Single hen

[TheChookKeeper]

Hello,

 

Having given up on the idea of having a proper pond, due to the small size of our garden, I'm now thinking a paddling pool would be a nice idea for my boy & girl silver appleyards.

 

I've been looking around at the smaller, cheapy ones, and have a few that seem a good size, for a reasonable sum of money.

 

My main question is over inflatable pools - would these be an incredibly bad idea with ducks? I know their little claws are quite sharp, but don't know if they'd pop an inflatable pool?

 

These are 2 of the options I am looking at:

 

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3651968/Trail/searchtext%3EPOOL.htm#tabrev

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunset-Glow-Four-Ring-Pool-56441/dp/B00004YTIP/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=toys&qid=1237762369&sr=8-17

 

 

What do you think?

 

The main draw is that if we want to use the garden for entertaining (assuming we can convince people to share the garden with wandering ducks!), we can simply drain the pool (hoping to water the garden with it, actually), and tuck it in the shed flat - then get it out again when we're finished.

[Lesley]

Niehter of those would be suitable I'm afraid. You need a rigid shell type of pool, like this.......

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Shell_sand_and_water_tray__Review_5547370

 

Also......if you want to use your garden for entertaining then you would be best to have a sectioned off area for ducks - they are very messy and you can't poo pick in the same way as you can with hens. Ducks do smelly, splatty poops!

[TheChookKeeper]

It was the rigid-sided pools I was trying to keep away from, as they are such a pain to store (figured we'd only get it out in nicer weather).

 

Why do you say non-rigid ones aren't suitable? I assume due to the fact ducks have a habit of "belly flopping" over the edge?

 

We have 2 huge terracotta planters at the moment, but they're not really big enough... especially when they insist on sharing

[feemcg]

Mine had this type and I found it really easy to maintain....just tipped it out every other day and re-filled. The water just drained away into the stones. I spoke to someone that had an inflatable one and they popped it first time in.

 

[ems123]

This is good

 

http://www.amazon.com/Step2-781000-Ladybug-Sandbox/dp/B000031XD7

[Guest]

Mine had this type and I found it really easy to maintain....just tipped it out every other day and re-filled. The water just drained away into the stones. I spoke to someone that had an inflatable one and they popped it first time in.

 

 

 

That looks a good pond as you can tip it out looks like a baby bath..what is it? sandpit?

 

indie

[Guest]

Tesco superstore extra had half blue shell sandpits yesterday(didnt look at price but probably good buy ..nice size too for small area and cleaning to tip out)

 

ideal indie

[bessandra]

Hi

I have an apple shaped plastic sandpit that has a bottom and a lid so I fill both these and put them side by side - 2 girls go in one and t'other bobs around on her own. They are plastic so easy to clean - it gets very scummy, gross. In theory, the water needs changing every day - sometimes i stretch it to 3 days (we're on a water meter..yikes!)

I think I paid £15 for my sandpit - which I dont think is bad. And anyway, it has a dual purpose, one of my labs, Alfie, likes to wade in it..interesting!

Rachel

[garethcnmjones]

i think this might be hard for the duck to come out....

 

 

you should try the small paddling pools.