Water for ducks

[Splandry]

i have seen on advertisements that you can use those nipple waterers for ducks, has any one used them with success?

 

[needlessjunk]

They aren't very good because ducks need to be able to wash their nares and faces. I remember someone in here used them in addition to a pool and it worked out well since they could still wash their heads.

 

[Richb353]

Ahoy,
That sounds way too neat and clean! They wouldn't be able to splash the water all over the place or backwash dirt into it causing a muddy mess. Most un-duck like!

I jest,
Rich

 

[Splandry]

They have A pond to swim in but I was thinking of fresh clean water to drink, that is why I was asking about the nipples. I a using a water container now but have to clean it out all the time.

 

[walker1229]

Did you ever try it? We have a pond for our ducks but I am thinking about putting a nipple waterer in the coop so they don't get water everywhere at night, do you think that would be ok, pool in the day nipple waterer at night?

 

[seashoreduck]

They need to clean their nares. As babies my ducks did very well with nipple waterers both day and night when I was at work and needed to make sure they wouldn't drown their fool selves. As adults, though they rapidly lost interest. There are many waterers that people invented that are based on pressure that they can only get their heads into, and if you can't have a pond then that seems the most practical.

 

[jducour]

I use them! I have a large pond that they use all day, but in their night house, all they have access to is their water nipples. It has been a huge success, and the water mess in their house is very minimal. I use a 5 gallon bucket with the nipples screwed into the bottom. They seem pretty happy with the arrangement, all of my ducks have learned to use the system within a day of being added to the flock. They see their friends use it, and learn right away. I would never go back to a water dish of any kind! I keep the lid sealed, and their fresh water stays clean and I only fill it once a week.

 

[walker1229]

with the 5 gallon bucket how do you keep the water from freezing in the winter?

 

[bibkel]

They need to stick the whole beak in, so nipples would be an issue. I like the small cement mixing tray you can get from Home improvement stores. Big enough they can actually bathe, small enough that it is not that much water. I tend to fill it 2-3 times a week, based on how messy they make it. If you set it up close to you garden, you can dump the water in the garden rather than water your plants.
I have Hydrangea in the ground along the fence, and the birds are on the other side. I have one tray set up at each bush, and when I dump I aim for the hydrangea. The dirt slopes a bit towards them, so it helps.
Not the best shot, but you can see the corner of the tray, the fence, and the goose on the other side. I had just dumped it, and was weeding. Geese are very nosy.
These are the trays, and I have since moved them along the fence where my new Hydrangea are planted.

 

[jducour]

with the 5 gallon bucket how do you keep the water from freezing in the winter?

I haven't had to deal with that yet - I was going to look into an aquarium heater, I have power running out to the house. I am more worried about the nipples freezing than the water, but I will deal with that in a few months when I have to.