Ducks Won't Go Into the Pond

[Sosalty]

At times I take a precision air rifle and sniper snakes and turtles in the pond. Last summer thought I had all the turtles/snakes out. Yet occasionally a big bream would wash up on the bank half eaten from the tail end. There's a jumble of rocks 75' below the dam that's un-mow able thus grown up. Placed a 100' string along the dam. Next morning the string had been dragged. This went on several days. A 14" snapper would hike up before midnite, eat fish in the pond, then return to nest under a rock 75' off around 4 am. When the neighbors ponds dry up and ours is full, I'll notice several snappers migrating to our pond (they don't make it)

Minks are scary. Feisty enough to kill but can squeeze thru the smallest holes. There's all sorts of dealing with nature philosophies. At our place, all wildlife benefits from culling predators, including the predators themselves.

 

[Miss Lydia]

At times I take a precision air rifle and sniper snakes and turtles in the pond. Last summer thought I had all the turtles/snakes out. Yet occasionally a big bream would wash up on the bank half eaten from the tail end. There's a jumble of rocks 75' below the dam that's un-mow able thus grown up. Placed a 100' string along the dam. Next morning the string had been dragged. This went on several days. A 14" snapper would hike up before midnite, eat fish in the pond, then return to nest under a rock 75' off around 4 am. When the neighbors ponds dry up and ours is full, I'll notice several snappers migrating to our pond (they don't make it)

Minks are scary. Feisty enough to kill but can squeeze thru the smallest holes. There's all sorts of dealing with nature philosophies. At our place, all wildlife benefits from culling predators, including the predators themselves.

Do you eat the snappers? some people say they a delicious.

 

[ducktalk]

At times I take a precision air rifle and sniper snakes and turtles in the pond. Last summer thought I had all the turtles/snakes out. Yet occasionally a big bream would wash up on the bank half eaten from the tail end. There's a jumble of rocks 75' below the dam that's un-mow able thus grown up. Placed a 100' string along the dam. Next morning the string had been dragged. This went on several days. A 14" snapper would hike up before midnite, eat fish in the pond, then return to nest under a rock 75' off around 4 am. When the neighbors ponds dry up and ours is full, I'll notice several snappers migrating to our pond (they don't make it)

Minks are scary. Feisty enough to kill but can squeeze thru the smallest holes. There's all sorts of dealing with nature philosophies. At our place, all wildlife benefits from culling predators, including the predators themselves.

We definitely don't take a humane-catch approach - my husband (who works in forestry) takes the view that since humans got rid of all of their natural predators (especially wolves) there is an unnatural abundance of mink, weasels, etc.

 

[ducktalk]

For anyone else that runs into this issue, it was timidity in our case! Yesterday they finally figured it out and have barely been out of the water since! Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

[AuntieG]

Hi all! I haven't been on here in a couple years and laughed to see that my last post was "ducks won't come OUT of the water!" Sadly since then we lost all of our ducks (f&^*&^ mink!).

About 6 weeks ago we got 5 new female Cayuga ducklings. We started out with them inside in a brooding box until they were big enough to go outside, at which point we put them within a gated area within in our regular duck pen (so they couldn't go into the pond before they were old/big enough). Our pond is decently large, completely fenced in, and is continuously fed by runoff from our artesian well. Past ducks have loved it and preferred to spend most of their time in there.

Last week we finally removed the inner pen so that they could enjoy the pond, but they will absolutely not go in. They have a poultry waterer AND a little splashing pool (just a kitty litter box with water), so hydration isn't an issue. We have mink traps out and game cameras that are motion activated so we have not had any land-predators, and the pond is loaded with frogs and tadpoles so likely no unseen aquatic predators.

I think they are just very cautious, but I also hate that they aren't enjoying the magic that is ducks in water. I was considering getting duck decoys to put in to entice them in, and was wondering if anyone else has used this method, or if it's just a wait and see game.

Truly appreciate all your thoughts, thank you!

If you haven't solved this problem yet, you might try placing the "splashing pool" near the pond and adding pond water to the little pool. My ducks seem really sensitive to changes in the flavor of their swimming water (i just have kiddie wading pools for them).

 

[Sosalty]

Do you eat the snappers? some people say they a delicious.

Umm, I lack bravery when it comes to foods. If it's not on restaurant menus . . .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Umm, I lack bravery when it comes to foods. If it's not on restaurant menus . . .

After we had flooding here a huge one washed up on our dirt road, boy did it stink I had to help it get back down to the river. Nope don't think I'd want to eat one even if on a menu.
Did not even know they were that big here in the mountains. Being born and raised in Florida it was common to see big ones just didn't expect it here.

 

[Here Chicky]

Hi all! I haven't been on here in a couple years and laughed to see that my last post was "ducks won't come OUT of the water!" Sadly since then we lost all of our ducks (f&^*&^ mink!).

About 6 weeks ago we got 5 new female Cayuga ducklings. We started out with them inside in a brooding box until they were big enough to go outside, at which point we put them within a gated area within in our regular duck pen (so they couldn't go into the pond before they were old/big enough). Our pond is decently large, completely fenced in, and is continuously fed by runoff from our artesian well. Past ducks have loved it and preferred to spend most of their time in there.

Last week we finally removed the inner pen so that they could enjoy the pond, but they will absolutely not go in. They have a poultry waterer AND a little splashing pool (just a kitty litter box with water), so hydration isn't an issue. We have mink traps out and game cameras that are motion activated so we have not had any land-predators, and the pond is loaded with frogs and tadpoles so likely no unseen aquatic predators.

I think they are just very cautious, but I also hate that they aren't enjoying the magic that is ducks in water. I was considering getting duck decoys to put in to entice them in, and was wondering if anyone else has used this method, or if it's just a wait and see game.

Truly appreciate all your thoughts, thank you!

I was on here about 3 years ago with the same issue. My ducks never made it in the water, sad to say. We lived close to an Amish community and someone with a pond and ducks took mine. I am hoping that they eventually followed his ducks in. What you are experiencing is very common. Be patient with them.