Ducks & Water

[PirateGirl]

In winter my ducks have a small 15 gallon stock tank to swim in, only 2 ducks can fit in it at once. Now they have a small kiddie pool, maybe 30 gallons, all 4 can hop in at once. Once it stops freezing at nights and I can keep the hose set up they will get both.

 

[llombardo]

Most domestic duck breeds don't fly. They are often too heavy. There are of course exceptions, such as Mallards. In those cases you can clip one wing so they can't fly.

Ducks don't need a pond, technically they don't even need swimming water but they are much happier with it. I have plans to build mine a pond but right now they are happy with their stock tank and kiddie pool. In very cold weather they only get their heated buckets (so they can clean out their nares).

That's thd plan here with water. I got them a heated 5 gallon bucket for the winter.

 

[llombardo]

To be fair, they aren't drinking most of it. Ducks love to play in their water, especially if it's clean. If you have plants you can use the poopy duck water to water them. My plants love it. At my old house I had a peach tree that thrived on it.

I have a peach tree. Just toss the water around the bottom?

 

[PirateGirl]

I have been dumping the water in all my garden areas. Things are starting to grow where I pour the duck water everything else is still brown.

 

[lomine]

I have a peach tree. Just toss the water around the bottom?

Yes just toss it on. Your plants will love it.

 

[HeatherD42]

People say that ducks don't need bathing water, but mine get very dirty if they haven't been able to do a full body dunk in a while, so I don't think that's true. They have deep water in buckets daily and a chance to jump in my mortar mixing pan every week or two

 

[lomine]

Technically ducks don’t need swimming water to survive. I remember reading about a study they did on commercially raised ducks and different methods of giving water. They were trying to see if ducks could be raised on nipple waterers alone. They proved that ducks can grow up fine and live without swimming water.

That’s not to say I think backyard keepers should withhold swimming water. Except in very cold weather, I think they should have access to deeper water. They are healthier and happier when allowed to submerse more of their bodies and fully clean themselves but they aren’t going to die if they can’t get a good bath.

 

[PirateGirl]

Technically ducks don’t need swimming water to survive. I remember reading about a study they did on commercially raised ducks and different methods of giving water. They were trying to see if ducks could be raised on nipple waterers alone. They proved that ducks can grow up fine and live without swimming water.

That’s not to say I think backyard keepers should withhold swimming water. Except in very cold weather, I think they should have access to deeper water. They are healthier and happier when allowed to submerse more of their bodies and fully clean themselves but they aren’t going to die if they can’t get a good bath.

I agree, but when they have deeper water available, even if only once a week, their feathers certainly start looking better, they clean and preen more extensively. You could probably survive without bathing too, but are probably a bit healthier and feel a bit better when you can clean off from time to time.

 

[chickens really]

I agree, but when they have deeper water available, even if only once a week, their feathers certainly start looking better, they clean and preen more extensively. You could probably survive without bathing too, but are probably a bit healthier and feel a bit better when you can clean off from time to time.

...Plus Drakes need to keep their penis clean too..

 

[Flockandfowl46]

I currently have 13 ducks in my flock and they have a small and large plastic kiddie pool that they share and I change the water daily as well as a drinking tub in their house, they free range all day and are put up at night so the have access to them all day but they don't have to have a pool but they love it and I get more fertile eggs that way,we are excavating a pond this summer