Welcome to my pond - Swim, wade, or sit on the bank

[Puddin Fluff]

We had a front come thru last night and we were down 10 degrees today. Supposed to be in the upper 50s tonight!

 

[abbevilleoz]

As Oz said, we do believe it was all the same 'breeder'... I'm checking with another for confirmation...
Walnut has some stuff going on... she'll stop in when she can...
Gotta love people... :/
You need to get rid of mean duck...
You'll have some mini ducks by spring, no worries...
Nice! Better to sell off cheap than keep extra mouths to feed that aren't contributing...
Sure does! Enjoy!

So you haven't told her about ducks yet, hmm???

Nope, been working on her. Her uncle told her ducks were too messy. I thought asking her to dig a big hole would've been too obvious.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I have a question for you duck owners: Do any of you have ducks, or geese, that just live outside on a pond? If you do, how do you get them to imprint on the location and also how do they survive against predators?

We have a pond and we would love to have ducks or geese on it but I have no idea how I would get them to stay put and not wander up to the house.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Nope, been working on her. Her uncle told her ducks were too messy. I thought asking her to dig a big hole would've been too obvious.

Tell her from an experinced Call duck owner that Calls are not nearly as messy as other ducks... and the only messes we have are the ones we let them have, lol...

I have a question for you duck owners:  Do any of you have ducks, or geese, that just live outside on a pond?  If you do, how do you get them to imprint on the location and also how do they survive against predators?

We have a pond and we would love to have ducks or geese on it but I have no idea how I would get them to stay put and not wander up to the house. 

I don't keep them on a pond, but I do know some tips... first, check the pond for snapping turtles... if there are any in it, they will bite chunks off the ducks, even whole legs...

Crate them near it every night for a week or 2, that establishes a schedule and gives them a sense of home and security...

As for keeping them safe, not much you can do exept make them a floating duck house (put that in the search bar and threads will come up for examples), also might make the house to lock them up in on the edge of shore then move it onto the pond...

Fencing around the pond, electric fence, etc would help if it's feasible...

 

[WVduckchick]

I have a question for you duck owners:  Do any of you have ducks, or geese, that just live outside on a pond?  If you do, how do you get them to imprint on the location and also how do they survive against predators?

We have a pond and we would love to have ducks or geese on it but I have no idea how I would get them to stay put and not wander up to the house. 

I do. I raised them at my house first. Had 3 drakes and 1 duck to start, so I moved 2 drakes to the pond at my camp/farm. Then my duck went broody and I let her hatch some. I have 8 now that hatched early June. They were getting a bit much at the house, so I moves 4 young ones to the farm with the 2 older drakes. All 6 have bonded well and love the pond. Planning to move the other 6 soon, maybe tomorrow.

I have a deer feeder with pellet feed in it that spits feed 4 times a day. They usually meet me at the bottom of the driveway when I arrive, they wander the yard a little, and will wander down to the chicken coop too. But they mostly stay on or near the pond. I guess its mainly because I raised them at home first.

Predators are there, as I have lost a few chickens here and there, but I think the ducks sleep on the water and have done well so far

 

[Ravynscroft]

I do. I raised them at my house first. Had 3 drakes and 1 duck to start, so I moved 2 drakes to the pond at my camp/farm. Then my duck went broody and I let her hatch some. I have 8 now that hatched early June. They were getting a bit much at the house, so I moves 4 young ones to the farm with the 2 older drakes. All 6 have bonded well and love the pond. Planning to move the other 6 soon, maybe tomorrow.

I have a deer feeder with pellet feed in it that spits feed 4 times a day. They usually meet me at the bottom of the driveway when I arrive, they wander the yard a little, and will wander down to the chicken coop too. But they mostly stay on or near the pond. I guess its mainly because I raised them at home first.

Predators are there, as I have lost a few chickens here and there, but I think the ducks sleep on the water and have done well so far

Opie!!!!

Awww, look! The kids are the honor guard!

 

[WVduckchick]

I did see a guy on the duck thread that built a fenced area up on the bank, with a duck house on land, and the fenced area extends out into the water with a drop gate. The ducks come in to the house at night, he closes the gate.

I tried building a cove area, but my ducks avoided it. I might try a fenced section eventually....if I ever have time.

Ravyn's point about turtles is great. My friend's ducks will not go back onto their pond after a snapping turtle killed a couple young ones.

 

[WVduckchick]

Opie!!!! Awww, look! The kids are the honor guard!

They are doing so well. Pulled in today and they all came running to us. It's so cute.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Tell her from an experinced Call duck owner that Calls are not nearly as messy as other ducks... and the only messes we have are the ones we let them have,

You might could sneak a few in and label them Silkie eggs. "Look Babe, these Silkies look like ducks!"

 

[Ravynscroft]

They are doing so well. Pulled in today and they all came running to us. It's so cute.

That is awesome! How can you not just love ducks!