Has anyone got ducks in their garden?

[Muddy unicorn]

Domesticated ones that is .. we have a mix of khaki Campbells, runners and a harlequin Campbell drake. They’re in the back garden and go into their duck house at night. They have two tin baths of water which the Campbells like swimming in - they used to be free range and went down to the stream during the day but the local fox kept picking them off so they got moved to the garden where I can keep an eye on them. I’d love to get a pond put in for them but am wondering how hygienic it would be - their bath water needs changing regularly as they quickly turn it into a muddy mess. Does anyone have any experience with ducks and garden ponds - how do you keep the water cleanish? How big would it need to be? Any other advice? Thanks

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I have 10 call ducks in the garden and I have a large pond which they use every day. It does have a lot of plants in and I run a filter 24/7 but it does look murky and I’ve not seen any fish for a few months. Before they used it it was lovely and clear with hundreds of fish.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Thank you - hmmm that’s what I feared might happen..

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I think it depends on the size of the pond available to them. I used to have pet ducks many years ago. I kept them in the garden with a natural pond that they used a lot. But it was a very big pond about 1/3rd of an acre in size so it wasn't really a problem. They lived in their little duck houses at night but in later years we let them roam free and choose for themselves, weirdly we never lost one to Mr. Foxy.

 

[whirlwind]

We’re on a farm but have got a few ducks as pets in the garden- their pond is rigged up so the drainage from the fields above us flows down into it and then has an overflow pipe the other side of their pen down into the ditch that’s taken out to the fields below. Works really well but I’d have no idea how to go about it that was a job for the other half!

 

[Esmae]

I had garden ducks. They made a terrible mess. I had a pump to pump water out every few days and clean their pond and refill. Was something of a clatter. Wouldn't have ducks again just for that.

 

[Nudibranch]

I used to have a couple of call ducks several houses ago. Most of their enclosed area was woodchip and they had a big trough type thing with a ramp which needed emptying and refilling every couple of days. They were allowed to free range in the garden whenever I was in. They were hand reared so I'd take them in the car and drive down to a nice spot by the river so they could have a proper swim. Doubt I could do that these days!

I think the key is having something big enough to let them bathe and preen, but small enough you can easily refill. I've yet to see anything set up with a filter system which actually works with ducks under small lake size, they really are filthy. I've often wondered if it would be possible to set up some kind of system with a drain and hose/water pipe to make it all a bit less hassle.

Annoyingly we now live in a property with two streams, but I have to use electric netting for the hens and haven't figured out a way to set up a foxproof duck enclosure using the running water. I'd love some more calls, the little white ones are so pretty.