Help with water dirty vs clean

[AZrachel]

Hey everyone, I have three full grown ducks. If I have a 100 gallon trough they can swim in 24/7 that filters out some of the muck, how often would you suggest I change out the water? Also, how do I know if it's too dirty for them to drink out of? My goal is to just empty at once per week in order to save water here in Arizona. I can use the 100 gallons to water our trees. But how clean does their drinking water need to be? Can I use the pond water as their drinking water? If I give them separate water, I get TONS of mud and Mosquitos and it only actually stays cleans for one minute anyway. Thoughts?

 

[CuzChickens]

I would just give them the pond water. I had ducks once, and the time I spent trying to keep their water clean was insane. If they really cared about drinking clean water, I am pretty sure they would not put mud in it. I say totally give them the pond water. TONS of people let have their ducks drinking pond water 24/7.

 

[Cherib603]

Put out a taller bucket that is tall and narrow, so that they can walk up to it and dip their heads in, but not climb into it. Clean water is VERY important for ducks! Dirty water spreads disease, eye infections, sinus infections and respiratory infections.

 

[AZrachel]

Ok, thanks. As a separate question, do they need to be able to get their feet wet?

 

[chickens really]

Separate clean water for general use, like eating...If the tub gets so bad that they swim in clean more often..?

No they do not need to have wet feet...Just water to dunk their heads in....

 

[Cherib603]

But swimming keeps mites away, keeps their feathers clean and oiled. Bathing is important to ducks.
If keeping water clean and available is too much work for you, or anyone else, then perhaps ducks are not the animal for you.

 

[Duck Drover]

We give our ducks a 100 gallon trough for swimming and bathing and small rubber tubs for drinking water. We clean the small tubs daily but they also drink their bath water. Their preference is to strain water out of the mud, though. If given the choice between clean water and mud they will go for the mud because they are ducks. We still give them clean water daily but I don't stress over keeping the water crystal clean when it is not what they prefer anyway.

 

[Cherib603]

They like to strain the mud looking for bugs and worms. True. But the clean water is ESSENTIAL to keep them healthy.

 

[purslanegarden]

Muddy water is not as bad as water infested by their fecal matter. You don't want them drinking second water that too much. In other words, muddy water may happen soon after giving them new water, but stagnant water (such as in a small kiddie pool or tank) staying around for a few days after being dirtied by their bodies and feces should be cleaned often.

 

[KariBunny]

Hi, I just got a pair of Pekins and i have to change the water every 5mins, im concerned about them getting a disease because of the dirty water.
Any suggestions on what kind of tray should i use to keep water for them all day., without them getting it dirty. Also im not home from 6am to 5pm.