Oh boy! I now have ducks!

[vtmom30]

We just bought a house with 12 acres. So of course I have to utilize it. We have a pond out back a huge one mind you and I happened to go into Tractor supply today and saw DUCKLINGS! Blue Swede's....so naturally I had to get some for our pond! I did see some pics of other ducklings though and they are different breeds than the Blue Swede's so could mabye one of you ducky experts tell me that my little fuzzy butts are all Blue Swede's?
Heres a pic:

 

[Amiga]

Can't say for sure, but hoping you're reading the stickies on duck care!

 

[Carcajou]

Ditto on the stickies! Adorable ducklings. And

 

[Miss Lydia]

And here they are... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

And

 

[tadpole98]

are you going to have them out in the pond and not to come in at night?

Because a few years ago, we thought we would build a duckhouse, which was a igloo doghouse on top of a floating device we made ourselves. My mom decided to go out and get 20 muscovies that were 10 weeks? and pop them in that floating duck house out in the middle of the lake. one by one they disappeared, and found piles of feathers laying around. And they seemed to like the land more than water.

first off, we didnt think about how they were supposed to know that was home. The minute they were in there and we got them swam out in the middle (this is a five acre lake) we put them back out! we wanted so bad to see them swim. Which was stupid. they didnt have a ramp to get on and off, so once they were off, they werent getting back on.

im not saying this is your idea but i am warning you to make them come in at night and dont have them living right off the pond especially if they dont know where home is. they are a big target for predators!

Good luck,
Tad

 

[jdywntr]

X2 with tadpole. Domestic ducks do not have the survival skills to live on a pond. They will get taken by predators.

It doesn't look like you have a blue swedish in the bunch. Looks like a black swedish, maybe 2 more mismarked, a mallard and 2 that don't fit the standard look of any that I'm aware of. Please read up on the care of these babies. Get started on a predator proof house.

 

[jen85]

I did the same thing! Went to tractor supply and couldn't help myself! Bought the two that looked like blue Swedish as well. My parents have a few different breeds on their pond( that I raised for them ). They can survive just fine on a pond, just depends on the situation. Ours are fed everyday and there is a big fence around all of their property. These two new babies I plan on keeping at my place. Good luck!! Those could all be Swedish except the one. I've seen quite a few that are marked like that.

 

[jdywntr]

I did the same thing! Went to tractor supply and couldn't help myself! Bought the two that looked like blue Swedish as well. My parents have a few different breeds on their pond( that I raised for them ). They can survive just fine on a pond, just depends on the situation. Ours are fed everyday and there is a big fence around all of their property. These two new babies I plan on keeping at my place. Good luck!! Those could all be Swedish except the one. I've seen quite a few that are marked like that.

I will only say to search through the duck forum for all of the posts by people who THOUGHT their ducks were fine. Until they weren't. Read tadpole98's post. Their mom put ducks on a pond and they slowly disappeared. That doesn't seem like surviving just fine.

There is no expert( I am not saying that I am one) that will tell you that a domestic duck is safe on a pond. Predators know how to swim and how to climb fences.

 

[wildpeas]

A pond also won't keep them safe from a determined eagle.

 

[tadpole98]

A pond also won't keep them safe from a determined eagle.

some places dont have eagles though. But I know we have snapping turtles which will come up from below and snatch them down under.

theres always something thats hungry enough to work for its food.