Ducks water winter

[Cathy Schnedler]

i live in western Wisconsin . I have 4 ducks and would love to keep the kiddie wading pool ice free this winter. Any suggestions?

 

[Jpat]

what kind of pool? a big air bubler would keep it open for a little while

 

[Cathy Schnedler]

Just a plastic wading pool

 

[Jpat]

Just a plastic wading pool

They are so poorly insulated, Ide like to see what others have done

 

[cheezenkwackers]

They sell heaters for horse troughs at the feed store but I would be concerned about how thin the walls of a wading pool are for that. You may want to look at the nice black, thick plastic, horse/cow troughs such a store. I keep one extra small black one to fill on sunny days when it is really cold and it makes my ducks happy.

 

[Helloworld]

Bird bath heater. Horse trough heater too hot for little pool.

 

[chickens really]

I keep my pool Dumped out. I set it up on warm winter days by the faucet outside and have a short hose I can fill the pool with. I also use rubber livestock bowls for watering my Birds all winter.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Technically as long as you provide water to dip their heads in, they don't need a pool. But, if you are going to continue to use the pool @chickens really suggestions will get you through the winter. Or go with one of those heavy duty plastic troughs with a birdbath heater as suggested.

 

[chickens really]

Technically as long as you provide water to dip their heads in, they don't need a pool. But, if you are going to continue to use the pool @chickens really suggestions will get you through the winter. Or go with one of those heavy duty plastic troughs with a birdbath heater as suggested.

I don't like Dirty Ducks so mine definitely bath at every opportunity I have to fill the pool. Keeps feathers clean and oiled.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I don't like Dirty Ducks so mine definitely bath at every opportunity I have to fill the pool. Keeps feathers clean and oiled.

My ducks aren't dirty. I took their pool away last week. I provide them with plenty of fresh water though. I will let them have the pool today when I go outside to work in the yard. I just don't have the time every day to empty and fill a pool so that it doesn't freeze into a solid mass and don't have the resources to hook up a heat source. My ducks will be fine. They haven't complained yet.
Mine are also muscovy and don't focus on the pool as much. They splash around in it when it is first filled and that's about it. In and out.
I was giving the OP alternatives to keeping a pool filled during the winter.