Getting ducks

[Beginner2015]

so i have chickens and have by now gotten pretty good at raising them and i have this huge pond with no ducks on it so... i was thinking about getting a pair of wood ducks or some pretty breed that i can keep there, but here is my questions.

- i want something pretty- i currently raise game fowl so i want a breed of duck that is similar to them (not in the seance that they will kill each other) in the since that they will be great free rangers and be able to make a nest and hatch eggs on their own and you know be able to have kinda like a common sense about them.

- i want a breed that will need minimal maintenance i can build a small coop or whatever but i just want them to be able to stay at the pond and me not have to baby them

- i want something that is pretty but i also want something i can eat (if i want to) so i was thinking wood duck or the other one that starts with an M but mainly wood duck b/c i think they look the best. but could you get any meat off a wood duck

- what would i need to keep ducks in a pasture with goats and a pond to where they can be there and do their thing and me not have to gather eggs or go down there everyday

im not lazy its just this is my parents house and id like to get ducks while i can still have their help and when i get my own place after college i can get them back or get their babies.
any comments are appreciated

OH ALSO --- should i get ducks or swan or geese or whatever what are the pros and cons of each (following the parameters above)
- i want it to look good
- i want to be able to eat it
- LOW MAINTENANCE

 

[needlessjunk]

I think what you have in mind won't work out well. You should check out the ornamental fowl for more information about wood ducks and what not. Most of us on have domestic ducks. Ducks need protections and sitting out on a pond is not protection. Most predators will and can swim out to eat them so they really should be locked up. Also if you get wood ducks I'm not sure they will stick around if you release them onto a pond. It sounds like you really should attract wild ducks instead. That way you can hunt them to eat, don't have to worry about caring for them and they are pretty. All the animals you listed need to be protected from predators whether you get ducks, geese or swans. Also swans are mean and expensive, but nothing can just be left out and expected to survive or stick around.

 

[Beginner2015]

I understand that some form of protection is needed but it's in a fenced in pasture with our goats so nothing bigger than a coon could get in and our dogs keep most of them away. I was just wandering if they could sleep in trees or a nest
And I'd clip the ducks wings so they would stick around

 

[LadyIsadora]

In my recent research, I have read that mallards are excellent d foragers, very good mothers, beautiful and fight off most threat. They are still a duck, so fighting only goes so far but you would have to clip them or have them pinioned so they dont fly away. that will leave them vulnerable to attack from predators however. They are more wild than not so they take care of themselves more than most. Take that for what it is, I am SOOO new to all of this.

 

[needlessjunk]

I understand that some form of protection is needed but it's in a fenced in pasture with our goats so nothing bigger than a coon could get in and our dogs keep most of them away. I was just wandering if they could sleep in trees or a nest
And I'd clip the ducks wings so they would stick around

A fenced pasture is not protection of any kind. Mink, coons, owls, fox, ect. all want to eat ducks. The list is never ending and ducks are easy targets. Cliping their wings means that they then cannot fly and get away for predators as well and would not be able to nest in a tree. Snake and owls are also a real problem. Any opening larger than 1/2-1 inch leaves them open for attack. If you are cliping their wings they will need a solid built house and be locked in every night. So that is more work.