Continuous Watering Design for Ducks

[@thepicklefish]

Thanks for the share. I got mine a bathtub. This idea will work great to keep their bathtub filled. I’ll put a manual drain valve to drain it down to the creek and then it’ll auto fill back up! Thank you!

[@mnadamn]

Looks great! When cutting the holes, run the hole saw in reverse after the guide bit is through. This will melt it's way through the barrel leaving a nice smooth edge. Keep posting the helpful videos, I will be making this and several others, thanks!

[@smithmal01]

Great point! Running the drill in reverse is also what I did and it worked out decently. The rubber liners do help with reducing friction between the ducks neck and the edge of the holes so I would suggest using it. You can see the liners in place in the following video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqaohYqJnqmna5o

[@toddmustain3308]

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[@cnow7583]

Thanks for for making it short, informative and simple to understand.

[@VW.907]

No shit, right!?

[@dylanwojtas7891]

This is kick ass Definitely trying this

[@geoffreyking1]

I just built a very similar feeder but with a bowl concept. I used a programmable garden water timer valve on the bottom and made it fully automated. Haven't had to clean it in weeks and it keeps my plants watered via an irrigation field I made out of a garden hose!

[@smithmal01]

Very cool... water ducks and garden at the same time. I'd be interested to see what this system looks like!

[@Lil_Rascal]

Here, here!!! I second that motion!! 🙏🏼

[@yingg.6051]

This is awesome! I really liked the half lid bucket idea from one of your earlier vids and have that for our incoming ducklings when they grow bigger, and now I'm going to make this as a long term improvement. Thanks so much!

[@smithmal01]

Ying, thanks for the compliment. I've used the insulated 5 gallon buckets now for two winters and they have served their purpose well. Luckily for me, it tends to not get colder than 20-15F at night. Below 15F causes a thin top layer of the water in the pail to freeze (though it is easy to break apart at this thickness).

[@tomwilkinson2883]

Great idea ill give this a rey in the new coop when it's finished im from Australia so freezing isn't a problem great stuff thx

[@SwiftsScents]

i have a couple of ducklings coming in June, so I'm finding your channel very helpful. Thanks for posting these videos! Some ingenious ideas!

[@georgiaboy6426]

I love it. You could put a 10 gallon aquarium heater in the barrel in the winter months and use it year around. They are real easy on the electric bill and work great. I have a 10 gallon aquarium burried in my outdoor worm bin with one of those heaters in it to keep the worms happy. They come set at different temperatures. I use an 80° F. Thanks for the video.

[@smithmal01]

GB, thanks for watching. I don't use this system during the winter months because all the water in my garden hose freezes at night eliminating it's ability to provide continuous water when temps drop below 32F. In the winter months I use an insulated pail system which can be seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIe4m5KOqa-AhKM In the description there is also a link to those insulated pails in action when the temps fall down to 10F. Thanks!

[@janej813]

THANK YOU 🎉 I JUST SUBSCRIBED ❣️

[@sivaabhishekavala7136]

Hi Malcom. Great idea! Have you thought about using a sewage/transfer pump to get the dirtywater out? Wondering if it's an overkill?

[@ericab9847]

Could you do a video showing how you built it? I'm new to ducks, and this design looks excellent!

[@smithmal01]

Sorry for the delay in responding. A video isn't really necessary. It's just a barrel with a hole in the middle that has a metal pipe running through it and the pipe is secured using simple U shaped frame in which the bottom is buried in the ground. You can see the frame that was built in the following video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqaohYqJnqmna5o. Please also check out the description info and the link I provide for more information on how to build this. The link has pics and material information included as well.

[@Bigbluedome]

Hey this is great! Plan on doing this for the ducks we have. You mentioned using insulated pails for winter? Could you elaborate on that? So you don’t have an automatic watering system for winter? Could you get an insulated hose and spigot? With a heating system in the water jug?

[@smithmal01]

@bigbluedome - thanks for the comment. Check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIe4m5KOqa-AhKMsi=Da7agOTzP7u3sxKm Info on this system and testing of it info noted in the video's description.

[@nancyherrick7267]

How did you train your ducks to put their heads inside the container? I’m having trouble with my ducks...they are very skittish.

[@m.m.villageapartments4802]

Wow nice.. thank you for sharing ❤️

[@mcallaghan7681]

Thanks for sharing your design. Do you think this would work with collected rainwater instead of a hose?

