Best ducks for controlling grass

[CSKA]

Hello, I have 1 acre land fenced (5 feet minimum), with fruit trees of various kinds, temperate climate in Southern Europe, no snow, which is in a rainy zone and grows too much grass and vegetation.

I have already chicken and Rouen ducks who free range, but still not enough to control the vegetation. I love having these animals around and want more breeds.

What I need is the following:

1) Breed that is good for grass eating. - Very important!

2) That can't fly (fence between 5 feet and 6 feet).

3) Not too noisy (I have neighbors). - Geese out of the question.

4) That will forage a good part of it's food requiring only moderate supplement.


There are many people offering Indian Runners in my area, but all research I do talks about how many slugs they eat not the green stuff. Is this a good breed for greens?

I also found in less offer (Cayugas, Khaki Campbell, Saxony, crested). Any experience with these?

Thank you

 

[sourland]

Unlike geese, in my experience, ducks have tended to eat minimal amounts of grass.

 

[Jenbirdee]

i’ve had a dozen or so ducks for 8 years now and they don’t eat grass they only dig dig dig for worms and stuff . they can totally destroy grass and can turn lawns into mud pits especially if it rains a lot.. and if they don’t have enough acreage to go bug hunting on.
geese on the other hand, eat grass. they trim it down, oh so neatly. This is one of the reasons why I keep my ducks separate from my geese. If I had them together, there would be no grass left for the geese to eat but that’s because mine are on only half an acre. maybe you can get a goat?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have already chicken and Rouen ducks who free range, but still not enough to control the vegetation.

Welcome to BYC!

Most things free range won't control the vegetation as desired.. that's why using rotational grazing is often used.. Having permanent paddocks or portable E fencing works well for poultry.. and then it's not just eating that controls it but the trampling traffic as well.

Sheep eat grass.. but 1 acre is not much.

My (pet) mini pigs.. eat the grass but also turn the ground and destroy the pasture.. which I'm sure the birds would then spread around but mine aren't free ranging due to too many hidden eggs under the blackberries bushes. No nose ring for them.

I did get goats to eat blackberries once.. they quickly ate my whole overgrown 1 acre property down to nothing.

I saw you're other thread asking about turkeys.. I cannot recommend them either.

No animal has been less work than just doing the work in MY experience. I did enjoy ALL the experiences though, including the many challenges.

How many birds of each type do you have right now?

 

[CSKA]

Welcome to BYC!

Most things free range won't control the vegetation as desired.. that's why using rotational grazing is often used.. Having permanent paddocks or portable E fencing works well for poultry.. and then it's not just eating that controls it but the trampling traffic as well.

Sheep eat grass.. but 1 acre is not much.

My (pet) mini pigs.. eat the grass but also turn the ground and destroy the pasture.. which I'm sure the birds would then spread around but mine aren't free ranging due to too many hidden eggs under the blackberries bushes. No nose ring for them.

I did get goats to eat blackberries once.. they quickly ate my whole overgrown 1 acre property down to nothing.

I saw you're other thread asking about turkeys.. I cannot recommend them either.

No animal has been less work than just doing the work in MY experience. I did enjoy ALL the experiences though, including the many challenges.

How many birds of each type do you have right now?

Other animals aren't a choice at the moment because I have more than 50 fruit trees planted last year, small goats would eat them. Small sized pigs would not be an option, they would feast on the chicken/duck eggs...

The bird number is variable because I harvest and trade with friends. Now got:

- Chicken: 12 ISA Browns, 15 Malines, 4 Brahmas, 5 (local breed hens similar to small plymouths).
- Ducks: Got 5 Rouen ducks and got 3 (cross Pekin with Muscovy).

The work they have done has been encouraging, about 1/3 of the land is almost perfect clear, the areas closer to their coops (2 of them) have minimal vegetation, but as the distance increases there is some grass (but still roughly half as previous years without them).

I have noticed that different breeds do better work than others, Rouens keep eating greens and they run the all acre. The Pekin/Muscovy cross, just sit at the backdoor waiting for treats... ISA Browns mostly but also Brahmas run the entire acre. Malines stay near the coup.

So this is why I am asking about breed advice, because I notice big differences.