In ground Duck Pool

That's a really cool idea. I think it would be hard to clean though. I just use sand boxes and dump weekly but would love one in ground.

 

Figures it's labs lol

Um, yeah filtration would be a massive problem. I have a small Koi pond and on occasion my ducks "sneak in" to say they make a mess is an understatement and it has a filter. I mainly use troughs for my ducks, i can tip them, scrub 'em and re-fill 'em.

 

My pen's going in on a slight slope, so I intend to build a pool into the ground and install a drain with a shutoff valve and hose connection down hill from the pond. I have no idea how successful that will be, but I figure it's worth a shot, and a lot more attractive than a big blue kid pool covered in dirt and poop.

 

Look forward to seeing it when you get it finished.

 

A pond filter would certainly help you to keep it clean. Water circulation helps a ton, so a filter will keep the water cleaner. On occasion it will still have to be picked out, but you can do that with a pool skimmer or something of that sort. Just be sure you keep the water moving. If you let a kiddie pool sit there like that, then you are asking for an algae boom!!

 

Do the same concept, but build it up so you can install a drain.
A pump won't keep it clean, but circulating water won't smell as bad and should prevent the algae bloom or keep it away for much longer.

 

This sounds kind of like what I did. I was remodeling my bathroom and used the old garden tub. I attached tubing onto the drain before setting in the ground. I dug a trench sloped downward for about 15 feet to empty into the creek that runs behind the coop. I then stacked big flat rocks around the tub and outwards to keep the mud down as much as possible. When I need to clean it, I just pull the plug and let it drain then rinse and fill. It's not the prettiest but they love it. It is only in the ground about 8 inches because I hit a root of a really big tree when I was digging and couldn't go any deeper.