Farm with a lake

[bearyspunky]

I had city chickens. Loved it. Now I have a farm. It has a 42 acre private lake. No fish. The lake varies 4-6 feet deep and freezes in winter. I would like to get ducks. (and geese) I don't know what breeds of duck would be best. Floating house, conventional coop or both. What predator is the worst? Is a lake too much for domestic ducks and geese? The lake has loons...would they leave them alone?
I am looking for: 1. enjoying the animal 2. some clean-up of grasses at the lake shore 3. mosquito larvae eaters 4. meat 5. eggs?(never tried them)
The house and buildings are about 2 acres away from the lake. Is this too far away to reasonably protect them? I can give them a wood/metal/hardware cloth coop to keep out anything short of a bear at night. During the day they would have the lake to evade predators. I could put some electric fencing around a small portion of the shore if it would make a difference.
Sum up:
1 best breed type
2 best methods to protect
3 problems experienced duck keepers see that I haven't even addressed yet

Thanks

 

[CarleeAnn]

I know I’m not really answering your desired questions, and I apologize, but do you know if your lake has snapper turtles? Or any sort of turtles I suppose...

 

[chickens really]

Lake or pond living Ducks are sitting Ducks...Owls, Hawks , fox and many other predators are an issue..Weasels and Mink too...Not to mention other Ducks that fight for territory and Hens....

 

[bearyspunky]

I know I’m not really answering your desired questions, and I apologize, but do you know if your lake has snapper turtles? Or any sort of turtles I suppose...

 

[bearyspunky]

Yes. I have seen small snapping and other turtles in the lake. I believe they are protected against killing...not relocating.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Snapping turtles are very much a predator to water fowl young and adults.

 

[cavemanrich]

If I had your property........................ Mainly the lake, I would introduce fish into it. You possibly do have some fish in it already since you have turtles. Fish eggs do get introduced from one body of water to another on the legs of wild ducks, and geese. Fish will maintain a good ecosystem, as well as control mosquitoes, and such. A friend I know does keep 3 ponds and stocks fish into them. Sunfish, bass, crappie, as well as catfish. He does feed his fish, and then eats them. He orders them thru a feed store. You can only introduce them and not provide any food for them. Let nature take its course. 42 acres is GOOD SIZE. Only thing I suggest not stocking would be carp and goldfish. They do make water cloudy.
Then let your ducks use your pond/lake. If you are going to be worried about every possibility, you may prematurely get gray hair and start to age prematurely. .
If the loons and wild ducks there are fine with swimming there, so will your ducks..

 

[Miss Lydia]

And if his ducks and geese begin having babies the snappers can take care of over population right?

 

[chickencheeper]

If you want friendlyness then welsh harlequin are good, but you DEFINITELY want to raise them young and have them imprint on you for maximum friendliness but they may get eaten by predators, id even say definitely, because there isn’t much you can do to protect them short of cageing off a section of lake just for the ducks and geese and having it attached to the shore and a run(pen) and coop.