Duck vs. Goldfish

[Wifezilla]

WOW! That is one smart duck!

 

[RavenStorm]

Rte.66_chicks :

Many years ago, my kids and I were feeding ducks some bread at a park pond. One of the ducks would break up the bread rather than eat it, and when little fish came for the bread, it ate them. I was amazed! That duck was attracting the fish on purpose!

I remember an old article in a National Geographic about some sort of waterfowl at a zoo that learned to pick up it's kibble feed and use it as bait to catch fish. For a long time it was the only one, and then a few others in her flock started to copy her!

Anyway I just wanted to add that in Southern California there is a program in some areas where a government agency (can't remember which one) will bring you free mosquito fish to stock your ornamental ponds to curb West Nile. My grandmother just did that in Santa Barbara County, so I'll ask her for the info and post it here for everyone. When I took my duck with me for a visit (no one available to babysit lol) she loved to hunt those fish in the pond.​

 

[RockyToggRanch]

So suppose I have a small, ornamental pond with 3, 4yr old shubunkin goldfish who are about 6-8 inches long. Suppose I have 5 duck eggs incubating now. Just suppose they find the pond this summer. Do you suppose they could eat fish that big?

 

[Wifezilla]

6-8 inches? Those might be a challenge for them. I can tell you a 2" fish doesn't stand a chance near a hungry duck....and a duck is ALWAYS hungry

 

[jab91864]

You need that on a little video clip.....

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd like to see a duck try to eat my 12 cent gold fish. Well, when I bought them, I think they were still 10 cents. They are 8-12 inches long now and a few years old. They started at about an inch.


Eat me?

 

[Wifezilla]

Next time I get them gold fish I will make sure I have the camera handy. I may have to get a special lens to keep track of the action. Lana is FAST!!!

 

[jab91864]

Quote:
If they can't eat them they will damage them. I had exceptionally large goldfish in the pool and had places for the to hide the ducks couldn't get to and they still got their bodies raked and cut by hungry duck bills....

 

[RockyToggRanch]

OOhhhh...I will not be happy if they eat my fish. I thought about them finding the pond and eating to 40 or so frogs that are there each spring, and pooping in the water... but I didn't think they'd eat a big fish. I guess we'll see.

ps. They will have their own pond, but I want them to free range with the chickens for bug control.