Homemade Duck Ponds? Pics?

[destinduck]

Dnowa. You can get a sump pump. It will drain all the water out of your kiddie pools. Iuse a 1/16 hp from ace hardware. Never break your kiddie pools or back again. Plus when you can hook any length hose to the top of the pump you can water your lawn or plants. Now how convenient is that.

 

[erijn5]

Hattiegun: That is awesome can you come to my house?

 

[TLWR]

Quote:
Not elevated, but on a slope on pea gravel so I don't have to fill it entirely to get some 'deep' water for them to dive without boinking the bottom of the pool.
Not connected to a hose - just open and it drains into the yard and the ducks have a blast as it drains making a bigger mess.
Start small and then once you have the hang of it, cut the correct sized hole. I think I used a file type bit, poked a hole in and got the feel for it and then followed the inside of my drawn circle and then tweaked as needed to make it fit, but still fit snug.


I'll upload the pic later - DH updated my computer and photobucket and my computer are not happy right now.

 

[loubapache]

Quote:
How did you do that and what plastic (how thick) did you use? Did you use wood strips to attach the plastic to the frame?

Thank you in advance.

 

[dnowa1975]

You guys all ROCK! These are some great ideas!!!!
I'm consolidating my 2 1/2 chicken coops to one large one and once that's done the duck pond gets put in....
Thanks Again for the ideas

 

[Hattiegun]

Quote:
How did you do that and what plastic (how thick) did you use? Did you use wood strips to attach the plastic to the frame?

Thank you in advance.

I would have to look , I just bought a big roll at Menards (fairly heavy) and used Lathe strips and nailed it up.. I do have corregated heavy plastic sheets as roofing over 3/4 of it... part is white for shade, part is clear (over pond for sun) and then the last 1/4 is ply wood that I remove in the summer (harware cloth also covers the whole roof). I did get 6 pieces of plexiglass for 6 of the front sections so I would be able to see out all winter. It gets really cold here in the winter and when the sun comes out it is very comfortable in there... heres a couple pics with some of the plastic up. Now thats its getting nice , I just take a section off at a time so its not too hot in there.

 

[loubapache]

Thanks you so much for the details, Hattiegun.

I plan to do something like yours. I believe Menards sell the 6 mil heavy plastic. I am going to use the polycarbonate panels (from Menards) for the run roof. However, I cannot do a steep roof like yours because my rafters are already in there and the run is a pergola. I do plan to make the roof a little bit pitched so the rain can run off. For snow, I just have to beef up the roof structure.

From your pictures, it seems you used 2x8 as rafters. Does your water line freeze up?

Thanks again.

 

[Hattiegun]

loubapache-- dug the waterline in so it doesnt freeze. Ended up alittle more stout than original plans but i guess for all the nasty weather we get here I dont have to worry .... one end has a couple inches of sand and pea gravel and then grass on the other side of the pond. They free range outside alot but mostly poooh in the pond which i refill every other day.... I only have 4 calls but I really dont have alot of mess. I can hose down the whole inside.

 

[chickenlisa]

Quote:
How does that work btw? We're just looking into it, but the only thing we've found out so far is that the above ground part has to be in your house or in a heated bldg so that part doesn't freeze, even if the water lines are below the frost line....We don't have any heated bldgs outside of our house...and don't exactly want a water pipe/ faucet on one of our kitchen walls (nearest the chicken and duck pens.)
Lisa
PS- I'm asking b/c I'm so tired or chopping ice out of my ducks' pools all winter, carrying 5 gal buckets (X5) of water outside everyday all winter. I"m trying to get it changed before next winter NOW.

 

[loubapache]

I thought the same. Unless the pen/run is heated, any water or water line above the frost line will be instantly frozen in my Michigan winter.