Why don't my ducks like the pond?

[halecards]

I have 6 ducks, and they HATE the pond! We live in the country and have 5 acres of land with a nice size pond on it too. When they were younger I would take them out of the pen and bring them to the pond and they loved it! But as they got older they stopped going down there, now they don't at all. They are free range now. Now they are 6 months old. One time I took them down there and I just tossed one in the water just to see if he'd like it and he scrappy flew all the way to other side just so he wouldn't land in water! I'm wondering if maybe something scared them in or at the pond when they were younger... I don't know. I've never seen ducks who don't like ponds.

 

[Kevin565]

It just depends on the duck. One a few of mine enjoy the pond.

 

[LLCoyote]

Animals are kind of odd like that, and it depends on a whole bunch of stupid trivial things that make no sense at all

Take my ducks for example, they refuse to swim in dirty water. Won't even look at it. So if it's murky, some ducks don't like that. They're nutty about things sometimes. All I can think to tell you is if they trust you and follow you places, then spend a lot of time down there, getting them used to the area. One thing I've discovered about my ducks, and I'm not sure if it's true for them all, but they won't wonder too far from their pen. Espeically if that's where they were raised and that's all they know. So crossing five acers to the pond may seem like a daunting journey for them right now. If you expose them to the area, maybe plant some duck friendly plants in the pond, and toss snacks into the water, if you can stand it and they like to trust and follow you I'd even try getting in WITH them. In the end, you can't make them like it, and as long as they aren't suffering because of it there's no reason to really worry too much. Ducks are ducks, and I've met mules less stuborn than them when they want their way. Good luck!

 

[halecards]

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Haha thanks! Yeah, they don't wander too far from the pen either! I'll try what you suggested, and who knows, they may never like the pond again!

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

I had some ducks that hated the water. Same thing as you, I'd throw one in and it would act like it was hot lava. Then I figured out the snapping turtles in the pond were grabbing their legs. (That's how they kill them, they pull them under to drown them and then eat them.)

Anyway, just food for thought.

 

[halecards]

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Hmmm...there might be snapping turtles in ours too. Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats what i was thinking when i read this, snapping turtles will bite off a grown ducks legs too so maybe you need to check out the snapping turtle population before trying again, back in the summer posters were talking about the problems of snapping turtles in their ponds and the damage some had done to their ducks.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

That was the summer I become an excellent marksman.

Lol.

 

[Amiga]

Ditto on being aware of the kinds of animals in and around the pond. Water attracts all kinds of animals.

Ducks are pretty smart sometimes.

Then there are days . . . .

 

[Miss Lydia]

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