Am I wrong for this?

[ChickenChik]

I plan on getting a couple ducks in the near future and I will have them in a pen. They will be able to free range and I was going to get them a baby pool when they are older. I had a friend tell me "they would be much happier in a pond" What do you think? Do you think that I am wrong for wanting to raise ducks with a baby pool. I feel that if I give them a happy home and the neccessities that it wouldn't be a big deal. I really would like you opinion. Thanks!!

 

[newchickmom09]

They will be plenty happy. There are a ton of BYCers that only have kiddie pools or small ponds for there ducks and they are happy and healthy. Domestic ducks aren't like wild mallards so they are basicaly happy with any water you give them. They just need enough to be able to bathe in.

 

[Amiga]

Many of us have baby pools, puppy pools, stock tanks, old bathtubs. I use two concrete mixing pans (minus the concrete, of course

)

If you are planning to get a domestic breed, a pond could be worse than the baby pool. A large pond with snapping turtles, fish large enough to eat or injure ducks, and who knows what other kinds of predators would be a much worse place for domestic ducks than a safe, relatively clean, small body of water where they can splash and wash and drink to their hearts' content.

Stick with the baby pool idea.

(Before I had my ducks, someone who felt themselves an expert told me that one MUST have a pond for ducks. Yeah, right.)

 

[Ga.chickenman]

Kittie pools work fine , like most everyone is saying.

too much advise may be harmful to your duckies...

 

[ChickenChik]

Thank y'all very much! I don't feel bad about "cooping up" a "pet" duck!!!

 

[Cetawin]

Mine love their plastic kiddie pool. They do just fine, last a good long time and are inexpensive.

 

[PlumTuckered]

I have 7 ducks (2 grown Pekin Hens, 1 young mallard drake, 3 mallard gal ducklings and 1 muscovy duckling that is almost a month old). My Pekin Gals lived on the pond in the day and in their pen at night until they went broody. Once they went broody they only wanted to swim in the pool. Since little Scooter hatched they have continued to use the pool only even though they can go to the pond if they want to. I figure once MammaDuck decides Scooter can go to the pond they'll return to it. I'm thoroughly enjoying the fact that they prefer the pool because I don't have nearly as far to go to sit with them, plus less chance of me running into a snake up here at the pen/pool ;-)

Michelle