getting new ducks

[thechickman04]

i am getting ducks this spring for my pond it is about two acres big....How many ducks would be a good amount for this pond? .... What types of ducks are not good flyers?

 

[greyfields]

Two acre pond? My god, you could get 200 ducks easily. With that much room, I'd get geese as well as they're excellent 1-2 punches as far as weeding and eating insects.

My personal favorite ducks:

Silver Appleyards
Saxony
Welsh Harlequin

Geese:

Pilgrim
Embden
American Buff
Chinese

It's very important to get high quality animals as well. If you can at all afford it, the best waterfowl are going to come from here:

http://www.holderreadfarm.com/

The second best being:

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/

The more economic option (but still good product) is:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Any ducks that are too fat to fly.

Seriously though.

Avoid mallards and muscovy, both of which can fly.

A 2 acre pond? You could have quite a few. How many were you thinking?

 

[thechickman04]

oo and do i need to get babies or...or can i intoduce grown ducks to my pond?

 

[KingsCalls]

You can introduce grown ducks to the pond. They should be o.k. as long as the predators don't find them! If you do not have the pond fenced in and predator proof, I'd make some kind of floating island for them to get on while still being out in the water. This keeps them safer from predators. Anchor it so it does not float to the bank of the pond.

 

[thechickman04]

how am i supposed to make an island?

 

[greyfields]

You can introduce adults to your pond... the issue is cost. Once you realize the cost, you will want to buy day old baby ducklings and goslings as it's a better value... although it takes more of your time to handle and grow.

I don't see an immediate need for an island. The water itself gives your waterforwl a lot of protection from predators.

 

[thechickman04]

i have alot of coyotes

 

[DuckLady]

duplicate post
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=37259