Feeding/watering solutions

[cheezenkwackers]

I just use an extra large, high dog water bowl for water and change it once a day (they have clean water in their pools during the day too). I use a grandpa’s feeder for duck pellets. It is a couple feet away from the water and they do not get the feed wet. They do spill some but since I am deep litter with pine shavings it is not a problem. I would think gravel or stones would get food on it and get gross. In deep drying shavings, old food decays without a lot smell.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just use an extra large, high dog water bowl for water and change it once a day (they have clean water in their pools during the day too). I use a grandpa’s feeder for duck pellets. It is a couple feet away from the water and they do not get the feed wet. They do spill some but since I am deep litter with pine shavings it is not a problem. I would think gravel or stones would get food on it and get gross. In deep drying shavings, old food decays without a lot smell.

I use deep litter, too, with pine shavings, leaves, mulch. It still gets awfully wet in winter. But I'll keep trying new things.

 

[ruthhope]

I think I must be very lucky as I don't have a problem and I feed my ducks in their coop.
I currently have 5 feeding stations in the coup as I have 3 ducks in dog crates and two muscovy free in the coop but one stays ontop of one of the dogcrates [I put in a plywood cover to protect the pekin in the bottom bunk!]

I use deep litter in the coop. The bottom is hardware cloth over very sandy soil -- and that is probably why I don't have a problem. Any spilt water soaks down and into the soil and drains away. I leave the coop closed during the day when the ducks are free ranging and some dampness likely evaporates. Before the ducks go back in late afternoon, I add pine shavings over the remaining damp areas. The ducks are happy, and its easy to manage.

My ducks all have their own food bowls -- its because the muscovy exclude the pekins from a communal food bowl that the pekins are in dogcrates. Having the food bowls set a little apart -- the width or length of the dogcrate -- stops the ducks getting their food wet. I get more pine shavings in the food than water!

 

[Tretinker]

I should add we are trying deep litter method but we are overrun with flies at the moment but no strong odours. We have yet to do a winter or rain weather so we shall see.