Duck water mess is getting intolerable-are geese as bad?

[Fistfull of Silkies]

I have for Cayuga ducks that are about a year old. All female. I have been disappointed that I've only gotten about 12 eggs total considering the amount of effort that I have put into raising them. I have been considering getting geese but I am having second thoughts because of the amount of maintenance and the constant water mess that the ducks generate. I've tried just about everything to get the ducks to stop making a huge mess, but it seems like no matter what I do they can drain any water container within just a couple hours. They also tend to find and drain the water source for my chickens.

I am wondering if it is going to be better to just keep chickens only and find a new home for the docks or if I should try to find a solution for keeping both waterfowl and chickens in close proximity. It takes my chickens about 3 to 5 days to go through a water dispenser but the docs only take 1/2 hour to 1 hour to drain 5 gallons into my grass. Are geese better than this as far as water consumption or are they just as bad? I'm considering getting a pair of buff geese.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Dang, I know nothing about Cayugas but I can't imagine going through that much water. What kind of a container do you use? I use 3 laundry soap buckets for 7 Indian runners and that works out great for us. I change it at night and they don't tip it over probably because I put flat stones around it so they can use it for a step up to reach in.

 

[Fistfull of Silkies]

I have everything from one gallon to five gallon gravity water feeders as well as large Rubbermaid tubs I fill with water in the summer. All they do is remove the water and dig holes in the ground and create a general mess. They also take the food and mix it with the water and create a horrible paste that they don't eat but spread around everywhere and causes mold.

 

[hillbilly91]

Do they have a pool?

 

[hillbilly91]

I have everything from one gallon to five gallon gravity water feeders as well as large Rubbermaid tubs I fill with water in the summer. All they do is remove the water and dig holes in the ground and create a general mess. They also take the food and mix it with the water and create a horrible paste that they don't eat but spread around everywhere and causes mold.

Yes you need to rehome them. That's what ducks do to eat.

 

[Fistfull of Silkies]

We are seriously considering re-homing them. Do you know anything about geese? Would it be a similar situation?

 

[DuckyDonna]

I have everything from one gallon to five gallon gravity water feeders as well as large Rubbermaid tubs I fill with water in the summer. All they do is remove the water and dig holes in the ground and create a general mess. They also take the food and mix it with the water and create a horrible paste that they don't eat but spread around everywhere and causes mold.

Ok, so for the food I found a YouTube video that showed me how to make basically a free feeder. It's awesome, only a tiny bit of spillage from it. This picture is actually a progression of all the feeders I used since they were babies but the big one is what I wanted you to see.

 

[Fistfull of Silkies]

We do have a pool for them, but right now it is been below freezing for a long time. It's been aggressively cold where I live to the point where water freezes even with an electric heater in it.

 

[Fistfull of Silkies]

Ok, so for the food I found a YouTube video that showed me how to make basically a free feeder. It's awesome, only a tiny bit of spillage from it. This picture is actually a progression of all the feeders I used since they were babies but the big one is what I wanted you to see.View attachment 1674751

Good idea!

 

[2 many chickens]

Yeah, ducks are messy slobby things but that's what ducks are. What did you expect? Can't change em.
My ducks are pigs but i don't mind. Love them anyways.
Don't have geese but I'm assuming they are drippy poopy pigs too.