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pricem11

kiddie pool for ducks/chicks

pricem11
17 years ago

I have four ducks (2 pekins and 2 swedish blues) and eight polish tophat chickens that share a run that is approximately 16 feet by 30 feet and ranging from six to ten feet high. It's enclosed by hardware cloth buried 12 to 18 inches and covered with Toprite netting. So far, everyone is living in harmony. They are all nine weeks old.

My question is about the ducks kiddie pool. I have one outside the run, and the ducks get to come out every other day or so to swim and bathe in the kiddie pool for a couple hours. I wonder whether it would be dangerous to put the kiddie pool (it's about 3.5 feet diameter and about six inches deep) inside the run, so they can splash around all day while I'm at work? What is the likelihood that a chicken would get in the pool, get weighed down by the water, and drown?

Thanks for any comments/advice.

Mark

Here is a link that might be useful: Duck/chook run

Comments (6)

  • kimberlee
    17 years ago

    Our chicks (about 8 weeks) get into the yard with the ducklings (just a couple of weeks older) and haven't had a problem with the duck water. But, we fill a black rubber-type feed pan for the ducklings. Our Polish chickens don't see very well and do not seem to be the brightest of the bunch. The kiddie pool might prove to be too much for your young polish while they're still fairly small. You might want to start with a smaller container first to see how they do.

  • pricem11
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the advice! I'll start with a smaller container until they've had a chance to get a bit larger.

    Mark

  • Miss_Kitty
    17 years ago

    I've used a kiddie pool for the last few years for the ducks. The only problem has been with the littlest ducklings getting out of the pool. We float a foot long section of 2x4 in the water for a "dock" and then put a chunk of block in one end for them to use to get in and out. Even the littlest ducklings like the pool.

    I used to keep the pool in the fence with the horses, but the young mare decided she liked gettting a shower, would stand in the pool and paw the water onto her chest and belly. The water would be hidouesly filthy and she would DRINK it!

    Our current issue is that the puppies have taken over the pool in the heat of the day. They leap in and out and roll in the water. So we have to be extra careful to keep the water clean so WE don't get messy when handling pups.

    Seriously, do make sure the ducklings can get out easily, not all are adept at leaping in and out. I've acutally lost a couple from hypothermia, they couldn't get out and died.

    kitty

  • pricem11
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks Kitty. It did take a long time for them to get adept at getting in and out. Eventually I had the idea to build a little set of steps out of brick both inside and outside the pool. That worked well. A couple weeks ago I took them out because they're big enough now to pop right in and out. I'm very glad you mentioned this though because if I do move the pool inside the run, I can put the steps back inside as a safety measure for any chicken who finds herself adrift and helpless.

    Mark

  • mountainman_bc
    17 years ago

    Yes- put in a ramp in and a ramp out- it needs to be really stable or it'll fall in.

  • Maggie_J
    17 years ago

    A very safe beginner pool is the dish of a standard birdbath placed on the ground. Since it is very shallow and has a gradual slope, it is almost impossible for a young bird - duckling or chick - to get into trouble. I did this for my goslings and even now, almost full grown, they still enjoy sitting in the two inches of water to cool their feet.

    If you are using a birdbath that has been used by wild birds, plese remember to sanitize it first.

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