Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
If you have a few birds (fewer than ten), you can use a hose and a small kiddie pool to
provide bathing water. This will need cleaning and refilling twice each day. The ground sur-
rounding the pool will quickly become muddy with the ducks hopping in and out of the pool.
You can combat the mud issue by frequently relocating the pool to a new area or placing it on
sand or gravel. Alternatively, you can build a small platform using water-resistant two-by-
fours and welded wire. It should be 2 to 3 feet wider than the pool to allow a place for the
ducks to step on as they enter and exit the pool. The platform only needs to be about 6 inches
off the ground. It should not be so tall that it is difficult for the birds to hop up. The birds also
should have a waterer for drinking. They should not be able to swim in this water but only
submerge their head and drink water.
If you have more than ten birds, provide separate waterers and bathing tubs for each group.
The bathing tubs should be cleaned twice a day. You can use a small pond for bathing if you
already have one on your property, but the banks quickly can become damaged if too many
ducks use the pond. To combat bank erosion, the bank can be reinforced with large stones.
Ducks can be quite damaging to the shoreline as they dig in the mud in search of food.
Ducks are susceptible to predation, especially domestic ducks that have a limited ability to fly.
You should provide your ducks with a predator-proof pen. They can roam during the day, but
at night put them in a pen. Predators such as dogs, weasels, coyotes, and raccoons are most
active at night. Strong woven wire should be used with squares of less than ½ inch. Weasels
are able to squeeze through any wire bigger than this size. The top of the pen should also be
covered to prevent animals from climbing over the top.
Inspect the pen weekly. Check the pen or building for any signs of tunneling under the floor
or foundation. Patch any holes with concrete, wood, or wire as soon as they are found. Make
certain the doors and any windows are solid, that latches work, and that they are free from
damage.
Also, you may prefer to keep your ducks penned and confined to a certain area during the day.
Many types of fencing material can be used such as chicken wire, welded wire, woven wire,
game bird netting, and lightweight plastic fencing material. The fencing material should be a
minimum of 2 feet tall to keep the ducks inside. If you need to keep dogs out, the fence
should be 5 feet tall or higher.
The spacing between the wires should be ½ to 1 inch. Any bigger and the ducks can stick
their heads between the wires. This may cause them to become trapped or, even worse, a
