Backyard ducks, how messy are they?

[Magnolia Ducks]

The poop smell is dependant on what you feed them. Mine don't smell at all, well not much and I never have flies. I think they eat the flies as I see them chasing one from time to time. when they are brooding they stink something awful, but when I change over the feed it stops. Unless you give them Mealworms

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

This is an example of a preferred afternoon activity for ducks. They also like to mix their food with their water, their poop with their water ( duck rule #1- a duck must poop within 10 seconds of entering a fresh clean pool), and mud with everything. If you find this endearing, great! Ducks are for you! If this is horrifying, then maybe they aren’t

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

But they are so cute!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

But they are so cute!

Oh, I fully agree!

 

[quackiemama]

They are the cutest!

 

[MallardMomx2]

Oh ducks are such a joy! I was a first time duck mom 11 months ago when I got my baby mallard ducklings, Mallory and Quackers. They are so...so...so...emphasis on so...messy. Like 100x messier than our chickens. They love water and mud and messes. They do stink, even only owning 2. And they truly are a lot of work. But it is so incredibly worth it. They are so funny and so much fun to watch. If you have the time to care for them, I say go for it. Some ducks do fly while others don’t. I have mallards, which do fly, but there are many duck breeds out there that don’t (or at least don’t fly long distances.)
Now, Mallory and Quackers had babies and I’m starting the process all over again!

 

[quackiemama]

Oh ducks are such a joy! I was a first time duck mom 11 months ago when I got my baby mallard ducklings, Mallory and Quackers. They are so...so...so...emphasis on so...messy. Like 100x messier than our chickens. They love water and mud and messes. They do stink, even only owning 2. And they truly are a lot of work. But it is so incredibly worth it. They are so funny and so much fun to watch. If you have the time to care for them, I say go for it. Some ducks do fly while others don’t. I have mallards, which do fly, but there are many duck breeds out there that don’t (or at least don’t fly long distances.)
Now, Mallory and Quackers had babies and I’m starting the process all over again!

Awww congrats!

 

[Sundevill11]

How messy could I expect 2 ducks to be?

 

[quackiemama]

View attachment 1742553

 

[AAcres]

I'm curious about mess too and wondering are they messy because they get into everything? Or messy like pooping on themselves?
If they free range around an acre of property would they stink up the place? Or is it generally just their coop/shelter area that smells?

Sorry for overload of questions