[@evegarcia8829]

I would love to see how this was built. I live in the Nevada desert and small waterer for my pet ducks are not enough and it's extremely hot. Thank you for sharing!🙂

[@smithmal01]

It's pretty easy to build. Just check out the thread link in the description. The link also has all the links for the materials that I purchased. It's basically just a plastic drum with some feed holes and a pipe going down the middle so that it can hang across a 2" x 4" wooden frame.

[@GrubbGardenBonnie]

This is brilliant! Thank you for sharing!

[@georgiaboy6426]

I love it. You could put a 10 gaklon aquarium heater in the barrel in the winter months and use it year round. They are very easy on the electric bill.

[@smithmal01]

True, but I'd still need to get water to the barrel in the winter (which in the summer is done using a connected hose). In the winter months, any water in an outside hose would freeze making me need to lug water out to the coop.

[@brucealvarez9263]

@@smithmal01 I ASSUME you have to carry water out anyway. I use 2 gallon cat litter jugs that have a screw on cap for my 17 chickens and 2 alpacas. Generally one jug each morning will take care of all the "stock". Ducks might need more though.

[@candykuettel4586]

Looks genius to me!!! Good job!

[@smithmal01]

Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it.

[@karensullivan9295]

Great system

[@peterw7951]

Looks like it should work pretty well. Appreciate the video.

[@smithmal01]

Thanks for watching!

[@woodworkingworld2610]

It's like a toilet without a flushing system great idea

[@dawnpickard1052]

Plastic lattace works great,big enough for heads and no sharp edges, the messiest ducks I found are Indian runners

[@smithmal01]

Great thinking!

[@JB-yg3ew]

Wow nice setup

[@natasharausch951]

Now that it has been a few years, how did the barrels hold up and what changes have you made?

[@nelsonolivera8059]

Spigot - Great idea! Thank so much for sharing it with us. Instead of placing a spigot on the other side would it work to mirror the three holes on the other side?

[@smithmal01]

Nelson - it would and it would also provide more drinking access for the ducks. I put the spigot in so when I dump the water I can direct it away from underneath the watering jug since it tends to get very muddy and mucky there.

[@nelsonolivera8059]

@@smithmal01 thank you!

[@uniquepixtrish]

what about doing a submersible heater in there for winter..we have minus 30F sometimes - so, Im trying to brainstorm here!

[@foskere]

Nice idea man

[@JanColdwater]

I like the food grade barrel but I think I would cut out a much larger space for them to dunk their heads and still provide a pond.

[@caseyvue6086]

Exactly true.

[@ctophercs]

Take this idea to shark tank I bet you could get rich with this idea.

[@paulawilson291]

I have a hen house from the 70's. It has a concrete floor. How could I work with something like your showing?

[@smithmal01]

For something permanent you could make the frame similar to what I created and then bolt it to the concrete with concrete wedge anchors. For something less temporary, or if you wanted to be able to move it around you could also design the frame with cross supports (i.e. you'd have two legs on either side that cross) and then rest the central rod that goes through the drum in the middle of the cross supports.

[@paulawilson291]

@@smithmal01 How can I get that to work with my chickens and guineas ?

[@paulawilson291]

Will this work for chickens and guineas

[@zarahofshiloh7537]

Supper system!

[@Mate2Frio]

How's it working now after these months of use?

[@smithmal01]

Mate2Frio, I only use when evening temperature consistently get above freezing because there is now way to keep the water thawed (both in the drum and within the hose line). Because of this, I remove the continuous water system in the late fall through mid spring and use insulated 5 gallon water pails (discussed here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIe4m5KOqa-AhKM). I've also shot a new video showing how I swap out my winter system for this system (which is used spring through fall). See here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqaohYqJnqmna5o Besides that, the system works pretty well. I had issues with the ducks transferring sand into the drum when they drank. Eventually, the sand layer at the bottom of the drum would be so thick, it would foul the float lever's height causing overfill to occur. If I removed/scooped the sand layer in the drum out every week or so overfill was not an issue. That being said, if you don't use sand in your duck yard, you'd never run into a overfill issue as long as your float lever was set appropriately. I'm thinking of drilling several 1" holes in the top of the drum so I can easily dump the sand when turning the drum rather than scooping the sand out by hand.

[@VillageTV]

nice system

[@smithmal01]

Thanks for watching Desi TV

[@mangoyacho]

Excellent idea!

[@sherriberkley188]

Pretty Darn Neat

[@jekel35]

How high off the ground are the holes?

[@smithmal01]

I'd say about a foot but it can be easily adjust depending how deep you bury the frame support.

