Questions about making a duck pond.

[TrystInn]

Hubby built us a bio-filter for our duck pond. Works pretty good, but you still need to shovel out the accumulation at the bottom every month.

It's on My Page if you want to see it and how we built it.

 

[JStark]

Another vote for wifezilla (it's too bad about the hawks)!

I've got a kiddie pool that I empty and refill every two days or so. I use a cheap sump that uses water pressure from a garden hose, and I pump it all into the garden.

I would ask that you build a marsh section for the drain, if you are going to drain it out into an existing stream. You will be adding a bunch of different chemicals back into the system at very high concentrations, and you will affect the local ecosystem. However, if you drain into a new marsh with native plants for your region, you will go a long way to putting your system back into local equilibrium, and you'll have a nice garden, too.

 

[pishposh]

We have a couple of-smallish pools we got from home depot (I think they are for cement mixing?) we use when the ducks free range. In the coop, we sunk a big rubber maid container from TSC in the ground. I am not sure how many gallons it is, but it is very deep and the girls can swim and dive, which is perfect. DH attached a valve that I can turn and a hose so it drains down the hill. Then I get in and scoop out all the muck (and rocks, of course!) and scrub out any algae. I do this about once a week, more often in warmer weather (they get fresh water in a clean bucket every day for drinking). We haven't decided what we will do when we get freezing temps (other than a heated bucket).

Here is a photo (decorated for the holidays!), you can see half of the pool. If anyone would like better photos, let me know and I will take some.

 

[kysilkies]

Quote:
We lived in Westminster, MD for 20yrs and we'd love to see more as we're in the designing process for our duckies!...Thanx in advance!!!

 

[pishposh]

we'd love to see more

Of the coop itself or the pool? I have a few coop pictures, but the pool pictures will have to wait, as it is pouring down rain today!​

 

[kysilkies]

Coop is fine...

 

[pishposh]

I think the dimensions are 8 ft x 4ft (to be honest the next coop will be taller for ease of working in there! Half of the top hinges open. We used hard ware cloth as the sides and top, we will be adding a roof, but for now a tarp works. We used some corrugated sheeting for wind breaks. Once the weather clears up, I will take some updated photos. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions!

(this was when it was newly built)

(hinged top makes it easier to work in there!)

 

[kysilkies]

They're great, thanx!...Beautiful ducks too!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lund121671]

Here is what we did! Dug a hole and at the bottom dug out a trench that we layed a PVC pipe in with a removable cap on the end. We then put chicken wire in the hole and mixed bag after bag of cement and poured in the hole over the chicken wire. We made sure we added enough to cover the pipe at the bottom all of the way to the top (making sure not to plug the hole) I unscrew the drain cap every day and drain the water and let me tell you there is at least a gallon of sludge at the bottom. I never have to go into the pen because the outlet PVC pipe is under the ground and comes to the outside of there pen. We have pictures of our call ducks on our website in the Cement pond. www.lundpoultry.com

 

[theballingalls]

Hello, this is my first post. Is it possible for people to share a swimming pond with 10 indian runners? Willing to use filters and aerators. Any way to avoid changing water? Any plants known to convert duck waste? Any ideas for managing waste that dont involve flushing out soiled water? We've got a little less than 1/4 acre to do this on. Thanks so much.