Ducks with limited space.

[Cookiee]

Greetings all,

I have limted space where i live (UK) sadly but I was wondering if ducks could be kept in small numbers ? Now I know ducks are dirty but could I keep 3/4 ducks in the space of maybe 10x10M ? I was thinking of turning my old kids pool into a duck pond. Is this a stupid idea or can it be done? Any advice is accepted

 

[Cookiee]

I have decided I will give it a try and see what happens, after talking to a friend today he has an allotment so if the worse comes to the worst I will move them there. I am going to put my daughters old paddling pool to use and will use it as a pond and I guess I can always just tip it and refill it if it gets stinky. Does anyone know the best feed for ducks (uk here) and also is there anything else I should be aware of ?

 

[ruthhope]

Sadly you confirmed my thoughts. Ooof kinda gutted but I know it's not posssible. Thanks for the reply. Sadly I live in Aberdeen Scotland and space is limited.

10 metres x 10 metres is perfectly adequate space for 3 or 4 ducks.

Make sure it is predator proof -- foxes, owls and hawks would be a worry.

You can certainly use a kiddie pool.
Yes ducks will get water everywhere, but you can use deep litter in their duck house -- scoop out messy bedding, but just add more dry litter on top of wet areas. I use mainly pine shavings in my coop but when it gets very wet, I add a layer of dried leaves. You might collect leaves in the autumn and keep them for use in the coop. Perhaps getting the leaves dry will be an issue in the UK; I'm lucky as we have lots of hot sunny days for raking dry leaves in Florida!

Out in the run, leaves are also good for keeping mud at abeyance. My ducks free range and my garden is deep in leaf mulch and the ducks love it as they like rummaging for bugs in it. But I am on well drained sandy soil. If you are on clay, it will be more difficult to control mud. Some folks use artificial turf but I think that 3 or 4 ducks in 100 square metres won't be too bad

 

[Cookiee]

Sorry for the slow reply on UK time here so I was in bed This gives me plenty to think about. I think most likely I am going to have to move out of where I currently live and go back to living in the country. Thanks for all the replys.

 

[DuneDucks]

I agree a few ducks would be fine in that space. My main pen is about that size, and while they do have a much larger run they're often let out to, there are also days my main flock of 5 spend the entire time inside (their pen).

I wish I would have had a little more plant life grown in the area to start, but the size of the space itself isn't an issue. In that space I have a coop, small lean-to, little pond, kiddie pool, 15-gallon tub, and a few hundred square feet of space left for them to stretch their legs and forage through. They know how much better the bug hunting is on the outside, but otherwise my ducks seem pretty content with the space.

I think the biggest issues you'd face would be the quality of your yard after a few months and the smell. Like I said I didn't have too much grown to start, but I planted some grass just a bit before they moved in, and it has done well. The only time I've noticed them get particularly destructive is when I mistakenly fill let their pool overflow and a puddle forms for them to dig around in. And I'm not bothered by it, but if you're sensitive to the smell of ducks, it would probably get a bit more concentrated in a smaller area. I catch the occasional whiff of their pond on a hot day, or anytime I'm in the water emptying/cleaning, and I can understand why some are averse to keeping them for that reason alone.

 

[Cookiee]

Cookie I feel your pain!

I'm in the UK with our tiny plots and expensive property.

We lived in a Victorian Terrace in the middle of town with a tiny back garden for 17 years, not enough space to swing a cat but I dreamed of having chickens

Last year we sold our beautiful but tiny terrace and bought a house with a much bigger garden. The house is probably a bit small for us but it was the garden of my dreams and soon it will be just my husband and I. We've got the chickens of my dreams, the ducks of my daughter's and a small area to grow veggies.

We are still in a town and my next dream is to get a small holding but for that we would probably need to win the lottery! Cheapest I've seen in my area is £1.3million for a few acres and a small house. I'd consider Wales or Norfolk but husband won't consider moving out of our immediate area so I understand how difficult it is for you.

You can do it in a smaller area you just need to consider your options, call ducks are small so may suit you area (which sounds pretty big still for UK standards).

If I was younger I'd move country, maybe Portugal.

Yeah exactly, my prioritys have changed so much, the past years at one time I was only worried about what address had the fastest internet connection. I am getting older now (44) and I am really fed up with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

My friends think I am loosing my mind wanting to keep birds and living a simple life but it's been more empowering the last year than any city life has ever been. I give my quail to my friends and they often message me saying thanks and I should come and visit them and see their flock, so there must be method in my madness. I think you need to be a little bit eccentric.

Maybe I am crazy but I feel like I am on the right path

 

[Cookiee]

You'll see anywhere from .25 square meters to .75 square meters of space per bird recommended depending on how harsh your winter gets and how much they'll be spending inside. As long as the shed is predator proof, and like @BelovedBirds says has good ventilation, then it should be adequately sized for a few small/medium sized ducks.

Amazing community here thanks for the reply

 

[Cookiee]

I want to say thank you for the amazing community and the time you all gave for replying to all the messages. This really is a great forum for all things bird. It has really been a great help.

 

[fatty and friends]

ducks are messy. i have 4 ducks and they get to free range my big yard (they are always supervised and it's fenced in) and they still are messy. if they are in a small area they'll turn it all into mud fast

 

[BelovedBirds]

Greetings all,

I have limted space where i live (UK) sadly but I was wondering if ducks could be kept in small numbers ? Now I know ducks are dirty but could I keep 3/4 ducks in the space of maybe 10x10M ? I was thinking of turning my old kids pool into a duck pond. Is this a stupid idea or can it be done? Any advice is accepted

I think this is plenty enough for 3 ducks, My two girls have a pen with a waterproof roof, so the only mud is around the little pool and perfectly manageable with a bit of effort. I free range them under supervision in my large yard, but theyre pretty content in their pen for the most of the time. It depends on the breed I think, some can be more active imo, my girls are content and choose to stay close to their pen. Others may want to venture and explore more. So depends on the breed and individual birds. It also helps to offer enrichment, mine have a forage area and water area, as well as toys that they love, it makes the most out of the space