ducks/ponds/winter ??

[Arlene]

am I going to be able to have the little plastic pond filled this winter. will it be ok for the ducks to get in it as cold as it will be? I am thinking I am going to get a bird bath heater.. or two and throw in there to keep it from freezing...

I also think that my waterhose is going to freeze too so I will leave it on a trinkle and just let the pond overflow.. It will work if I put it down on the lower side of the run.. I am taking pictures this weekend.. sunday is the only day I got off so maybe it will not be raining then.

[bw]

Ducks don`t have heated water in natural ponds--if it freezes,just break up it ice sheet that forms and throw it out--they will be fine.I had ducks once--and I never did anything to their cement pond--when it thawed out--they got in--Just My opinion.

[Arlene]

"their cement pond" ok jeffro hahhaha.. did you watch the clampets?? hahah. I thought so. at the college there a =re a bunch of ducks and a huge pond/lake and the ducks stay in it.. I have seen ducks frozen to it and a dog attacked it once tho. sad..

thanks!

[bw]

No---I really did have a cement pond,True things can happen--in the wild --but if you are concerned--float a piece of 2x4 on it at night ( non-treated ), then in the morning pull out the 2x4 and it will break up the ice.Weeeeeeeeeeel doggy.

[Arlene]

you are funny haha

great idea about the 2x4. will do that. I am going to see if the lady still wants to get rid of the pond first . she said it was perfect.

[bw]

More funny now that I learned to cipher.

[Arlene]

Well I still got my double barrel sling shot!!!! hahahah hahhaaaa

[bw]

There you go again.

[silkifyre]

LOLOLOL You guys crack me up! I used to watch the Beverly Hillbillies all the time. LOLOL

Well, Ar, I'm not sure just what to advise here, cuz I haven't had my ducks all that long. This is the first year for them that they had a "pond." I was planning on putting in a heater for it, too, so it wouldn't freeze over. Last winter I lost a duck cuz he froze in the ice that formed in their water bowl. A BOWL! Stupid duck! I went out to feed and water them the next morning, and there he was, dead, frozen in the water bowl. I was so sad. He was one of my fav's, too.

I think if you're able to check your pond often enuf, and the 2x4 works for ya, then fine. Me, I'm gettin' a heater. I don't want to lose another one like that.

[bw]

Another thing you can do is buy an airator to keep the water moving,so it can`t freeze.Ain`t that Right Ellie Mae?

[Arlene]

airator?? hmmm. yes like the pumps for the waterfall thingies huh? I think I will leave the water hose on and just let it overflow like a creek. I got a well and sometimes I have to leave the water on in the house. it actually froze last year at the well! I was shocked too.

anyway.. I can't believe it froze in the waterer. how in the world did that happen??

Only if Granny says so hahaha

[silkifyre]

Hmmmm, an airator, huh? Hadn't thought of that one. Which would be easier to keep clean? Which would be cheaper to run? (I guess that's the more important question!) Where'd Jed go? I'll have to go an' ask 'im.

[Arlene]

true. the ducks are pretty funky chickens huh? where do you get one of those heater things?? I still say the water runnng is a good idea

JED!! where are you!!! granny wants to talk to you!!!

hahhahhaaaa

she has some of her special tonic for you!!! hahahhaa

[silkifyre]

LOLOL Weeelll... I don't think I can afford the constant running water. Our water bill is attached to Sewer and Garbage and is a quarterly bill. It runs roughly $150 per quarter. I think it would probably be cheaper for me to run something electric to keep the ducks' pond thawed.

As for where to get a "heater thing," well... the one I was thinkin' of usin' was my horse's water bucket de-icer. What it looks like is a round metal ring with a heavy-duty electric cord coming off of it. The lower half of the cord is wrapped with a heavy gauge wire to deter a horse from chewing on it. When the cord is plugged in, the ring heats up. The ring would normally sit in the bottom of the horse's bucket and it does work. I've used it when I had her boarded at the other farm. I just have to try to remember if I took it up to the farm where she is now, or if I still have it here! My memorybanks really need an upgrade! But since my water bucket de-icer is for a bucket and not a small trough, I don't know how well it would work for the ducks. I might have to buy a trough de-icer. Oh well... we'll see.

Oh yeah, I think I bought the bucket de-icer from a livestock catalog. Or was it my feed store? Dang, I can't remember!

[bw]

Poor silkifyre --- welcome to the CRS club.

[silkifyre]

Gee, thanks BW!

[Arlene]

I am going to get a bigger pond thing for them. but will the heat element melt one of the hard plastic ones?? I mught just use the steel one for now until winter is over.