landscaping question for ducks

[missy5]

I know what water plants ducks eat and garden plants they eat. What i am looking for is someone to tell me what i can plant in the new run for shade and hiding places for my call ducks. What kind of water plants i can put in the new pond too. I am putting plants in that they can eat but i would realy like to have plants that they won't eat too. Can anyone out there help with this? I have a male and a female and i am getting two females and another male at the end of March. I'm going all out with the new chicken and duck coops and runs this spring. The yard is being devided into three. Chickens, ducks and my poodle and pug. I will post picks from begining to the finished product since the whole family will be helping me. Any plant advice would be great. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[lilchick]

I found that evergreen shrubs work great for the calls. They can hide under them for shade, yet not destroy them.

I am yet to find a plant around or in their pond they have not walked down or chewed to death!

Also dwarf fruit or decorative trees look nice and do not outgrow their 6 ft. pen with netting on top.

I also laid down fine stone for their pen. Easy to hose down and looks and smells better too.

 

[duck_shepherdess]

According to the book Ducks and Geese in your Backyard, pampas grass, bamboo, or low growing juniper can resist duck attacks once they're established. Before then they need a wire guard. I haven't tried this myself.

 

[HottentotTeal]

I planted Bamboo Muhly Grass in mine. (Muhlenbergia dumosa)

They nibble on it every now and then, but it's held up quite well. They usually just pick on any branches that overhang in the pond.

I need to replace it, because it didn't fare to well during the winter. They are still in ok shape, but not as green as i would like them to be and for $20, i'd rather just get a new one that is nice and green.

Here are what they look like:

The large one is the Bamboo Muhly plant. The smaller one across from the large one is the same kind but just a smaller version.


Those pics are pretty old, from the first day i brought my ducks last year, but i have a second large bamboo muhly where the pet carrier is in the first pic.



I bought a few plants today. I forgot their names, but one is texas bullrush reed plant, looks a lot like bamboo, but it's very soft and hollow.

I'll try to take some pics of them tomorrow and post the names of them as well.

 

[HHandbasket]

hehehe I am in a silly mood... I saw the thread title... "landscaping question for ducks" ... and I thought, "Who lets their ducks get on the internet??"

 

[Happyflower]

Well I USED to have a perennial garden with a pretty pond plants and such....then the ducks came...it is mostly gone now. Shrubs are good, evergreens. I have well established "roadside" daylillies that are holding up fine and ivy (but nothing ever seems to kill that, it will take over the world someday I am sure)

 

[bel]

Our WH like our established rosemary plant, they nibble but it never seems to get smaller. It has woody branches so its pretty tough and its large enough to climb under.
They also dig around the lavender but never eat it, wish I could say the same thing for my spring bulbs.

 

[kswaterfowl]

Our ducks have access to our yard/garden when we are home, and pretty much all of our landscaping plants hold up well with the ducks. We have hostas, many different daylilys, iris, maiden grass, pompass grass, rose bushes, comfrey, lavendar, purple coneflower, black eyed susans, bee balms, zinnas, tomatoes, gourds, spiderwort, rose of sharon, blue spruce (under 3') and they birds are never any worse for the ware and we never really notice much damage to the plants from the birds, but they aren't in the pens with them, and only out when we are home, and they have access to the entire yard and even the dog-yard if I put the dog in the house.

New yard plants for 2011 includes: Pink Hyacinth Bean (for the foliage/non-edible), Bamboo (as a screen between our house and the neighbor to the back.) Mile long green beans, hollyhocks, and several different herbs, but up in pots on the patio, and we are going to try calendula in the yard, and see if the birds are too hard on it.

 

[jack & mommy's duckies]

Missy5......I wish you well finding plants the ducks don't kill and our Canadian weather doesn't hurt either. If worse comes to worse you can always use some fake plants in there. I can't keep anything, not even grass in the duck yard.... But hey that is ok

Your baby's are ready and waiting for you when you make the long drive here

 

[missy5]

Thank you all for your help. It looks like theres a few things i can try. Jack & mommy's duckies, i can't wait to come and see your setup and pick up my baby's. I want them now but you know how it is. If there's anymore suggestions I will keep checking in. Thanks again.