[@queilayenner1280]

@@smithmal01 do you have a video where the ducks 🦆 are using this system? Please help!!!! I have ducks and extremely messy with their water and feed. Recently I got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and is extremely hard for me constantly changing their water. I appreciate you help 💙

[@smithmal01]

@@queilayenner1280 Yes. Please see my channel. Videos and build links are there.

[@sundancer442]

Ingenious!

[@smithmal01]

Wow! Thanks for the compliment. It is very appreciated.

[@jimb9303]

Warter... nice system.

[@ROARINGLION11]

@0:28 lmao, he didn't want them drinking out of a dirty puddle...

[@karinadasilvabotts7577]

Lol right

[@albertosarmiento369]

nice job, what the name of the 13 gallon drum. can find it on Amazon?

[@smithmal01]

Al, I got mine on eBay. Here's a 15 gallon version: www.ebay.com/itm/15-Gallon-Screw-Top-Barrels-Water-Storage-Food-Grade-HDPE-2/172580602349?hash=item282e9b01ed:g:g8wAAOSwkINa3O4n And here's a closed lid variety (15 gallon): www.thecarycompany.com/containers/drums/plastic-drums#tight-head-plastic-drums

[@samanthavanwitzenburg5479]

Will the water freez in it now.

[@smithmal01]

Samantha - Yes it will as it has no insulation. Please check out my channel to see the "Winter Station" that I use to provide the ducks water during the winter season.

[@violyroberts8640]

Bro....to avoid the splashing n dirty. A Plinth or higher cement wider than the water drum with a little ramp may help. The hole for the duck is too big. They are able to bring out the water from the head to their body n starts splashing.

[@huzaifatanveer508]

Great job

[@nzzenith]

I read that ducks put sand etc in their water because they like grit in their tummy to digest and break down food.

[@smithmal01]

Joseph, thanks for commenting. I read something similar, but read that feed and water need to be near each other as ducks routinely get a mouthful of feed and then use the water to help swallow the food. For this reason, feed and water should be in close proximity to each other. That being said, the use of sand as a yard cover also is convenient in that it is an instant source of grit which is necessary for ducks to properly digest their food.

[@kamthornhill1109]

Nice

[@nothingmanofgod.6288]

Very good miracle creature of God.

[@kellynoonan2935]

How did you make the spigot?

[@smithmal01]

Kelly, please check out the link to backyard chickens at the bottom of the video description. It will give you more info on how the build was done. Thanks for watching.

[@chrisecal7464]

I thought about a smaller design with my 4 chickens but instead a 5 gallon bucket and a toilet fill valve

[@smithmal01]

That would work. You could add poultry watering drinking cups to the 5 gallon pail and attach the pail to a post. The drinking cups work well for chickens but not so much for ducks.

[@Z24Acecloud]

Great idea thanks ya

[@smithmal01]

Thanks for watching!

[@dawnpickard1052]

I'm raising ducks they are messy, I use a piece of lattace over there water less mess,there heads can still go in water.

[@smithmal01]

Good idea though I would make sure the ducks head can't get stuck and/or the lattice doesn't have sharp edges

[@ninaz678]

ducks need a deep enough water dish so they can blow out their nose

[@smithmal01]

Nina you are correct. The water depth for both the winter pails I use and the summer continuous watering system do provide enough depth for the ducks to clean out their eyes and nostrils.

[@advocatejoycepaul8535]

I don’t think, this is a good idea. Ducks needs enough water to dip their head. Otherwise, their eyes will get infected.

[@smithmal01]

You are correct. The water level in the drum is deep enough for them to submerge their entire head which they do quite often to clean their nostrils and eyes.

[@mimicrane3990]

Yes, ducks need that for their head, I’m surprised someone hasn’t researched it. Maybe we can get an updated version please?

[@ZWATER1]

👍ty

[@suzannemartinez3137]

My problem is our duck if very clever and figures out how to poop in any watering system we put in her cage overnight. She has free run of the property all day so that's not a problem. lol

[@smithmal01]

Suzanne, yes that is a problem when ducks have access with water. They will try and get in the water source if at all possible and will definitely defecate in it if they can (I have found a duck of mine stuck in a 5 gallon container in the past).. With the system in the video, the holes in the container allow only the ducks to get their heads into the container eliminating whole body access. The container is also raised 1.5' above the ground on a frame so that the duck's legs can't get access.

[@ToxicVaccines_HivHoax]

👍👍