Water hose

[DuckMom2017]

Thank you for asking this question. I've been wondering the same thing and I'm following in hopes of more clever responses. I've been wanting to get ducks but concerned about water in winter and giving them some swimming water. This might be hard to do a gallon at a time. or maybe their pool is smaller in the winter... I don't know. Trying to figure it all out before taking the plunge. I like the idea of the expandable hose mentioned. I have not tried these, but Family Dollar carries them in spring at a cheap price. I have broken traditional hoses in the past when it was too cold (even without frozen water in them, the older hoses froze and snapped when I tried to move them on a cold day).

I stepped on my hose today and think I cracked it, and I thought I had all of the water out! It doesn't normally get this cold for so long here. Usually we don't get much under 20 so I wasn't prepared for this at all! Do you know what kind of ducks you want?

 

[DuckMom2017]

We thought seriously about buying a heated hose, and we spoke with several people locally who had experienced good success with one model in particular. Ultimately we did not because the run from the house to the duckhouse is more than 100', and you can't daisy chain the heated hoses.

For what it's worth, our current routine with this bitter cold (-5 to -10 F for the foreseeable future) is to carry out a small pail (full) and a large pale (empty) in the morning. We also bring out their "soup" and put it in the run. I top off the heated water bucket in the run, and we then open the duckhouse door. Because they don't have access to water overnight, we let them all get a good drink. Then I empty the heated bucket in the run into the large empty bucket I brought out. I dump that, and then go fill it in the house. Finally I fill the heated bucket with fresh water, and we're done...except for a mealworm snack, of course.

Do you know what the model is? And do you still have to worry about the spigot freezing?
Also- what's your "soup" consist of? I was thinking about making some warm oatmeal for mine tonight. It doesn't normally get much below 20degrees where I am, but it's supposed to get down to like 11 every night this week so I'm VERY unprepared!
I don't mind filling the buckets inside, but their pool is another story. (they have a pond by the way, but they refuse to swim in it)

 

[3bird]

Do you know what the model is? And do you still have to worry about the spigot freezing?
Also- what's your "soup" consist of? I was thinking about making some warm oatmeal for mine tonight. It doesn't normally get much below 20degrees where I am, but it's supposed to get down to like 11 every night this week so I'm VERY unprepared!
I don't mind filling the buckets inside, but their pool is another story. (they have a pond by the way, but they refuse to swim in it)

It was this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VM889Y/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_45?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AF96IP2WNG6BL

The spigot is freeze proof (I installed it), and it is wrapped too.

My wife usually makes the soup. It's generally a mix of split peas, corn, greens, outmeal, potatoes, pellets, etc. She mixes it up each day.

We have not given them water in which to swim since the fall, but they can get their whole heads into the heated water bucket, which is quite deep.

Keep us posted!

 

[PirateGirl]

I stepped on my hose today and think I cracked it, and I thought I had all of the water out! It doesn't normally get this cold for so long here. Usually we don't get much under 20 so I wasn't prepared for this at all! Do you know what kind of ducks you want?

Top duck choices currently are blue/black swedish, runners, Perkins (or Metzers white layers), and buffs. I can only get a few because I'm in town limits and already have chickens. I think I'd rather get some ducks than upset the balance and get more chickens, plus they sound to be quite cold hardy.

 

[DuckMom2017]

It was this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VM889Y/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_45?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AF96IP2WNG6BL

The spigot is freeze proof (I installed it), and it is wrapped too.

My wife usually makes the soup. It's generally a mix of split peas, corn, greens, outmeal, potatoes, pellets, etc. She mixes it up each day.

We have not given them water in which to swim since the fall, but they can get their whole heads into the heated water bucket, which is quite deep.

Keep us posted!

The price just broke my soul.

I made my ducks some oatmeal. Peas are a good idea though!

It was almost 70 degrees here last week so this cold blast is a shock for us all. If it sticks around though I may have to make some investments.

 

[DuckMom2017]

Top duck choices currently are blue/black swedish, runners, Perkins (or Metzers white layers), and buffs. I can only get a few because I'm in town limits and already have chickens. I think I'd rather get some ducks than upset the balance and get more chickens, plus they sound to be quite cold hardy.

I love my pekins. They are a handful for sure, but it'll probably be way easier for you since you already have chickens! I never had any birds so these guys are my first. I had a ton of learning to do, that's for sure!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Don't want to forgot those meal worms I just ordered 22 lbs off Amazon.

I use 100' of hose but I find using 2 50' is easier for me.

I got my hoses today will let ya'll know how they work out these are not Xhoses I ordered the ones from Amazon that got 5 star reviews. But they do collapse. Will be so much better than hauling out water. I fill 4 heated buckets and 3 heated bowls daily all have to be washed out before they can be used for the next day. Whew that is a lot of water to carry.

 

[3bird]

The price just broke my soul.

I made my ducks some oatmeal. Peas are a good idea though!

It was almost 70 degrees here last week so this cold blast is a shock for us all. If it sticks around though I may have to make some investments.

I hear you about the price, and that was our initial thought, but the more we thought about it, the more the investment seemed worth it. We do however live in a place, where we have no water to the duckhouse for almost half the year. We started to talk about the longterm wear and tear on one's rotator cuff or the consequences of one bad fall on the ice carrying a heavy water bucket. We also talked about how much easier a hose would be for a ducksitter. Anyway...it's a mute point now, but we may end up just burying a line this summer.

 

[DuckMom2017]

I hear you about the price, and that was our initial thought, but the more we thought about it, the more the investment seemed worth it. We do however live in a place, where we have no water to the duckhouse for almost half the year. We started to talk about the longterm wear and tear on one's rotator cuff or the consequences of one bad fall on the ice carrying a heavy water bucket. We also talked about how much easier a hose would be for a ducksitter. Anyway...it's a mute point now, but we may end up just burying a line this summer.

I don't know how you deal with the cold up there. This arctic snap is wearing me down already! I'm traveling this weekend and I'm worried about our duck sitter as well! Oh the struggle.

 

[lazy gardener]

If I'm carrying more than 2 gallons, I use the plastic sled. I can put 2 buckets of feed, and several gallon jugs on the sled, and carry a third gallon if I'm so inclined.