Heating a kiddie pool for ducks

[TwoMileRanch]

Hi all, as winter sneaks up, I'm looking at ideas for my ducks.

They have access to a 1/3 acre pond and it will have some open water most of the winter. In their pen, I have a small kiddie pool they dunk in and drink from.

Has anyone used one of the outdoor heated floor pads for dogs/kennels under one of the pools? (Are they weather proof enough?)

My biggest interest is keeping drinking water defrosted, but the ducks in the past have emptied chicken waterers quickly -- by spashing.

Any ideas or tips?

 

[veronicasmom]

Heated dog bowls for water work great for ours. I wouldn't use the kennel pads for trying to heat a pool, I have them for my rabbits and don't think they could do it.
Bird bath heaters work great for our duck pool. NOT livestock trough heaters, they get way too hot and could burn them. The one we use is kind of lollipop shaped, and they can actually stand on it. But it works to keep the water ice free all winter in Maine. I have had a skim coat of ice when the temps got to about 20 below (happened once), other than that, it's worked wonderfully for us.
American Livestock.com has a heated bird bath mat that looks pretty cool and the birds can stand on it with no problems. I haven't tried it, but if you do, please let us know if it works.
I also found the heated hutch/coop bowls for my rabbits there too. I posted in another thread about how the tubes in the bottle waterers freeze immediately in cold weather, these little bowls work really slick. My bunnies have fresh unfrozen water all winter.

 

[TwoMileRanch]

Great ideas....thank you so much. No I know what things to look for. I'll report back .

 

[Miz Pack Fan]

Any idea how much wattage is needed to keep a small kiddie pool from freezing? As for the drinking water, I use a heated pet water bowl. I'm in Iowa and the temps dip down below zero (a little too often if you ask me! Ha) in winter and the heated bowl hasn't failed me yet. And my ducks can dunk their heads in it too.

 

[Tinkerstinker]

Heated dog bowls for water work great for ours. I wouldn't use the kennel pads for trying to heat a pool, I have them for my rabbits and don't think they could do it.
Bird bath heaters work great for our duck pool. NOT livestock trough heaters, they get way too hot and could burn them. The one we use is kind of lollipop shaped, and they can actually stand on it. But it works to keep the water ice free all winter in Maine. I have had a skim coat of ice when the temps got to about 20 below (happened once), other than that, it's worked wonderfully for us.
American Livestock.com has a heated bird bath mat that looks pretty cool and the birds can stand on it with no problems. I haven't tried it, but if you do, please let us know if it works.
I also found the heated hutch/coop bowls for my rabbits there too. I posted in another thread about how the tubes in the bottle waterers freeze immediately in cold weather, these little bowls work really slick. My bunnies have fresh unfrozen water all winter.

How do you change the pool of Water I can’t figure how to get water out to the ducks for winter

 

[Miss Lydia]

Most of us don't set up pools in dead of winter if temps are going below freezing. I use a cement mixing tub for quick bathes on days when it gets above freezing. I use heated buckets for drinking and head washing. Heated dog bowls work too.

 

[indianaducks]

Most of us don't set up pools in dead of winter if temps are going below freezing. I use a cement mixing tub for quick bathes on days when it gets above freezing. I use heated buckets for drinking and head washing. Heated dog bowls work too.

I assume if there's water that's not frozen, they will want to swim no matter what temperature it is? Do I just need to remove it a few hours before bed time so they are dry when they get put to bed? Does it matter?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh yes and I would not leave water out all night on below freezing temps if they have access to it 24/7 I have read of ducks losing feet to sitting in their pond all night and the pond freezing around them.

 

[indianaducks]

Oh yes and I would not leave water out all night on below freezing temps if they have access to it 24/7 I have read of ducks losing feet to sitting in their pond all night and the pond freezing around them.

Thanks. Mine don't have pools at night. Just during the day. Wasn't sure if that should be taken away in the dead of winter too

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, I guess there are different views on that. I don't heat pool water but I wonder if they get into a heated pool and then get out into frigid temps if that could pose a health risk? Hopefully someone who keeps pool water open in winter can help with that question.