Ducks and small backyard pond.

10 years ago

We are putting in a 5x10 pond, that is basically a kit, that our landscaper is going to install. I'm still waiting on him to send me the kid link, but I already suspect it's not going to be enough for six ducks we have. Can anyone recommend a kit that I can buy online, with a decent sized filter for ducks?

We are in a residential neighborhood, so the pond size can't be much bigger than that, and it needs to not smell badly. Emptying out a kiddie pool every day would kill me in water charges!

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tropicbreezent

10 years ago

Hate to sound negative on this but I also think that size pond is too small for that many ducks if you want it fairly clean and not smelly. I've kept many ducks before and found it better to have a main trough that's netted so they have access to water without being able to get into it, and further away a much larger body of water where they can swim (and defecate) to their hearts' content. Ducks are incredibly efficient at fouling up water very quickly.

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Comments (9)

chas045
10 years ago
While you are waiting for a more knowledgeable response; from some older posts here, I am under the impression that ducks (much less six ducks) would make a small pond completely filthy. I would guess that there isn't a good solution.

On the other hand, years ago I had a friend who kept a few ducks in his back yard for his grade school children. He often gave me some of their eggs. I visited a couple of times and didn't notice a horrible smell, but he didn't have a pond back there.
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Janet Kearney
Original Author
10 years ago
What do you suggest in a residential garden?
tropicbreezent
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
If you're in a residential area I suggest first checking on local regulations. In many areas here you can't keep any type of poultry in a residential zone. It may be even more restrictive when it comes specifically to ducks. From what you say you already have the ducks. Is there any particular reason you want to have the six ducks? Are you able to reduce the number to say a pair? The smaller number would present far less problems.
Janet Kearney
Original Author
10 years ago
We are allowed the poultry in our area, I checked before getting them.

I mean, what do you suggest as far as water for six ducks in a residential area? Size pond etc
Thanks
purslanegarden
10 years ago

Regarding the kiddie pool, you don't have to clean/replace it every day. Once a week would be fine, and if you use that water in your garden, it's not just letting the water go to waste per se.

Regarding the pond kit, it may come with one filter unit. You could go ahead and add a second one.
tropicbreezent
10 years ago
Ducks need clean water, which they proceed to foul up very quickly. They need the water to wash down feed as they tend to 'wolf' it down and can choke. Depends on what you feed them but they still always tend to spill some of the food into the water. They also need the water to clear their (for want of a better word) nostrils out. So unless you have a large body of water that wouldn't contaminate so quickly, which in a residential area would be unlikely, you'd really need to change the water daily. Water over a day old is good for the garden, but not so good for ducks.
frankielynnsie
10 years ago
6 ducks makes a lot of poop and I see no way for a small goldfish pond to be suitable for a duck pond. The water would be constantly full of bacteria and not safe to be left as standing water. At least with a kiddie pool you can dump it out and clean it daily.
User
10 years ago
Janet,

Mabey buy a pump to pump the water out every day, or every other day. That way it won't be the back breaking work for you. Just turn it on, and within minutes the small pool will be empty. Or even a really big baby pool.

My neighbors have many ducks, but I don't know how they keep them. They do like it when it rains though, they play in the dirt road in the puddle til it goes away. They are cute.