Ground cover ideas.

[MaureenD]

I'm still fairly new to this so the more experienced keepers may have even better suggestions.

My ducks are on a mix of micro clover, sand & river rock and straw. I have added some siberian kale in the favorite snoozing area now that all the green plants have been killed by frost. It has sprouted and seems to be happy but the ducks may feat on it before it grows to adult size plants.

The microclover is evergreen and they don't seem to be particularly interested in eating it. They will drill it up when the enclosure is wet.I mostly have it in place to encourage earthworm activity and better soil quality. We used clean fill dirt to fill in the natural depression that their pen is in.

In the wet spots (around the stock pond, the bathing water and the extra drinking water) i have a layer of fine sand overlayed with the larger tumbled river rocks.

I have a layer of straw in their favorite outside snoozing place. Now that winter is coming I've spread a layer of straw everyone in the enclosure. As leaves fall I'm going to mix in leaf litter.

I may also add in some shavings or pellet bedding in the wettest area near but i haven't decided yet.

I had the luxury of seeding the microclover while we were constructing the area so i didnt have to worry about fat duck feet trampling it.

If you want to seed something like that now it may be better to put it down and then put a layer of straw on top.

Awesome thanks! Do you have any pics to post? : )

 

[Amiga]

Thank you for the suggestion of the oak leaves. I do not have any oaks, but certainly could find a garbage can's worth or two from neighbors.
Wonder what makes them diffuse the odor.

Guessing it may be the tannins.

 

[MaureenD]

I agree, I was thinking tannins as well.

 

[cayugaducklady]

I have some pics/videos I can post. The pen itself doesn't photograph well because it has a layer of hardware cloth over it.

Update: Here are some videos. I archived most of the photos already.

Letting the girls use their pen during the day. Construction not complete.

before construction started. That's just clean fill dirt no topsoil. Seeded over with a green manure crop mix.



still under construction. duck pond in place with doggy ramp. microclover on right side of ramp. The ramp is wide enough for two adult ducks to stand side by side. All four of them snooze/sun on it. All four can peacefully bob on the pool.

Tall grasses on right are some sort of native annual grass that was in a green manure seed mix. The places that are missing vegetation were filled in with a clover/ micro\clover blend after construction complete.

The annual grasses are dead. And now there's several inches of straw down for the winter. The ducks keep it pretty fluffy and I fluff it at least once a week. Clover is still alive under there. Oats and sunflower seeds are sprouting in there bu i think they nommed on the winter kale that had come up.