Nick Lino

Thanks for everyone's help.

I have one additional question....

I have very limited knowledge of cisterns and can't find much information about them but the way the previous home owner described it was that water enters it in one side and between the other side is a cinder block wall that filters large debris out from getting to the other side. When the "good" water side was below a foot of water the other side had well over 3 feet of water. Shouldn't the water level have leveled out between the 2 sides? As I was filling the other side it wasn't until it was pretty high until I heard the water trickling in to the good side. Am I missing something here on how it is set up?

I only filled it about half full with the pond water so maybe there is about 5,000 gallons in it ( we were told it was a 10,000 gallon cistern when we bought the house) I did add a gallon of bleach directly to the water in the cistern and then it goes through the chlorinator when it comes into the house. There is no odor coming from the water but it is tinted except for what comes out of the reverse osmosis system which is clear. There is a .5 micron filter set up as well. We have not been drinking the water, only using it for bathing and laundry.

Our neighbors only water source is their pond. They have no cistern or well so I figured we would be safe as a temporary solution until water comes in. My plan is to use all the water currently in the tank then have a fresh delivery.  

I have an underground cistern that is our water source for our home. We normally have water hauled in and collect rain water that supplements it. However I did not check the current level of the water and there was only about a foot of water in it. When it gets that low it pumps all the brown water that has settled at the bottom into the house. I can not get water delivered for a couple days due to the holiday so I was desperate and pumped water from our pond into it. The water that enters the house goes through a chlorinator system and a carbon system and we do have a reverse osmosis system that is used for drinking. I am wondering if I did the right thing putting pond water into the cistern and using it for the time being. I have heard of people using there pond for there water supply so I figured it would be somewhat safe since it goes through a chlorinator. There are fish in the pond and water fowl do frequent the pond which is what makes me leery. Right now the water coming from the faucets is very cloudy which I think is caused from stirring up all,the sediment at the bottom of the cistern from pumping the pond water in. I am very clueless about cistern (having city water all my life) but since it also collects rainwater which isn't treated until it enters the home I figured the same treatment will be used in the pond water. Any help would be appreciated.

So we have been having some heavy rains and our back yard keeps flooding. There was a swale put in by the previous owner and a tiny river develops during these heavy rains. However to the right of the swale is when our goat shed and pen are located. Its on the land higher that the swale but there is an area in the outside pen the collects a large amount of water. As you can see in the picture water is at a stand still in the pen with nowhere to go. Is it too simple minded of me to think I can just dig up a small trench in the soil from where the water collects in the pen and have the trench connect into the swale. This is what I'm thinking in my head but I don't know if it will work how I envision it. Looking for ideas...

Thanks for your help. It's just very strang to me. I woke up this morning and at 6 am when it was 5 degrees out there they were still in the pond. We have an aerator so I know part of the pond won't freeze over and I see their feathers on top of other parts of the ice so I know they can get out of they want. I tried leaving a trail of food to the coop but they didn't seem to fall for it. I've been able to catch the make before but the female I haven't had any luck. I'm worried I will be able to get the male and lock him up but then the female will be left out alone. I figure if I leave them both out at least they can keep each other warm. I wonder if the aerator is bringing up warmer water from the bottom of the pond and that's why they seem to be staying there? The picture shows what I'm currently dealing with.

I need some guidance as to how to handle our 2 Pekin ducks in the winter. I am a new duck owner as they kind of came with the house when we bought it...They are currently free range and stay in the front yard in and around our pond all day. Now as the temperature has significantly dropped to around 20 degrees and the pond has started to freeze over I am unsure how to care for them in a cold climate. We have a coop on the other side of the yard that I left open with food in the hopes they would make their way over to it but they still remain in the pond. I had a floating duck house that they never went in so I pulled it into the shore hoping they would go in it but they still won't. I'm worried they are going to freeze. I want catch them and they run back into the water if we go by then when we try to go but them. From what I understand from the previous owner they just left them out,to their own devices. I feel like that's not ok, but maybe it is?? Does some one have any advice,on how I can get them out of the water and into the coop or do will they be ok to be left alone??