Ok, all, I finally figured out where to put my waterfowl pen. Both ducks and geese (when I get them) will be together, and the pen is going to be approximately 40 x 25. This will be sort of in two areas, though, as one area will be up in the top yard, and one down a hill and behind some coops and a shed, but all one accessible space, still.
I am putting in an 8 foot diameter (round) water trough as a swimming pool for them (it is about two foot deep). I was wondering what plants to put in the pen for them to hide under, etc...
I was thinking some ornamental grasses for them to hide in. I read on here somewhere they like to hide in those and have their nests under them. There will be a few small trees (nothing big right now - more like 3 foot tall trees) that are already there.
The biggest area will be on a slope, not sure if that will hinder some plants or not.
Building in this area will give me room to expand, if necesary.
Right now I have a ton of wild blackberry canes I need to clear out of there, and I believe the wild honeysuckle grows in there, too, in places. It is pretty thick with canes, so I'll be cutting and digging for a whole day. It's too bad I don't have time to build the pen and turn a donkey loose in there for a couple of weeks - everything would be gone
.
Any other suggestions for plants would be helpful.
Just imagine if you could build the perfect waterfowl pen... what would you add...? I can choose from your suggestions that way
Oh, btw, I live in south central kentucky, if that helps on plant selections. The area will also be mostly protected from high winds (which we get in the winter) and we don't get a lot of rain in the summer - although I imagine the pool being drained periodically will water most everything in there. I'll just attach a hose to the drain hole and water everything with that water. No use wasting 300 gallons of water everytime I clean their pool
.
edited to add a pic of the general dimensions and shape of the pen...
thanks -
meri
I am putting in an 8 foot diameter (round) water trough as a swimming pool for them (it is about two foot deep). I was wondering what plants to put in the pen for them to hide under, etc...
I was thinking some ornamental grasses for them to hide in. I read on here somewhere they like to hide in those and have their nests under them. There will be a few small trees (nothing big right now - more like 3 foot tall trees) that are already there.
The biggest area will be on a slope, not sure if that will hinder some plants or not.
Building in this area will give me room to expand, if necesary.
Right now I have a ton of wild blackberry canes I need to clear out of there, and I believe the wild honeysuckle grows in there, too, in places. It is pretty thick with canes, so I'll be cutting and digging for a whole day. It's too bad I don't have time to build the pen and turn a donkey loose in there for a couple of weeks - everything would be gone
Any other suggestions for plants would be helpful.
Just imagine if you could build the perfect waterfowl pen... what would you add...? I can choose from your suggestions that way
Oh, btw, I live in south central kentucky, if that helps on plant selections. The area will also be mostly protected from high winds (which we get in the winter) and we don't get a lot of rain in the summer - although I imagine the pool being drained periodically will water most everything in there. I'll just attach a hose to the drain hole and water everything with that water. No use wasting 300 gallons of water everytime I clean their pool
edited to add a pic of the general dimensions and shape of the pen...
thanks -
meri
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