if this was when I had the de-icer in it or not. Fountain was 2 tiered back then but the support for 2nd tier broke so now it's just the single tier. I didn't have ducks back then. This was just for the birds and other wildlife to bath & drink in. Also, that pool was only 26 gallons I think, this bigger one is 75 gal so takes more to freeze it over since it's deeper and more volume.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

It's a great pic.

I agree with @DukesDucks , I make my ducks go in their coop for protection at night from predators and the elements. I also cut off swim water when its below 20°F. Ducks don't always know what's best for them - especially domestic ducks.

 

[azygous]

I'll have to see how it goes before trying to cut off their swimming/bathing time.

Not so fast. What little I've learned about those ducks of yours, they've most likely unionized and you better be prepared for a tough negotiation when they hear you are thinking of cutting their pond time. Don't be surprised when they lay out a demand for an indoor heated pool.

 

[sowNreap]

Thanks for the advice about temps below 20.

We don't get an awful lot of cold temps or should say we haven't the last few years. Just a couple days here in there in the teens. But seems winter might have finally set in this year since we've already had several days in the teens and got some more coming in the next week. It's very rare to for us to get sub-zero temps.

I'll have to see how it goes before trying to cut off their swimming/bathing time.

 

[DucksOhio]

Not so fast. What little I've learned about those ducks of yours, they've most likely unionized and you better be prepared for a tough negotiation when they hear you are thinking of cutting their pond time. Don't be surprised when they lay out a demand for an indoor heated pool.

My neighbor put an aerator in his pond earlier this year, it’s been a godsend to have even a small portion of the pond open for the ducks. However, it’s been wickedly cold up here in NE Ohio, they've been reluctant to even go outside. We’ve had a high yesterday of 17f, next week we’re looking at highs in the single digits. I absolutely HATE winter. No one will ever convince me otherwise. Please don’t tell me that winter makes you appreciate spring…that makes me want to scream

 

[Luv Ducks]

My neighbor put an aerator in his pond earlier this year, it’s been a godsend to have even a small portion of the pond open for the ducks. However, it’s been wickedly cold up here in NE Ohio, they've been reluctant to even go outside. We’ve had a high yesterday of 17f, next week we’re looking at highs in the single digits. I absolutely HATE winter. No one will ever convince me otherwise. Please don’t tell me that winter makes you appreciate spring…that makes me want to scream

I am in Ohio also but more closer to Columbus. The ice and snow have been a headache here too. Carrying buckets of water and trying not to fall to refill their several heated water buckets has been a challenge. I guess that proves how much I love my ducks, right? Or that maybe I'm just all quacked up!!! LOL

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I have a small stock heater that works well, it needs to be in something though. The hole in a cement block works well, keep it off the plastic and off ducky feet. I think 300 watts so not super duper hot