How high above ground for duck pond??

[Redley]

We have a black horse trough we are planning to use for the duck pond until we can fence in our current pond area.
We now have a rubbermaid bucket as their pond.
Do we need to dig down the trough for the ducks to walk into it,
or can we build a ramp and platform for the trough?
Will the ducks use the ramp?
We have a 2x6 as a ramp to the rubbermaid bucket pond and they don't use it.
Not sure if it's because the ramp is too skinny for the Pekins, or if it's something else.
What's your duck pond/duck ramp experience?

 

[TLWR]

My ducks don't like ramps. But they do stairs just fine. I had steps into their blue pool and now steps into their pond.

 

[Redley]

How big are youR steps? I.e. How tall/wide is each step?

 

[TLWR]

The ones to the pond are landscape timbers, each step about 12" wide and a landscape timber tall.
The step to the pool was a big cement block on the side and a smaller one in front of it.
And the steps up the deck that are normal people steps.

 

[HottentotTeal]

I have a large rubbermaid tub as my pond and i just set it at ground level (recessed).