The Duck Spa - how the heck do you soak your duck's feet without a fight?!?

[Miss Lydia]

Even down here in the south my Muscovy's have gotten frost bite on their knobs both have healed but the skin is thinner and my female ripped hers open last year so she walked around with blue kote on her lil knob for about a month. Maybe mine are rotten because in winter about the only bathing they really like to do is splashing the water out of their heated buckets. I put out cement mixing tubs and usually my geese and other ducks use them more than the Muscovys. And this year they did spend a lot of time inside by their own choice to get out of the brutal wind chills down below zero a few times. Probably depending on where in the world we are keeping Muscovies depends on what they can take in their living conditions just like people we acclimate to our surroundings.

 

[chickens really]

Nice!!! Do you have to battle these cold winters? How do the ducks fare? I guess all you can do is put on a toque, grab a Timmies, scarf-down a back bacon sandwich and hope for the best.

Yep...Winter gets cold here..Brrr!..I run heat for my Birds..They all do good...

 

[featherhead007]

These ducks are under witness protection...shhhhhh.

I was thinking they bought their freedom on credit... they put it on their bill!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Love the green feathers! Very handsome duck.

The healthy sheen is nice to see on the blacks isn't it? Thanks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those are the exact pans I was thinking about when you described them. I will be getting a couple for next winter. We have a wonderful 50 gallon stock tank for the Spring - Fall; but, was wondering how to keep their feathers clean throughout the winter. Do you you just keep filling it and removing the ice daily, so that they have access to bathing throughout the winter? Or do you allow them to use it on a weekly basis?

I have a couple of electric dog bowls for their water. They can only take a "head bath" in those and it looks hilarious when they lay on the ground, flapping their wings, and thinking that they're getting more water on their bodies than they actually are. I always have to laugh. No one has tried to climb in the bowls YET (the bowls are pretty small; but, you can never predict a duck's antics ), so if that happens, I have some deeper buckets, like yours, tucked away. I was also wondering what people did regarding ice build-up from the drinking buckets - you answered my question before I even asked. Moving them around sounds perfect.

Lovely pics, btw! Daryl had such beautiful green/black feathers! What a handsome boy. Two of my girls have a couple of those feathers and I love watching them glisten in the sun.

I give them the option to bathe daily. I fill up that pan in the morning and dump it later in the afternoon or bash any remaining water out the following morning. I use my green watering can to carry out hot water that is warm by the time I reach them. If it's extremely brutal for temperatures cited may skip the bath water for that day.

I also have a 50 gallon Rubbermaid water tank that is perfect for my muscovy to take baths in during warmer weather. I used to use a kiddie pool but they are harder to dump every few days where the stock tank I can do. I generally dump it 1-2 times a week. I currently have 7 muscovy.

I had though about using heated bowls but my ducks will empty the waters out, and they get fouled up with feed residue. I have to dump and change them daily anyways so I choose to do unheated and avoid the electrical issue. How are they working for you? My husband wants to use them, but I thought it wouldn't make things any easier.

 

[featherhead007]

I saw muscovy ducks on you tube last night, strange looking faces? red faces, were they ok, or sick? I don't know ducks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I saw muscovy ducks on you tube last night, strange looking faces? red faces, were they ok, or sick? I don't know ducks

Muscovy have carnucles, some more than others based on breeding lines. It's normal.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your Muscovy's are gorgeous by the way.

 

[Firefightra]

I give them the option to bathe daily. I fill up that pan in the morning and dump it later in the afternoon or bash any remaining water out the following morning. I use my green watering can to carry out hot water that is warm by the time I reach them. If it's extremely brutal for temperatures cited may skip the bath water for that day.

I also have a 50 gallon Rubbermaid water tank that is perfect for my muscovy to take baths in during warmer weather. I used to use a kiddie pool but they are harder to dump every few days where the stock tank I can do. I generally dump it 1-2 times a week. I currently have 7 muscovy.

I had though about using heated bowls but my ducks will empty the waters out, and they get fouled up with feed residue. I have to dump and change them daily anyways so I choose to do unheated and avoid the electrical issue. How are they working for you? My husband wants to use them, but I thought it wouldn't make things any easier.

I just purchased that same 50 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank - seemed like the perfect "duck pond". Sounds like you like it! I haven't been able to set it up for bathing yet (weather issues); however, it's currently upside down in their pen and they love to stand on it. Figured they might as well get comfortable with it.

Great info about the winter baths. I'll have to do the same thing this coming winter, so that their feathers stay nice and weatherproof.

I like the dog bowls. I do have to change the water daily (sometimes twice a day) because they do indeed get mucked-up with their feed residue. The bowls were given to me, so I didn't have to worry about purchasing them and they are quite low on the energy consumption. I like them for two reasons: the first being that I work shifts and I don't have to worry about the water freezing-up and the ducks not being able to have access to water. The second was more of a concern; because, I have heard stories of ducks getting into their unheated watering bowls, staying there all night, and having their feet fall off due to frostbite (from having the water freeze around their feet). I imagine this is super rare; however, I didn't want to have to worry about that when I'm at work. For me, the heated bowls are more peace of mind because my schedule can be pretty hectic and all over the place. I don't think they make things any easier; because, I too have to change the water once or twice daily. I was also concerned the clumsy ducks would trip over the wires; but, they seem to navigate over them just fine - the cords are wrapped in wire, so no one can peck or chew at the wiring.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just purchased that same 50 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank - seemed like the perfect "duck pond". Sounds like you like it! I haven't been able to set it up for bathing yet (weather issues); however, it's currently upside down in their pen and they love to stand on it. Figured they might as well get comfortable with it.

Great info about the winter baths. I'll have to do the same thing this coming winter, so that their feathers stay nice and weatherproof.

I like the dog bowls. I do have to change the water daily (sometimes twice a day) because they do indeed get mucked-up with their feed residue. The bowls were given to me, so I didn't have to worry about purchasing them and they are quite low on the energy consumption. I like them for two reasons: the first being that I work shifts and I don't have to worry about the water freezing-up and the ducks not being able to have access to water. The second was more of a concern; because, I have heard stories of ducks getting into their unheated watering bowls, staying there all night, and having their feet fall off due to frostbite (from having the water freeze around their feet). I imagine this is super rare; however, I didn't want to have to worry about that when I'm at work. For me, the heated bowls are more peace of mind because my schedule can be pretty hectic and all over the place. I don't think they make things any easier; because, I too have to change the water once or twice daily. I was also concerned the clumsy ducks would trip over the wires; but, they seem to navigate over them just fine - the cords are wrapped in wire, so no one can peck or chew at the wiring.

I think those that have stayed on the water and gotten frozen feed must not of been muscovy. Mine always roost at night, so it's not as much of a concern to me. I actually never really thought about a duck doing that, because I only keep muscovy. Maybe we will try heated bowls. It does sound nice.