Safe for ducks to bathe at sub zero F temps?

[jmc]

My water bowls are 1 gallon size, so birds cannot bathe in them, though they may try sometimes!

I have been leary about putting out their 11 gall. bathing tubs at anything less than 32 F.

I have scovies right now. The water freezes to them and stays there, more or less.

I think getting a bath at sub zero would help them feel better (I know it would), but could this hurt them, getting out of pool into 5 above or 5 below F temperature and having water freeze?

Advice? Ireally wanna pull out those tubs and I know they'll just dive into them--I know it.

Remember, these are scovies, with their less developed oil glands to keep feathers more waterproof........

THANKS!

 

[Cottage Rose]

My Muscovies have access to open bathing water at least a few times a week and we've had some very, very bitter cold weather. I figure they know whats good for themselves and they jump in with gusto....but... mine do get closed in at night and have dry stalls to bed in so get the chance to thaw out if need be.
Waterfowl are pretty rugged.
God designed critters to be able to withstand extreme temps so if you're feeding and sheltering them properly (which I'm sure you are) they should be just fine.

 

[banter]

I had the geese out today in a hot tub. By that I mean that I let them out in the sunny part of the day and filled one of those black mixing tubs with hot tap water (the all jumped in!). My understanding is that clean feather=warm feathers! They all had ice droplets on them, which they preened off. I put them in the barn before sundown, with more warm water.
They seem all cozy and contented!
.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Banter you're too nice.

All mine get is icy well water but they still seem fine,
both geese and ducks.
Only my Marans chciks get warmed water.

 

[ChickenToes]

They'll be fine. I have a 3 gallon water bowl and the first thing my ducks do is go swim in it.

Now, when it gets to be around -20 (not including wind chill) that's when I draw the line and don't let them swim.

 

[Cottage Rose]

I do keep mine in on nasty, blizzardy all-dayer's
because all they do is hunker down and don't move around much so I just leave them in, but most days they're out...Snow or Shine.

 

[swampducks]

I've got a half barrel cut in half longways. It's got a heater in the bottom to keep it mostly thawed. But with these sub-zero temps I've been halving to chip a hole every day. However, if my muscovies can manage to take a bath, they are welcome to try. After a dip they tend to wander into their pen anyway, and there's a light in there. I have seen anything wrong with my ducks yet.

 

[jmc]

My 18 sq. ft. coop is as dry as I can make it, given the watery pooops ofo the ducks and then the freezing of it that then occurs. I can't change bedding each day.

But they only use it at night anyway. It is not heated or anything--heck its only 6 x 3. But it works--for now.

I'll never have a big building to house them in. Just small coops

btw, tx for replies

 

[raindrop]

No matter how cold it is outside, the water is 33 degrees or warmer if it isn't frozen. As long as they have a warm place to go after a bath, I think it would be fine for them to swim. Mine were on the pond and out in the open for the whole cold snap (cold for us anyway, 11-15 degrees) and spent as much time as they could in the water to stay warm. Otherwise they were sitting down to keep their feet warm. When it was so cold, the water was 20 degrees warmer than the air! It made me cold just to look at them, but they were happy as clams!

 

[banter]

I can't change the bedding each day or even week! I top off the old and wet bedding with clean straw. As the winter progresses it adds a LOT of insulation for the poultry under foot. I does not smell at all-the under layers are frozen and my barn is 2 stories. At first thaw (maybe May-lol!) I start hauling out to the garden for mulch, and the compost pile. My barn also has a dirt floored basement, which I can pour the used water into through cracks in the floor.There are actually trap doors for that purpose if I chose to use them. My barn is attached to the house, and was built in the early 1800's. It was well designed!l