how long to keep the pool going ??

[WickedChicksNH]

It's now officially October and I know that isn't cold at all for ducks and chickens. This is my first year having ducks for the winter.
I live in New Hampshire so it will get cold. Do I keep cleaning the pool and filling it until snow? before? when it starts to freeze?
put ice skates on them? lol

Thanks

 

[CrystaBub]

It's now officially October and I know that isn't cold at all for ducks and chickens. This is my first year having ducks for the winter.
I live in New Hampshire so it will get cold. Do I keep cleaning the pool and filling it until snow? before? when it starts to freeze?
put ice skates on them? lol

Thanks

thanks for posting this - i was wondering the same thing. will be watching!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Well. . . .as long as the temps are above freezing I keep the pools going. I've also used tank de icers to keep them open longer. However one problem with having swimming water in freezing weather is the water they splash out of the pool making the area around it slick and causing slips and injuries. I've also heard stories someone's duck coming out of the water and getting frozen to the ice on the ground. So. . I pretty much just plan on running the heated water bowls/buckets for drinking water and only letting them swim on days it gets above freezing.

 

[PirateGirl]

Keep it going as long as possible and your ducks will be super happy! I do the pool all winter, but switch to a smaller one and less frequent refills. I try to keep it to days that get above freezing.

 

[BantyChooks]

I keep my pool available to them until it's frozen too solid to get the ice out of. Then I let the snow cover it for the winter, and usually regret it next spring when it's a lovely warm day... with a foot and a half of snow and ice over the pool. Sometimes I have a spare they can freshen themselves up in instead, but it's nice for them to have the big one. I keep meaning to empty it BEFORE it freezes solid one of these years. Sigh.

 

[PirateGirl]

I keep my pool available to them until it's frozen too solid to get the ice out of. Then I let the snow cover it for the winter, and usually regret it next spring when it's a lovely warm day... with a foot and a half of snow and ice over the pool. Sometimes I have a spare they can freshen themselves up in instead, but it's nice for them to have the big one. I keep meaning to empty it BEFORE it freezes solid one of these years. Sigh.

Depending the size of your pool, this may or may not work, when mine freezes solid, I flip it upside down. On a warmish day the pool plastic will heat up and the ice chunk falls out. Those are generally the days warm enough to give them a little fresh swimming water too!

 

[BantyChooks]

Depending the size of your pool, this may or may not work, when mine freezes solid, I flip it upside down. On a warmish day the pool plastic will heat up and the ice chunk falls out. Those are generally the days warm enough to give them a little fresh swimming water too!

Nah, my pool's too big. It'd crack if I tried that. Not sure how many gallons it is, but it's big enough I have to bail it out rather than tipping it.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Nah, my pool's too big. It'd crack if I tried that. Not sure how many gallons it is, but it's big enough I have to bail it out rather than tipping it.

So how many months out of the year do your ducks get to swim anyway? 2?

Hi Banty.

 

[BantyChooks]

So how many months out of the year do your ducks get to swim anyway? 2?

Hi Banty.

Five or six, actually. Hi, southie.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Five or six, actually. Hi, southie.

It still getting up to 80 degrees here. Ducks will be swimming for a good while longer.