Smart way to feed, give water to your Waterfowl?? Would like to know!

[Chicken7777]

Hello everyone, I have had ducks for a couple of months now and as everyone has discovered raising them its that they are messy! LOL
either way they are such great animals to have and i think the messiness balances out.
Even though I love keeping ducks and wouldnt mind the mess, i would like to know how you guys feed and give water to your waterfowl, as I would like to know how to minimize the mess.

Do you guys have a smart way to give them food, water? where they wont make a puddle of mess?

Have you guys tried "something" to make feeding easier? ( a type of feeder, tool, or something you have built/bought?)

I would like to know if possible.

BTW you know how there are those type of feeders that are built for rabbits, hamsters? I have seen chickens use the large kinds, has anyone tried using those for your waterfowl? I think it would be hard but i would like to know the experience.

Thanks again!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Check out wifezilla's thread on her idea for it....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=143262

I've also seen people who take a milk jug-gallon size and cut smaller circle size holes about 1/2way up the jug and then fill the bottom with water and the ducks can stick their heads in to get water but not as messy as regular waterers.
My ducks are coming in a few weeks and I'm going to do the hanging waterers to begin with and as they grow add the milk jugs!

 

[DuckyBoys]

Well I think I have tried everything but right now I throw it on the ground and use 1 gallon buckets for water!

When the hose isn't frozen I use baby pools for water. I used to put the feed in a pan but I found that I was really overfeeding that way and they were scarfing it down too fast.

I just put everyone in breeding pens so some of my runners get fed in a pan now, but only because I don't want them to have to compete with the geese they share a run with.

As far as water goes - man, watering waterfowl is the bane of my existance. If the weather is below freezing then I fill up a 5 gallon bucket and a 15 gallon bucket (they share with donkeys). I was hauling water in that 5 gallon baucket to give everyone swimming water all winter - but now that it is practically spring I don't feel like doing that anymore. I'm so done with wintering waterfowl! I am only wanting to use the hose and if it is frozen then too bad. It'll thaw out tomorrow.

My waterfowl are very spoiled when it comes to water - if they don't get clean swimming water everyday they stand and look at me like I am neglecting them.

 

[nettie]

MY ducks are penned and have wired covered areas that collects any spillage under them. It keep everything mostly clean. You can also try moving the food and water apart from one another a bit. That way they have to move to the water between eating, making it less likely they will get their feed all wet. My ducks water is about 3 or 4 feet from their food.

Also, those big drip waterers they use for chickens are not really suffiecient for ducks. Ducks have to be able to dip their whole beak/eyes into water in order to clean them. They sometimes do this sneezy thing into the water to clear their beaks.

Here's a pic of my food/water set up. Not sure how much it'll help, my ducks are indoors! lol. But the system does work nicely, it keeps the shavings dry and food free. And i just pull out those kitty littler pans under and clean those out once a week or so.

Here you can see the pans underneath:

Here's the view from the top:

Here's how they use it:

 

[Felicia]

Quote:
Wow...that is a really nice setup. I love it!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Nettie that is so nice! I can't ever show my ducks that or they will revolt!
"I wanna be inside and watch tv on the couch!!!!!"

Right now I just have a cat litter pan with a brick block in it with the chicken type waterer on top...this way the over squirt goes in the tray and I can dump it when I refill the waterer. This works ok if you have an existing coop you can't change it otherwise I would make a wire square to place the waterer and food on so the spilled water goes outside...I think this summer I will be retrofitting the little duck coop to be like yours Nettie!

 

[Chicken7777]

Thanks soo much everyone with the posts! please keep it coming as it helps many people learn more strategies.

I am hoping i will be able to come up with something to lower the percentage in messes while they are eating and drinking water.

 

[nettie]

Quote:
lol, thanks.... Wanna know something funny? Someone once told me they thought i was torturing my ducks by needing to keep them inside. HA! My ducks walk through the screen door, feel the cold or heat outside, turn around and march their butts right back inside under the vent in the house. lol. They are currently getting a "spa treatment" in the words of Wifezilla (aka a bath with toys and vegatable treats). My ducks proved their good behavior today when we went to my friends farm. They stayed by me, behaved, allowed kids to pet them, and didn't fight with any chickens, lol. In fact they stayed by us because they wouldn't entertain the thought of being near those "birds," since they believe they are people. lol.

The water set up is really convienent if your coop s covered or if you want water/food avilable to them while inside. It's a snap to clean up. My ducks never get the bedding wet.

I also really like wifezilla's set up. It's kinda like these ones i made for babies, only better at poop control.. lol... (My ducks require a big window because they get imprinted on humans, and live alone until they are feathered in order to bond better with us. Since they live inside, they have to like us, lol.)

When babies i just put new pine shavings over the old ones for a week, then i clean the whole thing out. It really helps if yu put puppy pads under your bedding in a brooder.... that way you just pull it all up like a pacage, less shoveling, lol.

Don't mind the um, feminine product in the corner, those are for baby ducky diapers. They start wearing little mini harnesses when they are a week old in order to get used to wearing the big harness when they feather out. Regular babu diapers are too big, and the pads are sticky and dont fall out despite the baby pulling on it.

 

[Felicia]

Quote:
lol, thanks.... Wanna know something funny? Someone once told me they thought i was torturing my ducks by needing to keep them inside. HA! My ducks walk through the screen door, feel the cold or heat outside, turn around and march their butts right back inside under the vent in the house. lol. They are currently getting a "spa treatment" in the words of Wifezilla (aka a bath with toys and vegatable treats). My ducks proved their good behavior today when we went to my friends farm. They stayed by me, behaved, allowed kids to pet them, and didn't fight with any chickens, lol. In fact they stayed by us because they wouldn't entertain the thought of being near those "birds," since they believe they are people. lol.

The water set up is really convienent if your coop s covered or if you want water/food avilable to them while inside. It's a snap to clean up. My ducks never get the bedding wet.

I also really like wifezilla's set up. It's kinda like these ones i made for babies, only better at poop control.. lol... (My ducks require a big window because they get imprinted on humans, and live alone until they are feathered in order to bond better with us. Since they live inside, they have to like us, lol.)
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/Confettinettie/S7305861.jpg

When babies i just put new pine shavings over the old ones for a week, then i clean the whole thing out. It really helps if yu put puppy pads under your bedding in a brooder.... that way you just pull it all up like a pacage, less shoveling, lol.

Don't mind the um, feminine product in the corner, those are for baby ducky diapers. They start wearing little mini harnesses when they are a week old in order to get used to wearing the big harness when they feather out. Regular babu diapers are too big, and the pads are sticky and dont fall out despite the baby pulling on it.

Oo, I would love to see the ducky diapers.

I think it would be awesome to have ducks in the house!

 

[nettie]

Quote:
ha, lol no it's not! lol well it is a little lol, It's actuallya lot more difficult/chore intensive/ and expensive than keeping ducks outside.