Pools for ducks

[JamieMcClain]

I’ve always kept a large plastic pool on our patio for the ducks and geese to swim in. The concrete helps keep it cool and it’s shaded from the deck above. But the one we have apparently has a hole Or crack because it is leaking and of course it’s impossible to find another hard plastic one right now! Anyone use inflatable pools for their birds? Do they rip right through them? They’re easier to find than the hard plastic ones. I’ve got mallards, runners, muscovys, and Toulouse geese if that helps.

 

[LT71689]

I started mine with a little baby inflatable because it was slightly deeper than the typical plastic kiddie pool, but not the giant family sized inflatables. One of them learned how to balance on the side of it while letting all the water rush out - they were obsessed with running water. Once she got real good at that, she wound up popping it with her toe nails. Could have patched it but that would have been so many patches (she'd do it several times per swim if I wasnt shooing her off the side of it)

Otherwise they didnt tear it up, the bottom and sides were fine anywhere she didnt hop on it. They could just push themselves over the edges on their chests so their feet didnt scratch it much. I only had two though, a whole gaggle of them probably would have shred it to pieces.

When the weather turns in a week or two you might be able to find some plastic ones on craigslist or FB yardsale groups, they seem to have gotten all swept up in the pandemic buying but some folks might be ready to toss them when its too cold to use (for humans) anymore

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

yes they work well. we only use them sometimes though because they mess up the grass worse than plastic pools

 

[KaleIAm]

Good question! I've been wondering that, too!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

My 6 ducks have four pools to choose from. Two are larger and deep, a pond liner and livestock water trough. The other two are smaller, 4-6 gallon horse water/feed bowls. Although they will swim in all four, they use the smaller ones way more than the big ones. If I were you, I would get a couple of those. They were less than ten dollars each at the feed store and are really easy to empty and clean. They have lasted over three years as well.

 

[KaleIAm]

My 6 ducks have four pools to choose from. Two are larger and deep, a pond liner and livestock water trough. The other two are smaller, 4-6 gallon horse water/feed bowls. Although they will swim in all four, they use the smaller ones way more than the big ones. If I were you, I would get a couple of those. They were less than ten dollars each at the feed store and are really easy to empty and clean. They have lasted over three years as well.
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What breed is the duck in the first photo standing outside the pool?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

What breed is the duck in the first photo standing outside the pool?

Her mother was a silver Welsh Harlequin and her father, who is in the pool, is 1/2 Khaki and 1/2 Silver Appleyard. He is currently in eclipse plumage. He looks very much like a Khaki when he is in his breeding plumage. The female, his daughter, inherited the restricted allele from him and has white under her wings like him. My avatar is either her or one of her sisters when she was a duckling.

 

[JamieMcClain]

My 6 ducks have four pools to choose from. Two are larger and deep, a pond liner and livestock water trough. The other two are smaller, 4-6 gallon horse water/feed bowls. Although they will swim in all four, they use the smaller ones way more than the big ones. If I were you, I would get a couple of those. They were less than ten dollars each at the feed store and are really easy to empty and clean. They have lasted over three years as well.
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Oh yeah, I’ve got 8 of those smaller bowls all around the property for them to “drink” from (they’re always inside them bathing!) lol. I just like to have something bigger that they can submerge completely

 

[KaleIAm]

Her mother was a silver Welsh Harlequin and her father, who is in the pool, is 1/2 Khaki and 1/2 Silver Appleyard. He is currently in eclipse plumage. He looks very much like a Khaki when he is in his breeding plumage. The female, his daughter, inherited the restricted allele from him and has white under her wings like him. My avatar is either her or one of her sisters when she was a duckling.

Thanks!! She's super cute!

 

[ibarbidahl]

try a pond liner. Not easily ripped - may be able to get it shipped fairly cheaply. Keep the plastic pool and put the liner inside. Good luck!
FWIW I use cement mixing tubs. The duckies love them.