Runner Ducks and cucumber beetles

[HappyWIgardener]

I'm dying to know if anyone has a positive experience with Runners (or any other breed, for that matter) and cucumber beetles. We garden about 1/2 acre intensively and as of the past couple years have had really bad luck with these beetles, to the point of total crop failure. Have tried everything organically, including improving soil health, with very little success. Can't have my chickens free ranging in the garden, as they do SO much damage, so all winter I've been researching rotation plans with ducks in the garden, and I think it will be a good fit with the proper timing and movable fencing. But my burning question is....will they specifically eat those darn cucumber beetles? I know they will be great for a million other reasons. We will probably keep 5-6 Runners.

And while I'm asking, what have been your ducky experiences with other specific pests, and on what scale?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducks period are great bug exterminators we use to be over run with grass hoppers not any longer, cucumber beetles I think would be high on the food chain too the only thing my Runners or other ducks won't eat is anything that's hairy like hairy caterpillars nope won't touch them. I have seen my ducks grab a hard shelled beetle this one was really big and crunch that baby down actually about made me sick seeing it. I hate that sound. lol

 

[HappyWIgardener]

Ducks period are great bug exterminators we use to be over run with grass hoppers not any longer, cucumber beetles I think would be high on the food chain too the only thing my Runners or other ducks won't eat is anything that's hairy like hairy caterpillars nope won't touch them. I have seen my ducks grab a hard shelled beetle this one was really big and crunch that baby down actually about made me sick seeing it. I hate that sound. lol

LOL! I know what you mean!

Wondering too, if they will want to eat stink bugs or squash bugs. Those things smell super nasty, so I'd imagine they would taste nasty too! My chickens won't touch them!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe squash bugs I know they eat the bugs that get on the roses and other bushes but I don't think anything will eat a stink bug lol

 

[HappyWIgardener]

Maybe squash bugs I know they eat the bugs that get on the roses and other bushes but I don't think anything will eat a stink bug lol

No kidding!!

Have you heard if ducks do any good against ticks? They are endemic here, esp. the deer ticks. Our chickens don't seem to help much, and we can't have guineas here. My guess is that ducks do better with moving targets...and ticks don't move much.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am not sure on ticks although right around the house my dogs don't get any one them it's when we go hiking up the mountain that they might come back with some. My poultry live right here close to the house and forage on half acre fenced property so maybe they are keeping the tick pop down.

 

[HappyWIgardener]

I am not sure on ticks although right around the house my dogs don't get any one them it's when we go hiking up the mountain that they might come back with some. My poultry live right here close to the house and forage on half acre fenced property so maybe they are keeping the tick pop down.

What poultry do you keep? Our dogs ALWAYS get ticks...whether we have poultry ranging or not, although it's been mostly chickens over the years. But we are also surrounded by woods on 3 sides and have a heavy deer pop. So I'm afraid we're doomed.