My DH says I can have them if they don't destroy our yard - Will They?

[Birdcrazy]

ducks are awesome. but if you dont have a pen maybe its not worth it

 

[chickensioux]

This is my backyard at its worst. I have 12 ducks that freerange back there. While my yard is not perfectly manicured it has flower beds and shrubbery. I don't know if I am lucky or if some may say this is destroyed, but so far they haven't (in my opinion) done a whole lot of damage. Now when I let my chickens out of their area to freerange also, they destroy the flowerbeds. I constantly have to rake the mulch back into place. As you can see they have their own pond area and I have to change the water alot but other than that, my backyard is passable to me...... I wouldn't give up my ducks for anything. They are way too entertaining.....

I know I'm in the minority but......depends on what you want and can tolerate.

 

[spud1035]

I have two black east indies and I they have been good for me so far. I have been less destructive than my chickens and beg alot more than my girls. But they will destroy your pond so that's were I see the problem.

 

[stefmech]

Quote:
Depends. What answer do you want. I will tell you whatever answer you want that will get you those ducks.

You guys are so funny!

If only you were joking

Believe it or not I still want them. But my husband would never go for it now.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I have been emailing a aussie lassie for years and everytime she uses a term or expression that is common in Oz but unknown to me I ask about it, what is a 'yabbie' ? and just for the record the ducks will not eat fish as big as Koi but they will eat the plants and overpolute the water so the Koi up and die. Goldfish they will eat, I usually get a few "feeder fish" just for the fun of watching the ducks go wild while trying to catch them.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Quote:
Depends. What answer do you want. I will tell you whatever answer you want that will get you those ducks.

You guys are so funny!

If only you were joking

Believe it or not I still want them. But my husband would never go for it now.

You didn't actually let him read this, did you???

-Dave

 

[J3172]

It depends on how big of and area you let them range over and how many ducks. If you have a large yard with just a few ducks I think it wouldn't be bad. But a lesson I learned the hard way is don't let them out in the rain, if you do any were there is a puddle they will turn it into a mud hole.

 

[al6517]

They will totally demolish it to a muddy dirty mess, count on that, and their not so little Pa-Ta's don't breakdown very fast like chicken doodie does.

AL

 

[pirtykitty]

I have 3 Welsh Harlequin ducks I got last may as ducklings. Hubby built me an area for them that is fenced off... Plus they get to free range in the back yard.... They only trouble we have is in spots that we had trouble with to begin with.. because of shade etc.. They did not demolish the vegetable gardens cause we let them in after it was established..
we but small rocks around their kiddy pool.. that helps with the mud..
the areas right now that are a little messed up are because of all the rain we have had plus the grass is dormant right now.. Come spring I am sure they will fill back in..
Hubby enjoys the ducks as much as me.. He was afraid at first they would destroy his back yard of St. Augustine grass.. LOL.. they haven't.. If they do get to rambuntous they go in to the fenced area for them . and are let out twice a day till things recover..
They have cleaned up the snail and bug problem. their poop is great fertilizer for the yard..
and their eggs are great scrambled, fried or used in bake goods!!!
Plus if you get an heirloom breed you are helping to maintain them and keep them from going exttinct...

 

[HennyJenny]

I had one runner duck last year - he did untold damage to some shrubbery and plants in the yard and totally destroy our small goldfish pond. That and he had some weird rooster position in the pecking order with my chickens.