Can pond water be dangerous for ducks ? Should I get it tested ?

[Apolinne]

Hello friends,

I recently hatched som runner ducks(my first ducks ever) and I was going to let them swim in the pond that I had in my garden for years. It's nothing special just an artificial pond with some gold fish, but I read somewhere that there can be harmful bacteria so I was thinking maybe I'll get it tested before I let them in. (they now swim in a kids pool in another corner of the garden)
I Can't find the article I read so I don't know what to get it tested for. I remember e-coli and botulism, not sure what else. It's not like I expect anything I keep it pretty clean and the fish are healthy but I just want to be safe.
Any suggestions ?

Thank you

 

[HollowOfWisps]

For ducks the biggest thing you have to watch out for is algae booms when it’s hot or small areas of standing stagnant water. Otherwise I would not bother testing. A ducks biological system is made to drink water that if we as humans were to drink it, it would make us sick. Your ducks have a higher chance of getting ecoli from store bought vegetables or botulism from some moldy feed you missed in their feed bag. You would drive yourself absolutely mad and bonkers if you tested every potential contaminated source.

 

[Kiki]

This thread might help you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/testing-well-water.1531783/post-25832881

 

[Susan Skylark]

If they die suddenly you have a toxic form of blue green algae (rare!) but otherwise they’ll be fine! You can’t just test for ‘stuff’ the lab needs to know what tests to run and you need to know what samples yo submit (overnight it?) and then you need to pay for it, all to tell you it is inconclusive or the stuff living in there is perfectly normal. Diagnostic labs exist to solve medical problems and help prevent disease from spreading, they function best when you have an actual goal in mind. Turn off google and let your ducks be ducks (bacteria and fungi etc live everywhere and many are potentially toxic with the right conditions, don’t worry just enjoy life!).

 

[Apolinne]

Thank you for your replies guys. I called the vet and he said pretty much what you all are saying - to chill out. Told me to get a safety panel done if I want to, which I understand determines safety of water for humans. Makes sense I guess.
I'm new to this and I know I should turn off google and let them just be but every time I do that thinking finally I've resolved all of my duck problems something new happens.
I allowed them to check the pond out, so far they don't trust it . But they had a drink from it two days in a row now and all are still alive so good news I guess.

 

[Apolinne]

I think they like the pond Though I'm afraid the water lilies won't last long