The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[kangababy]

I need some advice on cleaning our pond and how often...
I would say our pond in our new avairy is about 3500 sqft of surface water and up to about 3ft.
We have well water consently flowing in and out of it and it is fully concreted..

So may question and advice on it would be how often would you totally drain and clean it?

It takes a good 2 days straight to fill..

We were thinking once if not twice a year.

 

[jsvand5]

Quote:
How many birds will be using it? I have no experience with something that big but I would not think you would have to clean it too often if you have water constantly going through it. Maybe you could add some fish to help keep it cleaner? Maybe some Talapia would eat a lot of the duck waste? I would guess a lot would depend on how many gallons per hour will be moving through it.

 

[destinduck]

Kansaskid Its a pr for sure like bbb said,also if you look at the drake in the back you will see his wing edges are darker than the hens,thats another way to tell ,that way you dont stress them vent sexing. congrats

i still have one trio left myself. Kangababy the male apricot doesnt have as green of a head as a normal,they are very close. only in molt will he have that female color. and most white wood ducks are not totally white where they should have stong colors it is cream coloration

white woodies

female left male right on silvers

cuban treeducks

 

[kangababy]

Quote:
Thanks! I just remember him looking alot different last year and you could really tell when he was molted! I guess I will get a better look at hime when I can catchthem all this weekend and move them to their new home!
I am getting some silver wood ducks and 1 white wood duck male so it will get interesting telling them apart.


My bird family is going to double this weekend... Grand Opening of the new Avairy!I almost feel like I should be having a party or something!

 

[kangababy]

Quote:
Well Let's see after they all arrive this year I think I will have just over 100 Which figures to about 90sqft a birds (9x10 area).
My dad measured the pipe one time (It used to pump into a pond outside the pen and not inside the pen) and it was 17 gallons a minute. So about every two days the water should totally be flushed out.

 

[destinduck]

fulvous treeduck

na pintails

 

[destinduck]

manderin with apricot pair and black-bellied treeduck with normal woodie male

 

[KansasKid]

I know, I know. I'm always full of questions. Saw the pintails poo today and it was moist and had a little water with it but for the most part held its shape almost completely, unlike "regular" duck poo.
Color was white and light brown.
Thoughts as to what it could be?

 

[destinduck]

Ducks have strange poops But I wouldnt worry bout that normal stuff

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

that was in the 90's, they got about 80 birds, buffleheads, cans, scaup, etc, all divers