Water needs for ducks?

[r709shackleford]

Hi all!
Two questions:

1
How much drinking water (in cups or ml) does one duck need per day?
How much food does one duck need per day?

2
Do ducks need a pool or some kind of small body of water to swim and wash in?
I am new to keeping ducks, I have them in a good sized coop with chickens. I don't think its practical to keep a body of water in my building. But I'm in Alaska so outside wouldn't work in cold months.
Thought?



Thanks!

 

[Amiga]

Hi!

This is just an estimate based on my runner duck flock, so get some more opinions.

During some extended winter weather (snow, ice, blizzards, etc.) that restricted the runner flock's ability to go outside much and swim, here is what I have found.

Daily, 2.5 cups per pound of duck. Half that is drinking water, half is bathing. The ducks do not skip some sort of bathing in the morning, so what happens is that first thing, I dump, rinse and refill their two gallon stew pot. An hour later, everyone has had her mini-bath, the water is dirty and used up, and I dump, rinse and refill the pot. During the rest of the day, they drink from it and it just needs a top-up in the evening. The shelter for my ducks does not get below freezing, so it is not an issue. They have gone for a few months that way. We were all glad when there was a thaw. I put a concrete mixing pan under the roof gutter downspout and they swam in that.

Now for a very important part of the system. The water pot sits in a foot-high plastic bin with an opening on one side about a foot and a half wide, with a three inch high threshold. I put a couple of inches of pelleted sawdust in the bottom, and sit the pot on the sawdust. The sawdust absorbs splash and does not have to be replaced every day, just stirred, and then replaced when it is sodden. I put it on paths outside, and sometimes on icy steps to prevent slipping.

 

[r709shackleford]

Hi!

This is just an estimate based on my runner duck flock, so get some more opinions.

During some extended winter weather (snow, ice, blizzards, etc.) that restricted the runner flock's ability to go outside much and swim, here is what I have found.

Daily, 2.5 cups per pound of duck. Half that is drinking water, half is bathing. The ducks do not skip some sort of bathing in the morning, so what happens is that first thing, I dump, rinse and refill their two gallon stew pot. An hour later, everyone has had her mini-bath, the water is dirty and used up, and I dump, rinse and refill the pot. During the rest of the day, they drink from it and it just needs a top-up in the evening. The shelter for my ducks does not get below freezing, so it is not an issue. They have gone for a few months that way. We were all glad when there was a thaw. I put a concrete mixing pan under the roof gutter downspout and they swam in that.

Now for a very important part of the system. The water pot sits in a foot-high plastic bin with an opening on one side about a foot and a half wide, with a three inch high threshold. I put a couple of inches of pelleted sawdust in the bottom, and sit the pot on the sawdust. The sawdust absorbs splash and does not have to be replaced every day, just stirred, and then replaced when it is sodden. I put it on paths outside, and sometimes on icy steps to prevent slipping.

Oh, thats a good idea! I have a dog kennel sitting around. I can totally make that today. Thank for the tips and picture.

 

[Amiga]

Please keep us posted.