4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Aunty e]

So our new house (if all goes well of course) has a pond, which I would say is about six feet across by ten feet long. It's currently drained, and I was thinking of turning it into a bog garden rather than have the bother of pond maintenance BUT then I thought, what about ducks! So, duck keepers of the world, a few questions if you don't mind

 

How much do ducks smell?

 

Are they any noisier than chickens?

 

Would a normal garden pond be ok for them?

 

Are cats and ducks ok (ours are obviously used to chickens)?

 

How many would we need to keep and do we have to have a drake?

 

Do they need different food to the chooks?

 

Can we get them at POL if you know what I mean!

[Martin B]

I have 2 ducklings in a brooder at the moment and boy they smell and make a lot of mess, but in a big environment like that I presume it would be less prominent. My girlfriend has ducks aswell and her lawn gets covered each day and we have to go round poop a scooping duck style.

[Aunty e]

Maybe not then - we're going to give the chooks their own area in the new garden, and we could maybe let the ducks share that, but I don't want them to stink out the neighbours or anything....

[Lesley]

Hi E

 

Ducks are the same as hens re needing a drake and POL etc. but they really do make more mess and are smelly! We have a small pond shell which we empty most days, it sits on a dug out sump filled with gravel which takes the water away but as soon as it is filled the ducks make it filthy - they poop as soon as their bottoms hit the water! I'm not sure what that would do to a natural pond - you may have to have a pump with a good filter etc.

 

People do keep their ducks with hens - we keep ours in a separate run.

[Guest]

HI

 

Ducks will pollute your pond most definitely, they make tarry poos. If your natural pond has any fish in it they will be polluted by the ducks.

 

Ducks will be fine with the cats, they dont need a drake and will be happy without. However a drake wont be any bother if you do get one as they will keep an eye over their Harem. Drakes also dont cockadoodle doo so you dont have the noise that you have with chickens.

Ducks do not put themselves in at night time like chickens they need to be urged to go in

 

Definitely high maintenance ducks on your time if you are busy

 

indie

[bessandra]

Hi there

 

My 3 babies - khaki campbells - have made it to 6 weeks old now and I'll tell you all what, I love 'em!

They are beautiful creatures and so funny to watch. They follow me around, they sleep with their bills tucked into their wings and they waddle around together so happily.

I'm sure I may be cursing them in the winter when the garden is already a bog but then, I have my chooks, so what difference does 3 ducks make

 

But I will agree re. the poo, boy do they produce some! Think of the lawn I say...lush and green!

[Guest]

Hi there

 

My 3 babies - khaki campbells - have made it to 6 weeks old now and I'll tell you all what, I love 'em!

 

My first ducks were Khaki Campbells and they are a really nice sized easy duck to keep, hardy as they are mallard crossed. Nice duck as starter duck. Never had too much trouble with them at all good girls they were.

 

indie