Poultry cups in winter

[BabyGotQuack]

For our ducks water we use 5 gal buckets with poultry cups. They work awesome, keep their water clean and with only 4 ducks right now it only needs to be filled every few days. This winter I wanted to try to keep our current system and just add a tank deicer to the bucket. In reviews people had said that it also kept their poultry nipples/cups from icing too. The deicer keeps the bucket from freezing but not the cups. Are the reviews wrong? Or is there something else I could be doing to keep the cups from freezing.

Side note, I do have a heated poultry waterer that we’ve used for years before in the winter and I hate it so I’m trying to avoid using it.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

There's no way for them to rinse out their nares, which is important.

I'm curious now about this cup question. I have one right now that I'm not using from when my ducks were ducklings. I might have to do an experiment! It's not quite cold enough here right now, though.

In summer they have a pool that’s always filled and in winter I have a huge dog dish right outside my door that I fill up a couple times a day so they can rinse.

 

[KaleIAm]

There's no way for them to rinse out their nares, which is important.

I'm curious now about this cup question. I have one right now that I'm not using from when my ducks were ducklings. I might have to do an experiment! It's not quite cold enough here right now, though.

I read an article by metzer once claiming ducks could use nipples like chickens. I was like, "*gasp!!* Sacrilegious!" Lol

 

[Eggstatic ChickyDoo]

I read an article by metzer once claiming ducks could use nipples like chickens. I was like, "*gasp!!* Sacrilegious!" Lol

Several of their photos have nipples in the background, as well. I've wondered about that...

 

[Isadora]

For our ducks water we use 5 gal buckets with poultry cups. They work awesome, keep their water clean and with only 4 ducks right now it only needs to be filled every few days. This winter I wanted to try to keep our current system and just add a tank deicer to the bucket. In reviews people had said that it also kept their poultry nipples/cups from icing too. The deicer keeps the bucket from freezing but not the cups. Are the reviews wrong? Or is there something else I could be doing to keep the cups from freezing.

Side note, I do have a heated poultry waterer that we’ve used for years before in the winter and I hate it so I’m trying to avoid using it.

I haven't personally tried it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the cups froze. If the heater is inside the bucket, the cup has no way to get warm, so the water would freeze.
I use that system for my 5 gallon bucket with nipples for my chickens and the nipples don't freeze. Too bad we can't use nipples for ducks!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

If you do you might consider having another water source so they can dunk their entire head to their eyes.

I read another article by Metzer talking about how they sell all their birds at 2 years of age to an Asian meat market - so they clearly aren't invested in long term health.

Yes, they always have another water source. A pool in summer and a huge dog bowl on winter

 

[Isadora]

Yea I thought about switching to nipples and didn’t know if ducks could use them or not so good to know!

There's no way for them to rinse out their nares, which is important.

I'm curious now about this cup question. I have one right now that I'm not using from when my ducks were ducklings. I might have to do an experiment! It's not quite cold enough here right now, though.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I read an article by metzer once claiming ducks could use nipples like chickens. I was like, "*gasp!!* Sacrilegious!" Lol

Maybe I will give them a try!

 

[Isadora]

I read an article by metzer once claiming ducks could use nipples like chickens. I was like, "*gasp!!* Sacrilegious!" Lol

Hahaha!
I'm sure a duck could figure out how to get a drink from a nipple waterer, but it wouldn't be very effective and they wouldn't be able to rinse out their nares.

 

[KaleIAm]

Maybe I will give them a try!

If you do you might consider having another water source so they can dunk their entire head to their eyes.

I read another article by Metzer talking about how they sell all their birds at 2 years of age to an Asian meat market - so they clearly aren't invested in long term health.