Question about soil

[sjallen78]

I have 8 Indian runner ducks, 1 Welsh and 1 khaki Campbell/Welsh ducks and alot of chickens. I'm making payments on land, looked good at first. As I went back farther where animals will be. I noticed there's alot of gray clay soil and another area I think of wetland. I'm in NC. It says soil will be ok for chicks and they'll help the soil, but I can't find anything about the ducks. There's a lot of water holes for them that we can make a good size pond for them. I'm worried about the clay. Is clay soil safe for ducks or should I find a different area on the land for them.. I'm putting ramps in the little water holes, the biggest hole is about 10ft×6ft and smallest about 8ft×8ft. Clay is so slippery when wet. Thank you for any advice.

 

[Jenbirdee]

There's a lot of clay in my soil here and yes it's very slippery when wet, ducks are fine on slippery but people not so much. I have added a lot of sand and gravel . The thing I would be concerned about all those holes holding water is possible botulism. That kills ducks fast. when my ducks make holes (always when it rains a lot they do) I watch and if it's not drained out by the next day I toss gravel and sand in the hole.

 

[sjallen78]

There's a lot of clay in my soil here and yes it's very slippery when wet, ducks are fine on slippery but people not so much. I have added a lot of sand and gravel . The thing I would be concerned about all those holes holding water is possible botulism. That kills ducks fast. when my ducks make holes (always when it rains a lot they do) I watch and if it's not drained out by the next day I toss gravel and sand in the hole.

Thank you for letting me know about the holes. One of the holes has tad poles and looks like minnows in it, but the other ones aren't good looking. I think I'm just going to keep using the pools for them and keep them away from the watering holes until tested. Thank you for the help, I love my animals, I'd feel horrible if they died because of something I did.

 

[sjallen78]

These are couple of the water holes, the biggest one looks really clean u can see tadpoles and looks almost like tiny fish or minnows rather in it. Can't see good in pic though

 

[Jenbirdee]

that clear one looks nice. I think I would just keep that as the pond maybe make it a little bigger toss some barley straw balls in it put in some kind of a bubbler or something that keeps the water moving and perhaps fill in all the other holes with mixture of dirt with some sand and gravel or something likethat

 

[sjallen78]

I think that's what I'm gonna do. I appreciate it. I tool some water, gonna have it tested. I know deer drink out if it lol, my plan is little by little making it bigger.