How often do ducks need access to head bathers?

[Miss Lydia]

Mine love to stick their heads all the way to the bottom of the bucket. They are silly!

 

[TomCahalan]

Metzer farms (major reputed breeder) doesn't give their ducks water to dunk in, and don't have problems. My runner and campbell ducks didn't have access to dunking water for the first six months and didn't have problems. My new pekins didn't have access to water and soon some of them started having problems, so I gave them access. So it seems that there isn't one right answer.

 

[Isaac 0]

Metzer farms (major reputed breeder) doesn't give their ducks water to dunk in, and don't have problems. My runner and campbell ducks didn't have access to dunking water for the first six months and didn't have problems. My new pekins didn't have access to water and soon some of them started having problems, so I gave them access. So it seems that there isn't one right answer.

And this is a picture from there website, they don't look very healthy to me. There is a reason they are called waterfowl. We could probably get away without showering for six months, probably wouldn't feel the best, but we could get away with it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[DuckyDonna]

And this is a picture from there website, they don't look very healthy to me. There is a reason they are called waterfowl. We could probably get away without showering for six months, probably wouldn't feel the best, but we could get away with it.

View attachment 2086493

they look horrible! I can't imagine why they would put that picture up on their web site. They look like mine do after 3 straight weeks of playing in the mud and rain.

 

[Isaac 0]

I know! This is where I got it from, You can see towards the end the ducks that are allowed to free-range look much happier/healthier than the ones penned up.

https://www.metzerfarms.com/GrowingDucklings.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=25232373

 

[TomCahalan]

Hmm, thanks for showing me that picture, they look pretty bad. I guess I got lucky with my runners; maybe their sleek head geometry has something to do with it. They had absolutely no eye problems. They were living at a location without water (I had to bring them their water in jugs). Now that I live at a place where I am allowed to have ducks they have free access to a nice pond.

 

[Rattee]

if you look closely at mine? These are heated buckts for winter and they think are their own personal hot tubs hence the piece of wood screwed over half.

I did not see the board screwed on; that’s hilarious! I ended up cutting a gallon water bottle in half, just low enough to where they can dunk their heads in but High enough to where they won’t try to bathe in it.

 

[Rattee]

I know! This is where I got it from, You can see towards the end the ducks that are allowed to free-range look much happier/healthier than the ones penned up.

https://www.metzerfarms.com/GrowingDucklings.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=25232373

You’re right! Gaah, I wish I had the stones to free range my ducks but I’m so attached to them (and all my animals) that I don’t want to risk anything happening to them

 

[Rattee]

Hmm, thanks for showing me that picture, they look pretty bad. I guess I got lucky with my runners; maybe their sleek head geometry has something to do with it. They had absolutely no eye problems. They were living at a location without water (I had to bring them their water in jugs). Now that I live at a place where I am allowed to have ducks they have free access to a nice pond.

I’m sure your duckies are very happy!