Waterfowl are different from chickens and they have different needs. I would not use a chick waterer for them. They need to be able to submerge their whole head in the water, to clear their nostrils and wash their eyes. Also, they need water while eating. They will go back and forth between the feed and water, which is why the water gets so fouled.

What I do with goslings (no duck experience) is to give them an open pan of water. I add stones for stability and to prevent them from drowning but leave one spot a little deeper for those head dunks. I also moisten their feed. If you do this it is vital to thoroughly clean the dish each time to prevent spoiling.

Feeding wet food cuts down on the number of trips to the water container and also reduces the risk of choking. It also means that you should only feed what they will eat in about half an hour...and then remove the dish. Wet food spoils fast.

I usually start with four feedings daily and then three after a couple of weeks. My goslings graze between meals and really, once they are a few weeks old, 80 - 90 % of their food should come from grazing.

It's a little more work to do it this way, but the water stays much cleaner and who minds an extra trip or two to see those little cuties anyway?

Thanks Maggie!

By open pan, do you mean like a cake pan, say 2 inches high and 9 inches across? It would be helpful to know the approximate dimensions.

--Jonathan

Have you tried swapping the waterers, and seeing if it still happens? Could be a faulty waterer...

Velvet ~:>

A cake pan might be a little shallow once they start growing. I often use a casserole dish. Size the dish to the birds... they need to be able to reach over the edge and poke their heads in. Goslings grow fast, so I change to a larger pan to keep pace. I keep an assortment of thrift store dishes and crocks on hand for both the poultry and the rabbits.

My ducks (Khaki campbell) graduated from a chick waterer (one week) to a baking dish (9 x 13, 1 -1/2 inch of water) to a mixing tub about 5 inches deep, 16 x 24. I put a paving stone in the tub so they can climb out of the water, and one on the ground next to it so they can get in. I have the same experience with the birds, the chickens water inside the waterer stays reasonably clean, but the ducks theirs all mucked up in no time. Once they graze for most of their food, it should get better. What if anything do you do to control flies?

the ducks will always do that. mine do too. i have a kid's swiming pool with rocks. a several feet tall large plastic storage container with rocks. and then just a kitty litter pan. they really really do need to dunk their head. mine like to swim in the pool or storage container several times a day. their personallity is very differnet once they have bathed. they really do not like to be dirty. i have never even seen my chickens do more than just take a tiny little peck of water. i honestly just made myself get over the ick factor. i change the water daily but that's it. oh, one more thing. mine like it when stuff is in the water because they like to dabble their heads just a bit and dig in the water for various goodies. i try not to think of what it is. dead bugs mostly. but, hey, protein. ;)