Bachelor pond

[chicklet1992]

We're fencing in our pond to add ducks. Since we do not want eggs, meat or babies, we are considering a bachelor pond (males only).

Our chicken hens range out of site of the pond and the pond will be fenced to keep the ducks at the pond. We don't have any female ducks either.

Should we expect any issues with a bachelor pond of drakes? How about if we add in one or two male only geese?

 

[Dynasty and Delta]

Drake only flocks are usually successful, but aren't without problems. I have two drakes(just as pets as well) with no hens and during the non-breeding season they are fine, but when breeding season comes around that's when issues arise. They become more aggressive towards each other fighting and trying to force themselves upon each(rarely though). The fights where never horrible(still not good though), but ive heard different stories on how severe they could be. I've heard that drakes that are raised together and are a little old have these issues less which I can agree to as my drakes where raised together and are two years of age and this years breeding season was no where near as bad as the one before. So, in theory drakes flock work out, just need to keep an eye out for aggression during the breeding season.

 

[chicklet1992]

Perhaps I should consider a breeding pair and allow them to populate the pond themselves. The issue here is m/f ratio- I would want to be as hands off as possible with this pond (feed and water daily, of course, but not collecting eggs or selling off/processing extra drakes). Just pond eye candy for the family to feed treats to and enjoy.

 

[Dynasty and Delta]

Perhaps I should consider a breeding pair and allow them to populate the pond themselves. The issue here is m/f ratio- I would want to be as hands off as possible with this pond (feed and water daily, of course, but not collecting eggs or selling off/processing extra drakes). Just pond eye candy for the family to feed treats to and enjoy.

The issue I have is the fact I have a smaller suburban yard, but locally there is a wild bachelor flock in a lake nearby and I've observed that any times they have issues they just space out. So if your pond is big enough that might dilute some of the mating season aggression issues that drakes have as they'll just space themselves out until they cool down.

 

[chicklet1992]

The issue I have is the fact I have a smaller suburban yard, but locally there is a wild bachelor flock in a lake nearby and I've observed that any times they have issues they just space out. So if your pond is big enough that might dilute some of the mating season aggression issues that drakes have as they'll just space themselves out until they cool down.

50x40ft pond, so not huge and I'm not clear on how much pond space for ducks. From my research, run space for ducks is 15-20 sq ft but pond space is 8-15 ducks per acre pond. I'm guessing this is mostly due to cleanliness of the pond.

I was leaning towards 5 ducks for no specific reason, plus potentially 2 geese.

Another idea was mallards amd allow them to fly away if they wish, but I don't want duck activity outside of the fenced pond area, so I don't think this is the way to go for us.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Perhaps I should consider a breeding pair and allow them to populate the pond themselves. The issue here is m/f ratio- I would want to be as hands off as possible with this pond (feed and water daily, of course, but not collecting eggs or selling off/processing extra drakes). Just pond eye candy for the family to feed treats to and enjoy.

You would quickly end up with too many ducks this way. If you just want them as 'pond ornaments' go for either all male or all female. If you also want geese, make sure they are raised together. My two geese terrorize my other birds! (ducks, Muscovy, and chickens) Even through the fence.

 

[chicklet1992]

You would quickly end up with too many ducks this way. If you just want them as 'pond ornaments' go for either all male or all female. If you also want geese, make sure they are raised together. My two geese terrorize my other birds! (ducks, Muscovy, and chickens) Even through the fence.

That was my concern as well.
We would get all the ducklings and goslings at the same time and brood together.

I cross posted on the goose forum in case they gaggle group have any insights specifically to geese.

May need to rethink the game plan a bit. I don't currently have a plan for how to split drakes that don't get along.