Seriously, how cold is too cold?

[BantyChooks]

yeah... happened to me one year... I think it was the combo of wind and cold....

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad

Poor things.

Wonder if putting hay down would help? Snow would cover it wicked fast and so require frequent re-application but it might keep the water away from their feet.

 

[BantyChooks]

I made a frame for a 1 gal bowl that covers all but a few inches of the top, so keeping them from swimming in it. Unfortunately, it isn't working well now that I have more than 3 ducks.

The ice is building up so that it's now hard to fit the bowl in. The ducks still gargle and get water on the frame, even when they can't splash.

Maybe I'll try putting it up high.

 

[Alaskan]

I have tried various things... but the problem is that if they can swim the ice just keeps building up from their splashing.

Putting the rubber pan on a pallet works well for about one month... but then the ice builds up and builds up, until the pan is being inserted into a volcano crater. Too cold to pop out the ice sheet.

Dunno... if I just kept putting clean bedding over the ice, it would be 3 to 4 feet tall come spring, and NEVER melt because that hay would insulate the ice layers.

Works better to let them only bathe on days when it doesn't turn to instant ice.

 

[chickens really]

My indoor duck (Chrissy, if you ever read her story) would get completely waterlogged if I skipped her bath more than once. She had a 1gal bowl, but she still got un-waterproofed quickly. I guess she was a special case or something.

My current ducks have just been getting icy feathers when they do their 'sponge bath'.
Hoping it gets above 0* soon.... then they won't look like ducky abominable snowmen.

I do not provide bath water most days because I do not have time to lug 10 gallons of water just to have it freeze in hours. So, my ducks don't get bath water. Maybe you do have time, but I don't.

Chrissy might of had an oil Duct issue?..
I lug a 5 gallon pail twice a Day for my Ducks..Yes, they do get frozen droplets of water on them sometimes although it's never been an issue..They sure have never frozen to the ground....My Runs never get too bad. Possibly beacause of the vapour barrier plastic around the run?...

 

[BantyChooks]

Chrissy might of had an oil Duct issue?..
I lug a 5 gallon pail twice a Day for my Ducks..Yes, they do get frozen droplets of water on them sometimes although it's never been an issue..They sure have never frozen to the ground....My Runs never get too bad. Possibly beacause of the vapour barrier plastic around the run?...

But she oiled up fine after a bath, and was waterproof for some days after.

I don't know.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have tried various things... but the problem is that if they can swim the ice just keeps building up from their splashing.

Putting the rubber pan on a pallet works well for about one month... but then the ice builds up and builds up, until the pan is being inserted into a volcano crater. Too cold to pop out the ice sheet.

Dunno... if I just kept putting clean bedding over the ice, it would be 3 to 4 feet tall come spring, and NEVER melt because that hay would insulate the ice layers.

Works better to let them only bathe on days when it doesn't turn to instant ice.

This is just their drinking water. You know how they like to rinse it through the corners of their mouth and get it everywhere? Yeah, there's about an inch of ice after a few days of using this waterer.

I have an idea. I'll put a hairdryer out there and melt it every day.

 

[Miss Lydia]

There was a member here some years ago that had a Call duck freeze in a rubber bowl he sat in it over night got frost bite on his feet and last we had heard he was losing most of his one foot. I know it's hear somewhere the thread but have no idea how to find it.

I use heated buckets and put a piece of thin scrap wood over half so mine can't climb inside but can still manage to dunk their heads and splash most of the water out.

 

[chickens really]

There was a member here some years ago that had a Call duck freeze in a rubber bowl he sat in it over night got frost bite on his feet and last we had heard he was losing most of his one foot. I know it's hear somewhere the thread but have no idea how to find it.

That is very sad....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh....I completely forgot you guys got snow down there!!! Good thing you have great setup. Is everything back to normal?

Yep getting back to normal we still have ice and snow hanging around but we're having a warm up so hopefully that won't be an issue in a few days. We're on the north side of the mt and it takes forever for snow and ice to leave.

 

[BantyChooks]

This is what I have been using. Photograph was taken back in the days when water did not freeze over instantly when spilled, hence how nice and ice free it is.