winter, water and ducks!?!?!? I'll take all the advice I can get!

[JHDucks]

This is our second winter with our girls. After lugging 5 gallon buckets down last year to fill rubber bowls, we tried something different.

We bought 2 gallon food grade plastic buckets with lids. We fill 2 with water twice a day and swap with the buckets that are in their run. (So much more manageable than 5 gallons). We keep plastic buckets inside the big rubber buckets, and there is very little water in the run now, because the rubber bowls contain the spilled water. And they insulate the plastic buckets so they don't freeze. I've also been told we can add straw to the rubber bowls to insulate the water pails even more.

No pool if the hose is frozen, but they've adapted. We also wrap their run in plastic to keep them warm and keep out snow/ice. We've had some single digits and below 0 Temps, and it's much warmer in their setup than outside. We have plenty of ventilation on top.

Our chickens are in with the ducks and they have done fine too. I can send pictures of their water set up if you're interested when I go down later for cleaning/feeding.

 

[FNF]

I fill five gallon buckets with hot water each morning. They sit out in the cold temperatures while I do other chores and when they have reached a nice warm-not-hot temperature I put them in the run for the ducks and let them out of their house. The buckets have holes cut so they can dip their heads but don’t splash too much and can’t get in. They are using their buckets enough during the day and the run is covered for the winter so they haven’t frozen during the day. I don’t put bathing bowls out until it’s above freezing and sunny then they get a fun surprise. Come spring they’ll get their pond back. I’m no expert and I’ve learned a lot in this forum but the buckets are working like a charm. The pic is from summer but there is straw down in the run for winter and plastic panels and wrap on the sides of the run. The house does not have food or water overnight.

 

[JHDucks]

This is our second winter with our girls. After lugging 5 gallon buckets down last year to fill rubber bowls, we tried something different.

We bought 2 gallon food grade plastic buckets with lids. We fill 2 with water twice a day and swap with the buckets that are in their run. (So much more manageable than 5 gallons). We keep plastic buckets inside the big rubber buckets, and there is very little water in the run now, because the rubber bowls contain the spilled water. And they insulate the plastic buckets so they don't freeze. I've also been told we can add straw to the rubber bowls to insulate the water pails even more.

No pool if the hose is frozen, but they've adapted. We also wrap their run in plastic to keep them warm and keep out snow/ice. We've had some single digits and below 0 Temps, and it's much warmer in their setup than outside. We have plenty of ventilation on top.

Our chickens are in with the ducks and they have done fine too. I can send pictures of their water set up if you're interested when I go down later for cleaning/feeding.

 

[Klatimer]

I fill five gallon buckets with hot water each morning. They sit out in the cold temperatures while I do other chores and when they have reached a nice warm-not-hot temperature I put them in the run for the ducks and let them out of their house. The buckets have holes cut so they can dip their heads but don’t splash too much and can’t get in. They are using their buckets enough during the day and the run is covered for the winter so they haven’t frozen during the day. I don’t put bathing bowls out until it’s above freezing and sunny then they get a fun surprise. Come spring they’ll get their pond back. I’m no expert and I’ve learned a lot in this forum but the buckets are working like a charm. The pic is from summer but there is straw down in the run for winter and plastic panels and wrap on the sides of the run. The house does not have food or water overnight.

This forum has been a life saver! Especially for the newbies like us! This is my first winter, and in Ohio it’s 7°F but wind chills between-10 to -25F!!! I’m so scared for them!

 

[Eallie500]

This will be my second year keeping small pools up year round with a floating tank heater. If you have electricity it's a good way to go. My coop isn't far from my garage so I run a heavy duty extension cord. I don't ever put water inside the coop they're locked in at night and they're fine without food and water. In past years I have also used a rubber tub with fencing over the top as pictured below with a tank heater so they can't get in it. Not that they didn't try!

View attachment 3995005View attachment 3995006

I am keeping my ducklings in those exact same swimming pools (top picture) in the house. . They work great with pine shavings for brooders.

 

[Cmp00]

I didn’t read all the replies, and I know this was a while ago but I thought I’d share what I did first my 3 ducks in a MI winter.

Heated hoses were a life saver. I couldn’t get over how easy it was. You do need to have a plug near your spigot.

I used heated dog bowls in my pen. They weren’t huge but big enough that they could get in one at a time if they truly wanted to.

Also, I used a radiant heat pad along the edge and a ton of straw. Kept adding more over winter instead of cleaning out. I think they appreciated that and made deep nests.

When it was really cold, I bought one of those mats you use on your porch or steps to melt snow and put that down for their little feets.

We seemed to have a successful winter! Also, for outside, I basically used a litter box sized tub and filled it with lukewarm water from the tap. But they tended to hang out by our front porch.