Krysia Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 HELP! Our ducks have shared their large walk in run with the Chickens for a few months now but this week have had 2 chickens get into the pond and drown! I am really angry as its my fault! but I have seen chicks and ducks live together all over the place and not heard of / thought about this! Other than building another WIR which isnt really an option any advice to stop this happening again edited as the ducks have shared with the chickens! not Ducks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I'm sorry Krysia Is there any way you can take the pond out of the WIR and have it in a separate area only the ducks can get in, or just use it when they FR - they don't need constant access to a pond. Ours share the WIR with the chickens, as you know, but their pond is in the garden so they use it when they are all FRing. Its not your fault, lots of people have them together and they've been fine before, just an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 So sorry. I have heard of this happening before. My chickens and ducks have been sharing the same area for the last 3 weeks. I have a paddling pool for the ducks and have put a brick in it hoping that if the chicken fell in it could get onto the brick and get out. Could you place a barrier around the pool that you remove every now and then when you can supervise them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Could you place a means of escape for the chickens, if the pond is deep, such as a rock for them to use to climb out, or make the sides less steep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Krysia - sorry to read your tale. Don't feel bad these things happen. We have two shallow ponds that the ducks use and the chickens drink out of after the ducks have pooed in them Do you think the chickens are slipping into the pool. I don't think they'd go in by choice. Could something be done about the access to the pool? I am guessing here I'm afraid, but ours has a 9 inch area of "beach" all around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 Glad its not just my chickens drinking pooey duck water The ducks have a trough so the girls probably jumped onto the side and lost their balance. will try popping a breeze block in for now and see how we go. thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 We use a Homebase mortar mixing trough. We sunk it into a pallet (cut out the shape with a jigsaw) and then infilled the gaps with plywood - let me know if you're interested and I'll take a pic. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 Please chucky, that would be great thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Please chucky, that would be great thanks No problem - just waiting for a gap in the weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 At last a small gap in the wind, hail, rain we are enjoying at the moment. A few pix of the pond The ramp was made with a piece of 3x2 cut diagonally - it's completely pointless as even the ducklings don't use it This is the pool being modelled by one of Topa's girls. Underneath to show how its made. Hope this helps Good Luck Edited to add pix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoejames Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 These little pools are a great design! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 These little pools are a great design! Thank you Zoe - but it would be dishonest of me to claim any credit. I got the idea from someone on here. There are 2 or 3 useful threads on here about ideas for ponds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
