Hi all,

I'm currently raising chickens and will be getting ducks soon. I will have them in two fenced in areas (ducks will be separate from chickens) that will then be fenced into 2 or 3 paddocks that I will seed for forage.

Around the perimeter of the fences I'd like to plant some hardy shrubs and small trees (to be protected) that could maybe provide food for them. So far on my drawing board I have Agarita, Mulberry, and Mexican Plum. The idea is to fence off these plantings for most of the year and only let the ducks/chickens in when there is fallen fruit, etc. to clean up.

But while I'm on the subject, it would also be nice to have some shrubbery around the 1000 gallon stock tank I have for the ducks. Something that they won't tear up. I could try and protect it with fencing until it's established.

Any ideas for either area? I have clay soil (that I will amend with compost); our summers can be very hot and dry (105 degree days are common in August), and our winters are mild, with the occasional dip down to 25 degrees (but typically only for a couple of hours). The dryness shouldn't be a major problem since I will be digging swales, planting the trees adjacent to them, and filling the swales every few weeks when I clean out the pond. The pond will have a swirl filter system.

Even if you can't directly answer my question, I'm still interested in hearing your comments. We've just bought this homestead and this is our first major project. Have had chickens for a long time but never ducks. Thanks for your input.