My Menagerie

[silkifyre]

I've had so many different pets. Some are now waiting at the Rainbow Bridge, and I miss them, but some I have now... and they're exasperating! Well, sometimes they are.

I've had cats and dogs all my life. I've had tanks of fish, and a parakeet. Also rabbits, guinea pigs, a turtle, lizards, toads, goats, ponies, and horses. Not to mention chickens and ducks.

Currently, between Bob and I, we have a dog, 3 cats, a horse, 2 parakeets, a huge tankful of fish, 3 ducks, a flock of chickens.

This past weekend we just bought a floating heater to keep the ducks' pool from freezing over. The past week their pool was frozen and they couldn't go swimming. I had to put buckets of water out for them so they could have something to drink, but it would keep freezing. Now they're happy again. ;D

[Arlene]

let me know how that floating hting works. and how much electric it uses. I got to do something! but I figure that if it is so nasty I have to empty it daily anyway! so I am just going to use the tub and put the heater under it and just change it every day.. the chickens drink the ducks pond! yuck.

today the barn was flooded. I mean so wet in there. the ducks are happy but the chickens are stupid and drinking the poopy water! what am I gonna do!!

[silkifyre]

I guess chickens ain't all that smart! But then, critters can handle dirty water. My poor ducks' pond hadn't been changed in quite a while... like 2 wks, maybe 3!!! I've never let it go that long! And then it froze. It was frozen solid for about a week before I got out there to drain it and get the ice out. I hate carrying buckets of water. I had 2 containers... 1 in the kitchen thawing, while the other was outside in the pen, freezing.

So far the heater's working great at keeping the water thawed. It helps that the temps have been in the mid-60's! LOLOLOL Sorry... that's not really that funny. But anyway, when the temps drop again, I'll let ya know how well it works. I was out there today, feeding them, and noticed how dirty their water is already... since Sun. afternoon. Ducks sure do dirty their water quickly!!!

Bob ran a 100ft ext. cord out to the pen, and while he was hooking up the heater, he noticed that you're not supposed to use an ext. cord with it. Lovely, I said. How the heck are ya supposed to hook it up then? He said he guessed that water troughs were right next to an outlet. I said not all of them. Farmers must run some cords. Oh well. Ours has an ext cord... if it creates a fire... well, Bob's a former firefighter. Let's just hope that if a fire decides to break out, it happens when Bob's at home! ;D

[Arlene]

one of the heavy duty outdoor ones will work just fine.. that is what I have.
now I have ordered a electric fence box and gonna zap me some dog's buttt!!


yuck 3 weeks!!?? shame..
I have a duck that if I don;t have clean water his eyes get funky and bubbley.. but you knew that already hahah.. it is clear now.. looks great.. I think he is an odd duck tho.. he sort of stays humped over even when he walks and rarely extends his neck out.. wierd...