Is this natural pond enough to support ducks?

[Howling hills]

today I saw 2 mallards in my pond and it made me wonder if my pond can support farm ducks? It's about 30ftx50ftx4 ft deep. Has some flow until about August where the pond shrinks to about 25x40. I live in an area with extremely heavy snowfall. I have 2 livestock guardian dogs, a chain saw, a lot of chicken wire and a lot of time to make the surrounding area nicer for ducks. Any general advice, or advice on number of ducks and breeds would appreciated. Cheers.

 

[TomCahalan]

Without filtration, that pond can probably only endure a handful of ducks before it becomes an algae pit. If I were you, I would buy half a dozen runners at your local feed store. Then keep all of the females and one of the drakes. Eat the other drakes. Just remember to give the ducklings their niacin.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Is that pond spring-fed? It's kinda cool that you've got one but if you should clean up around it and put up a fence don't bother putting up the chicken wire. It won't keep anything out. It will only keep the ducks in unless of course, they can fly away like mallards.

 

[Jlw0903]

I have no idea how gross it will get with all their poop but I suppose if there some fish and other things to help with that (research would be needed) it might be okay? My sister in law has a pond that her ducks go on and it hasn't gotten too bad yet. My 5 duckies have a kiddy pool for their water and bathing needs. All 6 can fit in that little thing if they are really motivated but usually 2 or 3 at time and they seem perfectly content with it so long as I change the water daily.

 

[possumblossum]

Ducks don't HAVE to have a pond, so your situation is actually ideal. Most of us have to eventually drain our pond, muck it, and start over. In your case, the pond will dry out in August allowing you to scrap the surface each fall in anticipation of the next season.

As far as preferred breeds, it depends on what you want to do with them. I would recommend Rouens if you wanting meat birds and either Khaki Campbells or Runners if you want egg birds. See all that wooded area behind your pond?? AVOID ANYTHING WHITE!!!! A Pekin would basically be a little light bulb running through the trees saying, "Hot & Fresh".

 

[Howling hills]

Is that pond spring-fed? It's kinda cool that you've got one but if you should clean up around it and put up a fence don't bother putting up the chicken wire. It won't keep anything out. It will only keep the ducks in unless of course, they can fly away like mallards.

It's fed by some kind of underground water network as there is no stream into the pond but there is a runoff stream out of the pond wich disappears around August when the water level drops 6 inches.

 

[Howling hills]

Ducks don't HAVE to have a pond, so your situation is actually ideal. Most of us have to eventually drain our pond, muck it, and start over. In your case, the pond will dry out in August allowing you to scrap the surface each fall in anticipation of the next season.

As far as preferred breeds, it depends on what you want to do with them. I would recommend Rouens if you wanting meat birds and either Khaki Campbells or Runners if you want egg birds. See all that wooded area behind your pond?? AVOID ANYTHING WHITE!!!! A Pekin would basically be a little light bulb running through the trees saying, "Hot & Fresh".

By scrap the surface do u mean scrape the surface?

 

[DuckyDonna]

It's fed by some kind of underground water network as there is no stream into the pond but there is a runoff stream out of the pond wich disappears around August when the water level drops 6 inches.

It must be fed by something until the drought happens. We have a lot of spring-fed ponds around us but not on our property. There are always geese, heron and I honestly don't know if ducks are there too. It's way too snakey for me to go tromping through the long grass to look during the warm weather! I really hate snakes and we've got all kinds of really bad ones here which apparently you don't since there is snow on the ground.

I don't know what to tell you as far as the pond getting messed up really bad from the duck's poop but I do know that snapping turtles might be there and they will tear your ducks up! It's all a risky proposition if you ask me either way.

You've got all that woods which = predators galore then the flying ones. I think a kiddle pool inside a secure duck run might be a better choice if you want to keep ducks. Now if you have that and you want to walk them to the pond and let them swim supervised that may be different but bring your wet suit!

 

[Reptarro]

I have a similar pond but a neighbor down the road said they’re spring fed. We have six ducks and six wild teal wings just nested there. Now I have a blue heron since we been putting in our fish and minnows in it. My ducks are housed about 150 feet away and do their parade over there daily.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I have a similar pond but a neighbor down the road said they’re spring fed. We have six ducks and six wild teal wings just nested there. Now I have a blue heron since we been putting in our fish and minnows in it. My ducks are housed about 150 feet away and do their parade over there daily.

A blue heron will gobble up those little ones like they are candy. I've watched them do that in the Destin harbor every year and it's heartbreaking. I know if they are wild you can't do anything about it but the domestic ones you bring there you better watch carefully.