Ducks for insect control?

[dianneS]

I am looking for a good breed of duck for insect control. I have a pond, will they mostly stay in that area? I would prefer a non-flighted breed as well. I have a coop that they could be locked in at night. Can you really train them to go inside before sunset?

I have tried chickens and guinea fowl and neither is working for me free-range anymore. I had chickens for nine years, but had to lock them up this year due to a new neighbor planting a vegetable garden right on the property line. The guineas are leaving the neighbors garden alone so far, but they do go over in that direction and I don't want my birds to get blamed for any plant damage.

Would ducks be a better option? Can I keep them fenced in my pastures with my livestock without fear of them escaping? I do have geese right now, they never get out of the pasture fence, but they don't eat bugs!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I love my muscovy ducks. They patrol the yard day and night eating bugs. They don't need constant water like other species but will definitely use it. They are somewhat able to fly, mostly glide, but you can clip wings to keep them grounded. They also are prolific, and will hatch big clutches if allowed. They don't quack like other breeds so they are more quiet.

 

[chickens really]

Yep...Muscovy love bugs.....Even those Guinea Hens are great for eating Bugs.....

 

[chickens really]

Yep....Try Muscovy....I think you will love them....I will add Miss Lydia to this conversation ....She knows Muscovy....

@Miss Lydia

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My muscovy roost in my chicken shed, some way up in the rafters, which is a big pole building. They prefer a more open setting. They are good at avoiding predators, and are very smart birds.

 

[jofanx]

Love my muscovies too. I keep their wings clipped and they live in a coop at night, which they return to on their own. We had a BAD infestation of gypsy moths last year and then this spring I thought it was going to be the same thing... but at the first sign of caterpillars they were wiped out by my foraging flock.

I watched them chase down flies and chomp down on... honeybees. So that's been a bit of a downside in that they aren't picky about which bugs they eat. Bright side is, no slugs or snails.

They're quiet, and honestly I find that they're calm in comparison to chickens which I desperately need in my life. Their poop also doesn't smell as bad to me.

They MIGHT eat your neighbors garden though unless you keep them penned up. Mine gets into my huge patch of alpine strawberries.

One thing is you might want to give them feed at night--I don't feed them during the day because then they get lazy on the pest control. I give them each about a cup of feed before bed.

 

[jofanx]

Mine would much rather stay in our yard so like yours, if they accidentally get into the neighbor's and something spooks them, they try to come back as fast as possible. They would most likely not bother trying to escape.

 

[Cigo]

I also highly suggest muscovies. Mine live on our large pond during the warm season. No coop, no additional feed, just out in the wild. Then they live with my chickens during winter. They never stray very far from the general vicinity of their pond during the summer. I can't make any guarantees but based on my own experience, if you've got a water source and consistent source of food they won't bother trying to leave the boundaries of your fence. And if they do it won't be for long. My females can fly but they only really do it for roosting. My male is far too heavy to get off the ground (yet he's somehow the best at evading predators), so flying ability and desire depends on the individual bird.

 

[Cigo]

I'll also add that if you want ducks that will be crazy about your pond, musvovies won't really be it. They love water and swimming and will use it to their advantage, such as to escape predators, but they're not like dabbling ducks with it. Mine stay right next to the pond all day resting or foraging for food but they only get directly into the water to swim maybe a couple times a day.

 

[dianneS]

I'll also add that if you want ducks that will be crazy about your pond, musvovies won't really be it. They love water and swimming and will use it to their advantage, such as to escape predators, but they're not like dabbling ducks with it. Mine stay right next to the pond all day resting or foraging for food but they only get directly into the water to swim maybe a couple times a day.

That's okay, they don't need to be crazy about the pond. I'd just like something to use it more than the geese. I'd also like something that might eat the mosquito larva and excess tadpoles and such, since I'm not sure that the geese do that?

Muscovies are starting to sound pretty good! I may actually keep a few of my guineas and let them patrol the yard for bugs and ticks while the ducks patrol the pasture for flies. We should have a significant reduction in bugs with both on duty!