Ducks and a natural pond

[Bob-and-Donna]

Greetings!

We have a small natural pond right next to our property that I’d like to introduce to our ducks eventually. The only other water fowl we’ve seen is the occasional Mallard, Canada Geese, Heron, and we do have some Sandhill Cranes nesting in the marshy area on the other side. There are turtles, frogs, and toads otherwise. The pond is also covered with green algae and I know there are minnows too.
I know they would love it and I’m pretty confident that they will follow us back home but I am a little apprehensive about the idea. We have 4 female Silver Appleyards so they have their own little pack which I think will deter any other water fowl. Strength in numbers, right?
We are new to ducks so I’m wondering if anyone has experience.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I wouldn’t be so sure they will follow you home. There have been previous posts on here from people asking how to get their pets off the pond they led them too.

 

[KaleIAm]

We have a good sized pond on our property. I trained my ducks to come when called, and gave them mealworms for being good listeners. They followed me to the pond, I would watch over then for a few hours, call them, and then they would follow me home back to their aviary. I gave them mealworms when they got out of the pond, about halfway home, and then back inside the aviary.

I don't advise letting your ducks out onto a pond unless they are friendly enough to eat from your hand and they have a perfect recall. Even then, like stated above, we regularly have members whose ducks won't come back. A pond is a lot of fun to give up. Even for mealworms.

Another thing to consider is potential illnesses from the wild mallards. My ducks got internal parasites, external parasites, and a virus from wild ducks by swimming in the same water. Their vet told me not to take them to the pond anymore. I haven't and they have been much healthier! With the potentially deadly avian flu about that adds another layer of danger.

 

[Bob-and-Donna]

This is what I wanted, thank you!
We do regularly hand feed them mealworms and they come running when we shake the can and do our duck call. Although they don’t let us touch them, they will follow us around the yard too. I hadn’t considered the parasites and forgot about the avian flu.

Donna

 

[lwharran1]

Greetings!

We have a small natural pond right next to our property that I’d like to introduce to our ducks eventually. The only other water fowl we’ve seen is the occasional Mallard, Canada Geese, Heron, and we do have some Sandhill Cranes nesting in the marshy area on the other side. There are turtles, frogs, and toads otherwise. The pond is also covered with green algae and I know there are minnows too.
I know they would love it and I’m pretty confident that they will follow us back home but I am a little apprehensive about the idea. We have 4 female Silver Appleyards so they have their own little pack which I think will deter any other water fowl. Strength in numbers, right?
We are new to ducks so I’m wondering if anyone has experience.

There is something you can do about the algae in the water. One of the neighbors used to put something in the water to keep it clear but since he died nobody has bothered. It doesnt hurt the ducks but it takes care of the algae.

 

[jenny_exe]

We have a small river running through our property and knew that we wanted our ducks to enjoy it when they were old enough. We were nervous 1. that they would leave and 2. of predators (the river attracts a huge a variety of animals, including bobcats, coyotes, foxes, beavers, snapping turtles, etc.).

Without going into too much detail in this post, we had great success this summer getting them acclimated and they LOVE the natural water source! As soon as they hear our car doors when we get home from work, they honk and honk until we let them out to the river.

Of note, we don't let them in unsupervised or when it's dark. I think it would probably be a little different for you, as your water source is standing whereas ours is running (we didn't want them to follow the river away from the property). Often we go in the river with them but don't pay a whole lot of attention to them... they kind of just do their thing and don't stray too far!

Sometimes though I read a book on the banks of the river while they're swimming around. It took the whole summer but now I'm able to lure them out of the river with a head of romaine (their favorite food). I just shake it and yell, "Who wants their treat?!" and they come a-running! However, I recommend being prepared to having to enter the pond in the chance that you can't lure them out on your own!

Feel free to message me or ask any further questions. I feel like if we could successfully acclimate our feathered babies to a river, you could certainly do so in a pond and I KNOW they would love it!