We've got a "naturalized" pond near the chicken coop (where the chicks are staying) that we'd like to use for our ducks when they get a little older. It's really just a 4' wide dirty hole in the ground that hold water because the land drains that way. There are reeds, bugs & frogs. What should we look out for/consider when cleaning this up a bit (cutting down grass, etc.) to make it suitable for the ducks?
Oh really?? You can't see around the back of the pond (there is a path to get into it) I thought I'd cut that down so we could see the ducks, but leave it up? We have goats so I could just let them loose over there too. (Or not, because they'd just run & eat my blueberries instead anyway!)
uhm, nes, I'd consider just getting a kiddie pool or two for the ducks. There are living things that would probably pack up and leave if ducks moved in. I love my ducks. I do! I wouldn't turn them loose on a nice little fledgling pond. Besides, ponds are a bear to clean up after ducks. Kiddie pools or troughs or concrete mixing pans are easy to dump and clean and refill.
I agree with the kiddie pool suggestion. They will trash that pond. I'd fence it off from the ducks. The pond sounds lovely and a great habitat and it'd be a shame to lose it.
Turns out all the tree frogs here LOVE a nasty duck pond. They do not hang out in it when it is clean lol We get to listen to the musical of the frogs most nights.
I think it's really up to you. The ducks would probably keep the bugs down, as well as the weeds. Go ahead and trim a view for yourselves if you like, but don't overdo it because the ducks will like it. They will, however, make it very muddy and gross... so they may appreciate a nice clean kiddie pool to wash up in, lol. Ducks love to get muddy and then get clean and then start all over again with the mud. On the other hand, if that pond has any wildlife in it that you're attached to, you'll definitely want to make it off limits because it's true--they really will trash it. Good luck, whatever you decide.
Thanks guys I say "naturalized" because this is in no way a natural pond. It was created for drainage. We're considering expanding it in the next few years for fire-safety reasons . They have a little pond in the coop, but it's quite shallow and I think they will out-grow it soon as these ducks, it's amazing! They are noticabely bigger EVERY time I go into the coop! I guess that's Muskovys for yah! The little froggies can stay or move to the ditch close by, it would be neat if we actually got some more in there, instead of just a big mosquito breeding ground. My only concern is run-off from the neighbour's field into the duck pond :S but I think we're slightly up-hill. I'll leave the pond just as it is for now, maybe the little guys will get a supervised visit tomorrow
