ducks + water

[friedchickn]

Do ducks have to have swimming water? I have 2 pekins and I'm using a rubbermaid container for now and they get it very nasty and dirty so i clean it about every week and it takes about a half hour.

 

[darleneferguson57]

I have two Welsh Harlequin ducks, in their pen I have a childs plastic pool from Walmart for about 12.00. It still gets very dirty. We add water everyday due to all the splashing and drain, clean and refill once a week. My Mom had Mallards and all she had was an old drawer out of a refrigerater. Just has to be deep enough so that they can submerse their heads.

 

[friedchickn]

Ok thank you

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Technically ducks don't HAVE to have swimming water as long as they have deep enough drinking bowls to dunk their heads and wash their eyes out and preen. However ducks get very happy when they have swimming water.

 

[friedchickn]

Ok tanks

 

[Going Quackers]

IMO yes, they don't need some fancy pond/river but a child's pool or a large livestock tub will do. They bathe to keep feathers in good condition, i consider it part of there overall health.

I keep kiddy pools, several of them and i'll admit some of the ducks invade the horses trough lol

 

[friedchickn]

Ha when I was shopping I was looking for a kiddie pool and they didnt have any so I just got a Rubbermaid because I thought they had to have swimming water

 

[Going Quackers]

Ha when I was shopping I was looking for a kiddie pool and they didnt have any so I just got a Rubbermaid because I thought they had to have swimming water

My ducks will flop themselves into these livestock bowls...



and i have this other shaped one that makes THE best starter pool(some of my ducklings last year)



Bottom of an old sandbox works great too, specifically the old little tykes turtle one, oh and obviously puddles, nice muddy ones

 

[friedchickn]

Lol can ducks drown

 

[Marwan]

I dont think ducks can unless unhealthy and not oiled up properly but duckling can easily down in the shallowest of waters.. My ducks hated swimming all thier lives. there a year and a half and although terrified of rain they can be slowly adjusted to the local pond where after 5 mins there done swimming. Not all ducks love water as much as we think but swimming itself isnt exactly a nessecity but more of somthing which can make perticular ducks very happy and as owners we should always strive for that. Mine have a nice deep 5 litre icream tub with fresh drinking water twice a day as they seem to dirty it up with thier food. they dont climb in it but it still ends up a mess... Hope this helped