How can I stop my ducks from ruining our ornamental pond

[Lynette]

My husband made an ornamental pond with a waterfall a few years ago. I got some ducks last year and they are always in the pond and my husband is not happy about it. They ripped out the water lilies and they are pushing rocks in the pond and putting dirt in it so that it clogs the filter. Is there any way I can keep the ducks out and my husband happy?

 

[veronicasmom]

Fence it in is about the only way to keep them out.

 

[gryeyes]

What veronicasmom said. The pond is just too much of a draw for ducks. Trust me - I know.

Without a fence around it the ducks cannot fly over (if they're flying ducks), you can't have a nice garden pond AND ducks. It's one or the other.

IF your ducks don't fly, then you can probably make do with a two or three foot fence, as long as it's secure enough not to bend over when ducks push against it, and there's something to keep them from drilling/digging under the edge to try to get through it.

Plus give them their own pool, even if it's just a kiddie pool 10-18 inches deep and a couple of feet around. They don't need much. But without it, having a pond around is too big a draw for them.

 

[TLWR]

My ducks used to LOVE hanging on the deck. We didn't like their poop there. So we kicked them off the deck and put up a short fence to keep them out and let the dogs over and still get in/out of the house.
I moved that fence last week. So far, so good. Ducks haven't even tried coming up the stairs.

Now I'm not sure that would work for a pond.
But a short fence probably would. For ours, all we had to do was put a cement block on end and put 2 landscape timbers through them. That was tall enough to deter the ducks.

 

[Mum]

I bought my ducks understanding the risk to my ornamental pond. But, to be fair, every Spring I have wild mallards free loading from my ornamental pond anyway, so my thinking was, if I have my own ducks, at least I have some say over when and how often they get to use it

Haven't seen my ducks pushing rocks and dirt in the pond

I do know it looks more murky since they have been given permission to play in it, but, with all their splashing about, it does disturb the silt which builds up in the bottom of the pond naturally. Hasn't deterred the plethora of frogs/toads which are filling the pond with their babies though!

Couple of suggestions:
~ if you want to keep your ducks out, fence them off in their own secure area (prettier than fencing off your actual pond)
~ if the clogged filter is the primary issue, would a stronger filtration pump work?

I think there is a compromise to be found which will please your ducks and dh. You just have to work with understanding the needs of your ducks vs the needs of your pond. In my case, because I love seeing my Khaki's *in* the pond, they are given access first thing in the morning and once again during late afternoon/evening. The rest of the time they are kept to their own part of the garden and have a tub of water for their needs.

What breed of ducks do you have? How many? What size is their own pen? How many hours are they free ranging in your garden/accessing the pond? Knowing the answer to these questions would help people in the advice they offer you.

Good luck!

 

[mandelyn]

Lowes carries this cute mini picket fence, about 2ft high, comes in 15 ft rolls. That would work for non-flying ducks and look cute as well. We used it around areas we want to grow grass on, staked it higher than it use to keep the dogs from jumping it.

It's really your only option... trying to keep ducks from water is going against their deepest instinct! It will help to supply a baby pool elsewhere for them. When you do your weeding, throw the weeds into the pool for them. I just saw on a list though that clover is toxic to them. I would have thought clover to be harmless!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Another option is the PVC lattice comes in 2 foot wide pieces as well as 4 ft wide. 2 ft is enough to stop most ducks. It looks nice and comes in either white or dark green.

My ducks won't go over an 18 inch tall exercise pen, so it doesn't take much to fence them out. I do suggest that you get them a small pond of their own. A cement mixing tub is enough to keep them happy.