Offer a kiddie pool for swimming and bathing

Provide a hard-sided plastic kiddie pool ($10–20) for swimming and bathing. While not strictly necessary for survival if head-dipping water is available, swimming water allows ducks to fully waterproof their plumage through preening, exercise naturally, mate safely (mating on dry land can injure females), and express natural dabbling behaviors that keep them calm and healthy.

Why It Works

Ducks produce preen oil from the uropygial gland at the base of their tail, which they spread across their feathers during bathing. This oil creates the waterproof barrier that insulates them. Without regular swimming, the oil distribution becomes uneven and feathers lose their waterproofing — leading to damp, cold ducks that are prone to hypothermia in winter. Swimming also provides low-impact exercise that prevents leg problems common in heavy breeds like Pekins.

Tips

• Dump and refill the pool daily or every other day — ducks defecate constantly in water
• Place the pool on a gravel pad and position it at the lowest point of the run for drainage
• Provide a ramp or cinder block step for heavy breeds and ducklings to climb in and out safely
• In winter, a smaller container for bathing saves water and is easier to manage than a full pool