Ducks Updated 6/8/22

Thank you for making this not sound daunting, @Mosey_2003!

I think my plan will be to keep my eye out for some adult, female domestic ducks that need to be rehomed, while in the meantime seeing what actions I can take to attract wild ones. Whichever pans out first is fine by me.

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I have 3 Pekins in with a couple of my older hens. They get a kiddie pool which they love bathing in, weather permitting. They eat the layer pellets that the chickens get. They are useless pets but I love them, they are very amusing.

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Updating:

Well I got my wish for wild ducks to take up residence, or close enough for everyone’s satisfaction.

A pair of double crested cormorants took up residence. Of all the types of waterfowl that could have shown up, my money was NOT on that one. :joy:

I’m used to seeing them a lot around here, but near the tidal bodies of water. I’m pretty far inland and surrounded by farms and swamps. It’s pretty hilarious to watch them sitting on tree branches in the woods.

I’ll try to get pictures. They are hard to photograph black against trees.

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After losing a bunch of ducks to foxes, some in broad daylight, we built our ducks a raft. Our pond has aeration/fountain 365 days a year so it never freezes completely. We found the domestic and wild ducks will enjoy floating on the raft near the center of the pond, and can snooze safe from predators.

Enjoy your ducks!

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And if you live where there are foxtails, check nostrils for foxtails. A problem for my Pekin but not my Rouen.

Congrats on the cormorants! I’ve always thought they are neat looking birds & interesting to watch them fish. I wouldn’t have guessed they would pick a pond either! Enjoy!