hardware cloth on ground around small kiddie pool for ducks

[Denmarc]

I have a question that I have searched the threads for but cannot seem to find an answer. I am trying to limit the ducks from putting so much dirt in their pool. I empty it every night but they are digging massive hole in the dirt around the pool. I had their heated water bowl during the winter on a section that had flagstone and they still managed to create deep holes in the ground in between the flagstone. making it necessary for me to change out their water several times a day. has anyone used hardware cloth on the ground so they are not able to dig the massive holes they create? any suggestions. I have just 2 anconas but they create huge craters and a very muddy pool

 

[Miss Lydia]

Try landscaping material it will be easier on their feet than wire. Then put the flagstone down on top to hold it in place. It may help some.

 

[Denmarc]

I had planned on putting flagstone on top of the hardware cloth so they would not be walking directly on the wire, or possibly even laying down sod so the roots could grow through the wire cloth so that they would not be able to dig deep craters in the mud but was unsure if I should do the entire run, or just the area around their water source. how far away are they generally able to go from their water to dig up mud/dirt?

 

[Denmarc]

I am also seeing mice or voles now which I had not in the past they are digging holes, burrowing under ground in the run . I keep the feed in a steel can and only put some in their dish in the mornings so its not like a free feeding for the mice(at night) not sure how to deal with this I had a few chickens in the past that were great mousers. the ducks just sit there and watch them. as I said I do not keep feed storage accessible as they are in steel cans with covers, but the fees is out in bowl during the day

 

[DuckyDonna]

I did the landscape material like Miss Lydia did and it's great. I put little river rock pebbles between the flat stones. and put a border around it.

Put the cloth out from the pool so that it's not convenient for them to drill in the mud, then run to the pool for a drink. I also don't put the food bucket near the pool for the same reason and it's working great with 10 ducks. My pool water had to be changed every single day before I did that now I can go sometimes 3-4 days. I wait until I can't see the bottom of the pool. All that's in it now is poop. Used to be a major amount of mud along with the poop.
This is my smaller area where my ducklings will go in a few weeks.

This is my main pool and as you can see I've not finished placing the stones and pebbles yet.

 

[Denmarc]

thank you, I have a lot of pea gravel, which is different from river pebbles, do the ducks eat the pebbles? I have the food dish about 5-6 feet away from the pool.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I was worried about them eating the pebbles too but they are not at all. I guess there is too much else around for them to get into that would taste better than pebbles.