Kentucky people

[cthrash1]

You have plenty of creek rock and a wagon to haul it in so dig a hole any shape sloping to about 2 1/2 ft deep then get some heavy black pond liner and lay it in the hole, start to fill some with water and smooth as you go then stack creek rock all the way around as your border. Makes sure you run an aerator in someplace as you set up. Lowes has pond treatments, I guess Walmart will too.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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I don't know what kind of plants to get, or where to get the liner and stuff. It won't be until later this summer at least, hopefully it won't be too late in the year. I plan on putting a fountain in it, to help with aeration and to keep it from freezing.

We have a mouse with a death wish, it keeps running back and forth in the bathroom doorway

 

[shelleyd2008]

Just to let everyone know, I'll be at Sano tomorrow with the canada goslings and some rouen ducklings. I have a few mixed ducklings as well, 2 actually. They are from my blue cayuga duck...one looks like a blue cayuga, so could be from the black cayuga mixed drake that is in her group. The other blue one looks like a rouen, but it's blue. That one is interesting, if baby ducks didn't stink so bad I'd probably keep it

As always, I'm on the lookout for goslings. I would prefer embdens since that's what my adult geese are, but I'm open to anything right now

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
I don't know what kind of plants to get, or where to get the liner and stuff. It won't be until later this summer at least, hopefully it won't be too late in the year. I plan on putting a fountain in it, to help with aeration and to keep it from freezing.

We have a mouse with a death wish, it keeps running back and forth in the bathroom doorway

You can get the liner on line. It's actually cheaper to buy it that way. Make sure if you buy it local (like at Lowe's or someplace) you make sure it's safe for fish. Some liners are sold as pond liner, but they have a chemical composition that is toxic.

Also, You may want to put a sand bottom in your hole before laying the liner to lessen the likelihood of a rock puncturing it.

The plants you should be able to get at any place that sells fish. Or you could try local nurseries. Sometimes they will sell aquatic plants.

 

[FrChuckW]

Shelley,

Here are some links that might help you out.

www.Pondliner.com/Ponds

www.justliners.com

www.watergarden.com/pages/build_wg.html

www.pond.com

www.gardenponds101.com/

www.PondScapeOnline.com

I did a web search on ponds and this is just a partial list of what I came up with. They should also have a book or two at your local Tractor Supply or Home Depot on ponds and gardens. When you get ready for them I have some Japanese Water Irises that I'll be happy to give you some starters from. Depending on where your frostline is you will want to dig your pond at least 18 inches deeper than that. Otherwise your pond will freeze completely to the bottom.

Don't be surprised if you wind up with frogs and turtles in your pond as well.

 

[FrChuckW]

It must be the season or our hens are using the computers when we aren't looking to talk to each other. I have a broody also. What breed is it that has the tufts by their ears? Anyway, that hen has gone broody on me and is sitting on about a dozen eggs.

Has anybody had any luck in taking eggs from the refrigerator and placing them under a broody? I took some Bantam eggs that I had stored (4 of them) and placed them under her as well as 3 more that I found in amongst the LF eggs. I have no idea if any of the LF eggs are fertile or not as I only have a OEGB Banty rooster, but I'm presuming that the banty eggs are fertile.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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How would I figure out what my frost line is??

 

[shelleyd2008]

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She's probably an EE. I haven't tried refridgerated eggs, I get plenty everyday to give my hens fresh ones

but I've heard several that have done it, some with good results, some not. Doesn't hurt to try though

I have another broody to be added to the list: one of my coturnix is on a nest

I'm sure she is, she hasn't budged from the spot she was in yesterday. I get 12-18 eggs a day from that pen, wonder how many she has collected?

 

[FrChuckW]

Shelley,

You can always check with the local county extension agent, but basically in our area I believe it's 14 to 16 inches deep. Another thing to do is before you put the sand and liner into the hole, dust the sides with a good coating of lime to keep underground varmits from burrowing under and into your liner. That tip comes from an established expert on ponds who spoke at our last Tropical Fish club meeting.

So your pond should be a minimum of 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep. Given the fact that you live in a rural area it is suggested that your pond's sides should go straight down rather than sloped or with ledges. That will keep most of the four legged varmints from using your fish as a snack. To support potted plants place one of those square blocks used for making walkways with under the liner. Place the liner over it and then place the potted plant on it. Make sure that you cover the top part of the pot with gravel to keep the fish from digging into the dirt or mud the plant is in.

You can also take one of those quik set kiddie pools to place in the pond to act as an additional barrier to keep any plant roots from puncturing the liner of the pond.

/ \\
/------------------------------------------------------ \\ (Frost Line)
/ \\
/ / \\ \\
/ / (Plants) Kiddie Pool(Plants) \\ \\
/___ /__|____|__________|_____|____\\____\\ Bottom of pond liner
|_____| |_____| Blocks for plant supports


Leave room around the sides of the kiddie pool so the fish can swim around it and over the sides of it. Or you can use the space around it to place potted plants and leave the center open for your fountain. Hope this helps give you some more ideas.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I was expecting I'd need at least part of it about 3', so it doesn't freeze completely in the winter, and so the fish had a deeper place to hide. But it should all be 3'? Makes sense, and I'm sure it wouldn't be all that different. But that would limit the types of plants I could use in it, wouldn't it?

They'd have to be plants that grow taller, correct? Or do they all grow as high as they need to? I don't know much of anything about water plants