why ducks wont get into pond

[flowe80]

This question might not really be for this section, but it seems to have the most experienced people in it. I recently built a 100' by 50' enclosed pen with a 30' by 30' pond in it. I just put my 3 mallards in it 2 weeks ago and they wont get into the pond.I've had them for a year in a 20' by 12' pen. All they had in there was a kiddie pool that they loved.when I put them in the big pen the only water source was the pond, but I never saw them in it, so i put their kiddie pool in there and they swim in it all the time. I was wondering if anyone ever had an experience like this? The water is clean. My intentions are to get ornamental ducks, I just wanted to test out my pen with the mallards first. I dont know if they are overwhelmed or what. Does anyone have any thoughts? The mallards are pretty wild, they arent pets.

 

[memew3]

Not experienced this with ducks, but did with my goose. She was scared. I had to wade in the lake with her. Put water other back and she finally swam around my leg . We slowly moved to deeper water.

 

[kacky]

Was the pond there before you built the pen around it? If it was there may be snapping turtles in the pond. We had this happen with our 60 mallards on our pond last year. They would not go in the water even if you tried to force them in and we did witness many attacks. There were two huge, 50 pound snapping turtles in there but we got them. This may be your problem.

 

[Mark HSV-AL]

Because as natural as it would seem, a grown duck that has never experienced water of that quantity and depth becomes overwhelmed. I have bought ducks many times from people who only had plastic swimming pools and when they finally get placed on a large body of water it scares them to death. Best thing you could do is take their plastic swimming pool away and they will eventually get used to the pond. Kacky has a point as well though, if there are large predators in the pond then they are smart enough to stay out of it.

 

[MAX PRODUCTION]

Mark Hall, bingo! Why don't you have educator status here?

 

[flowe80]

Havent logged onto BYC in a while. I took the plastic pool out likeMark said. It took the ducks about a week to start playing in the pond. They love it now. I have 7 ducks now.

 

[De Wet]

or they watch the movie lake placid or jaws