panting ducks

[Miss Ducky]

It's 93 degrees Fahrenheit where I am, and my ducks are all panting. They have a nice big pond to swim in, but they're all napping in the shade right now. Anything I can do to help cool them off?

 

[Alicia G]

When my birds get over heated I like to spray them down with the hose, but I don't push the matter because stressing them out will only aggravate the problem.

 

[gofasterstripe]

Their pool might be full but how long has the water been in it. I gave mine freash water this am and I am now going out to give them more fresh pools. The pool water gets hot fast and they wont go in it untill I give them cold water.

 

[TLWR]

I drained the pond this morning and Cadbury was fine and Ally was panting away after I booted them out of it. They played in any water I drained out and Ally hopped back in as soon as she could, and even walked over the big scarey net lol

 

[Miss Ducky]

The ducks do like their water! We don't drain the pond/change the water. It fills up by rain water and is quite large and keeps clean through natural processes. It has a fountain that the ducks like to swim under! Earlier I went out with a spray bottle full of cool water and sprayed them with that because I was too lazy to haul the hose out. They seemed to like it. They went for a swim and are panting less now.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I dont want to sound harsh but..I hope your ducks dont suffer because of your lazyness to take 2 minutes of your time to haul a hose out to give them cool water. Ive just spent 45 minutes out side in over 100 heat to empty and refill 4 pools and 7 water buckets so my ducks dont suffer in the heat with no cold water. Am I hot, sweaty and soaked in sweat...yes, but I know my ducks are now cool and happy and I can now come in to a AC house to cool off!

 

[Miss Ducky]

I can understand where you're coming from, but there's a fountain in the pond that they can swim under for the same affect. (Which they have before. They love the thing!) I have a feeling that lugging out a big hose that they've seen maybe once before, and never moving nor with water coming out of it, would stress them out more than cool them off. Heck, they run when they see me carrying an umbrella! We just had a thunderstorm and it's much cooler now anyway. Thanks for the advise!

 

[goosedragon]

i came home from work the first 100+ day and found the buggers laying on their backs with wings spread and their feet in the air. I thought they were dead or dieing so I grabbed the hose and sprayed them and they all got back to normal. It even makes sense if you think about it they can radiate more body heat if their wings aren't cpvering their backs and the feet do the same if they aren't laying on them like proper ducks would, Scary the first time though.

 

[agregg15]

Quote:
You're lucky you have a hose. I have to fill up my ducks pond (AKA a large storage container) with 5 gallon buckets. It takes forever.

 

[pirtykitty]

I have two rubber maide clear plastic container rectangular, a kiddy pool, and a bath tub for my 3... We change the bath tub several times a week, the rubber maide tubs twice a day, and the kiddy pool every couple days.. depends on how much they are in the kiddy pool and bath tub.. hubby sprays them with hose too.. And when we water in the mornings I spray several bushes with water so the ground will be damp... The ducks get on one side of the bush and the pullets on the other..
Oh and fresh water in their buckets at least once a day if not twice depending on if they get treats that yuckie up the water. Their night pen water gets yuckie over night from their mazuri/ layena pellets.. so its dumped everymorning and filled back up for the evening..