Cleaning out

[Anonymous]

Since the duck house was built for 12 & we only have 4 at present,we have divided it in half,to make it quicker to clean out, I saw a video [Tom Bartlet] showing, once a week, only the top layer of bedding [straw] was removed along with any obvious damp areas,then the whole lot replaced monthly, dose that sound about right?
How often dose the pool [the apple shaped sand pit from Argos] need to be emptyed?

 

[Davidd]

Hi, it's personal preference- i muck out every day! but i am here and work from home- as for the pool at least once a day if possible, if not more- the water soon becomes very dirty.
regards, David

 

[foxy]

That's a good regime for ducks, I do something similar, with my runners I have a thick base of easibed, then chopped straw on top, this top layer gets replaced, I turn the Easibed and as long it is dry just top up with extra straw, the straw composts really well so my veggie beds are very good this year!
Emptyng the water just depends on how mucky it looks. I have a similar plastic pond and have it on a deep base of gravel to help with drainage. We have large natural ponds too, but access is supervised to those as runners are like jcbs on speed! :shock:

 

[Anonymous]

That's a good regime for ducks, I do something similar, with my runners I have a thick base of easibed, then chopped straw on top, this top layer gets replaced, I turn the Easibed and as long it is dry just top up with extra straw, the straw composts really well so my veggie beds are very good this year!
Emptyng the water just depends on how mucky it looks. I have a similar plastic pond and have it on a deep base of gravel to help with drainage. We have large natural ponds too, but access is supervised to those as runners are like jcbs on speed! :shock:

So how often do you replace the Easibed?

Is it possable to cut a hole in the bottom of the plastic pool & fit a plug/bung to drain it? I was thingking I would have to use buckets to empty most of the water[putting this around the garden] before tipping the rest out,I'm sure it's too heavy to tip when full [it took 90ltrs & that is not completly full].

Has anyone used Nettex Poultry Viratec P Disinfectant?,it says it's Defra approved

 

[foxy]

We also use a Clarke pump (model PSV 1A) this I just plug into an extension lead, attach a large bore bit of hose pipe - (not your ordinary hose) and the hose is placed by a flower bed or hedging. The pump is turned on and in seconds the pond is emptied onto the hedging, useful as our waterbutts dried up ages ago!!!

I use this for a medium sized static pond that the ducks sometimes use, the large bore is able to cope with the gloopy stuff that always seems to sit at the bottom of the pond.

This is the pimp:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/psv1a-pump/path/submersible-pumps-dirty-water

hth

Kate

 

[Anonymous]

We also use a Clarke pump (model PSV 1A) this I just plug into an extension lead, attach a large bore bit of hose pipe - (not your ordinary hose) and the hose is placed by a flower bed or hedging. The pump is turned on and in seconds the pond is emptied onto the hedging, useful as our waterbutts dried up ages ago!!!

I use this for a medium sized static pond that the ducks sometimes use, the large bore is able to cope with the gloopy stuff that always seems to sit at the bottom of the pond.

This is the pimp:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/psv1a-pump/path/submersible-pumps-dirty-water

hth

Kate

Hi Kate, thanks for the info, I had to laugh though & hope you meant pump [rather than pimp] :lol: I know I will be letting my girls have access to a Drake next year but I don't think they will pay me [only in beautiful fluffy duckings].

 

[Tim]

I have 'tubs' that I lift and tip out / refill with water daily for the ducks. They soon get dirty and as soon as I refill them, the ducks come over to have a bath. They love the fresh / clean water and seeing them so happy splashing around makes the effort so worthwhile!

 

[foxy]

We also use a Clarke pump (model PSV 1A) this I just plug into an extension lead, attach a large bore bit of hose pipe - (not your ordinary hose) and the hose is placed by a flower bed or hedging. The pump is turned on and in seconds the pond is emptied onto the hedging, useful as our waterbutts dried up ages ago!!!

I use this for a medium sized static pond that the ducks sometimes use, the large bore is able to cope with the gloopy stuff that always seems to sit at the bottom of the pond.

This is the pimp:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/psv1a-pump/path/submersible-pumps-dirty-water

hth

Kate

Hi Kate, thanks for the info, I had to laugh though & hope you meant pump [rather than pimp] :lol: I know I will be letting my girls have access to a Drake next year but I don't think they will pay me [only in beautiful fluffy duckings].

I am so sorry! I have 3 runner duck pimps ....Pretzl Twiglet and Agent Jones...they are such funny characters, very beautiful. I also have a Muscovy drake called Morpheus.
Tim.. your Abacot Rangers are stunning!!