Water for winter?

[SoonersDucks]

Temps are starting to drop here in Northern Oklahoma, especially at night. This is my first winter with ducks. How do you prepare? Do you offer a pond in winter, or just drinking water? If you have a pond for your ducks, how do you keep it from freezing?

i had thought of using a stock tank heater, I just wonder if it will keep it warm enough to keep the pump and filter from freezing as well.

 

[quackiemama]

I have 2 kiddie pools and a rubber stock tank for mine to swim and bathe in year round except for days it is below freezing. I have a de-icer that I put in my stock tank with a thermo cube so it is not always running. Only when needed. The kiddie pools do not get filled on below freezing days. I am getting some heated buckets for their drinking water this year. I do not put food and water in the coop at night.

 

[Pterocactus]

Last winter I used a cement mixing tub as a pond for the ducks. Since the short sides are sloped, it was easy to drag out of the pen and dump the ice out of whenever it froze. The plastic never cracked even if it froze solid overnight. I had to break the surface ice a few times a day if it was too cold, but the ducks would break through thinner layers themselves. This year I'm planning on getting a bucket heater just to keep a smaller amount of water from freezing when I'm not at home.

 

[KaleIAm]

We are below freezing for only 3 weeks a year, tops, so maybe this won't be helpful for you.

We bought a heated hose from Amazon to refill their water buckets. The first year we carried buckets from the house and so the heated hose has been VERY nice the last few years. I do have to refill their buckets a few times a day when freezing because ice forms on top. If we had harsher winters, like yours, I would also buy a heated bucket.

We don't provide swimming water when freezing. I thought about buying a caged heater for their pool but the drain pipe would still be frozen. Since there would be weeks of poop hanging out in the water with no way to drain it I decided they could go without. I do have a very large dog water bowl that I fill for them to play in. I can dump that easily everyday.

I always worry they will be cold, but I'm more worried about fire so I resist buying them a coop heater. I just make sure to keep their coop extra clean with lots of fresh straw.

 

[quackiemama]

The heated hose is a good idea

 

[chickens really]

I live in Alberta, Canada. I provide my Ducks water twice a day in winter. They do just fine. I water in rubber livestock bowls. Definitely water freezes solid. Vapour barrier plastic around my Run and I do run heat in their house. Top of Run is also covered.

 

[caymusjordan]

going to look up a heated hose now!

I've been thinking about a heater for the "pool" - but I would want one that sinks so they can still swim around and not bump it, but I'd need to be sure it wouldn't burn them if they touched it or melt the plastic...

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Ok..this might be overkill..we are in NW PA where it is often -15or so. Anyway we built a barn..firs too..and put a 300 gal tank in..we are heating that water ....the barn is insulated a bit...but windows for ducks because of the toxic poop..anyway..we will give them 6” tubs of heated..not hot water...enough to wet heads. Etc.. not for swimming..on the warm days they’ll go out...also..I read that if you fill a water bottle full of salt and put lid on. It will prevent freezing longer..something about the salt...also,,ping pong balls do the same thing in smaller water dishes..we do have a pond. That’s where we’re getting the water from...we bought a pump on amazon to keep it filtered and from freezing,,,then the ducks might swim. And in summer the pond will be nice...but..we have 43 ducks and a big farm..souse some of these tips as you can