Texas

[AllenK RGV]

That's what my guesses were after some google searches! We have decided to go get a couple more ducks after my 17 yr old's pleading. They're messy but melt my heart!

Do you have a water feature on your property at all yet Jess? Just curious they would love that!

 

[newchickjess]

In other news, 3 of my 7 hens are laying after a long molt

 

[newchickjess]

Do you have a water feature on your property at all yet Jess? Just curious they would love that!

Outside of huge puddles, not yet. We plan to get a kiddie pool to start and go from there

 

[AllenK RGV]

Outside of huge puddles, not yet. We plan to get a kiddie pool to start and go from there

@WVduckchick has such a cool and novel duck pond she half buried a boat to set hers up. I don't know if that is craigslist inspired or not but it has me watching out for those haul it away free adds on CL. Even though I don't have ducks yet because I don't have a pond yet of course my wife wants me to fix our pool instead and not repurpose those pumps for a duck pond. So I guess I am not getting ducks until after she gets her alpacas.

 

[alexa009]

I have a pond that is pretty big but not really any experience with ducks, I will have to read and research more about ducks before purchasing them.

 

[WVduckchick]

@AllenK RGV, thanks! The boat actually belonged to my neighbors. They wanted it out of their yard. My hubby wanted the motor that was on it.
So they gave it to us. The boat held water, but would have been a huge undertaking to actually put on the water. We joked that we should just bury it in the woods. Bingo, an idea happened.

I did an article with lots of pics, but here are a few.

 

[alexa009]

@AllenK RGV, thanks! The boat actually belonged to my neighbors. They wanted it out of their yard. My hubby wanted the motor that was on it.
So they gave it to us. The boat held water, but would have been a huge undertaking to actually put on the water. We joked that we should just bury it in the woods. Bingo, an idea happened.

I did an article with lots of pics, but here are a few. View attachment 1278090
View attachment 1278088
View attachment 1278091

That is so artistic and creative! The ducks really seem to like it! Are you suppose to drain it and refill water occasionally? I don't really know much about ducks, I am thinking of getting of some if I can.

 

[AllenK RGV]

That is so artistic and creative! The ducks really seem to like it! Are you suppose to drain it and refill water occasionally? I don't really know much about ducks, I am thinking of getting of some if I can.

I would suggest drain and clean the sludge out from time to time, as I am pretty sure ducks are highly decorated poop monsters. That or go with a bit of an overkill filter to keep the particulates suspended in the water column for mechanical filtration. Even with that if you are not using a living plant filter wastes will build up in the water causing eventual algal blooms from the excess "liquid fertilizers" buildup in the water. Also if you garden as well a closed system duck pond is liquid gold for your garden.

 

[WVduckchick]

That is so artistic and creative! The ducks really seem to like it! Are you suppose to drain it and refill water occasionally? I don't really know much about ducks, I am thinking of getting of some if I can.

Here is my article on it, if you want to see more pics
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/do-ducks-like-boats.72701/
but we dug a ditch, and buried a drain line, added a valve that I can open and let the water out. It got plugged up last week, yuck! I have since added downspouts from the gutters on my chicken pen roofs, so when I know we will get a good rain, I drain the boat and let the rain refill it.

The ducks sleep under the hull most of the time, they love it.

 

[WVduckchick]

I would suggest drain and clean the sludge out from time to time, as I am pretty sure ducks are highly decorated poop monsters. That or go with a bit of an overkill filter to keep the particulates suspended in the water column for mechanical filtration. Even with that if you are not using a living plant filter wastes will build up in the water causing eventual algal blooms from the excess "liquid fertilizers" buildup in the water. Also if you garden as well a closed system duck pond is liquid gold for your garden.

Oh they do sludge it up!
I bought one of those stock tank barley bags today. I have no idea if it will help, but I don't suppose it will hurt. We get enough rain here though, so draining it every so often isn't usually a problem.