Ducks wont drink water

[Musolff2015]

Do you have a covered run? Definitely straw down as footing and cover from elements is needed.

Yes we do. The coop itself is L shaped, larger portion is wood w/laminate and covered in sawdust and straw. Smaller portion has poultry flooring but I threw straw down to help with draft and being plastic it gets frosted. The run is dried sand so I havent laid anything down especially since they free foam the yard all day when we are home. Run is pretty much solely for when we are gone.

 

[chickens really]

I would agree with you however that's far from the case. With 3 separate water containers (in coop, in run and outside) plus a large water/swamp hole in the yard that they love they did not touch a drop of water in over 4 days. Day 2 I changed a few things to try to figure out the issue. Late intl the 3rd day I obviously started going beyond measures because the need water to digest, maintain and clean up. Their eyes were getting red, beaks muddy, sneezing and they had only ate the few treats I gave them, the feed I set away from the water and the very minimal snow they were able to get. I wouldnt say I'm babying them in the slightest, im making sure they remain in the best health

Possibly shock from the heated water bucket?

 

[chickens really]

Yes we do. The coop itself is L shaped, larger portion is wood w/laminate and covered in sawdust and straw. Smaller portion has poultry flooring but I threw straw down to help with draft and being plastic it gets frosted. The run is dried sand so I havent laid anything down especially since they free foam the yard all day when we are home. Run is pretty much solely for when we are gone.

I guess you just have to play around with what's going to work for them over winter..

 

[Miss Lydia]

From what you posted earlier sounds like they are making progress that’s a good sign!!

 

[Musolff2015]

Possibly shock from the heated water bucket?

My best assumption is something that changed about our water. They had drank from the heated water bucket with no issue for a week give or take before this. It was when I bought some purified water that they finally drank and after slowly started getting back to normal. Shortly before all of this the city flushed the fire hydrants which stirs things up. Typically our water will come out yellow/orange for the day of. I'm thinking it may have stirred up something they didnt like and freaked them out. Everything about it all is just odd and mind boggling

 

[chickens really]

My best assumption is something that changed about our water. They had drank from the heated water bucket with no issue for a week give or take before this. It was when I bought some purified water that they finally drank and after slowly started getting back to normal. Shortly before all of this the city flushed the fire hydrants which stirs things up. Typically our water will come out yellow/orange for the day of. I'm thinking it may have stirred up something they didnt like and freaked them out. Everything about it all is just odd and mind boggling

Well sounds a bit over the top because Ducks will drink out of the dirtiest water..

 

[Musolff2015]

Well sounds a bit over the top because Ducks will drink out of the dirtiest water..[/QUOTE

I agree. Their favorite is that mud/water hole in the yard and they use the bucket to clean up after or pool when they had it. All I know is the water I bought was the turn around point....

 

[Suedan]

So it sounds like when the city flushed the water they stopped drinking? There may have been some kind of water sanitizer that they sensed. Maybe? I hope they are back to normal now.

 

[DuckMom2022]

I posted in another group but was unable to get any answers that I didnt already try. The past 2 days my ducks have refused to come out of the coop or touch their water. Yesterday i gave them cantaloupe and cucumber trying to entice them out, they refused so I just put it in the coop. They ate it all yet still didnt touch the water. Today I pushed them out of the coop and gave them feed next to a water dish they have used since I 1st got them. They ate the feed, but still wouldnt touch the water. Aside from acting nervous when I first got them out, they have been completely normal foraging the yard.
What could be going on?!?! Theres 7 and this applies to all of them.

Weird that I just read your question. Because today, mine are not getting to their water like yours. 3 bowls of water and they are all still clean. They ate their peas and worms that were in the water....but that's it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could something have spooked them? Do they have a pool they maybe drinking out of?