has anyone tried ducks

[starter]

I have been reading all I can about AP and now I'm wondering about building a duck pond instead of a fish tank . Duck food is basically free,I can feed the floor sweep out of the feed bins. From what I've seen it would only take about 6 ducks to equal a big wad of fish. Any commits appericated.Thanks again.

[Ravnis]

Been considering that myself, but boy are they messy. I just got 8 ducks and they have a kiddie wading pool to swim and. When I empty it is has lots of sludge in the bottom, from the mud they track into it. Clogging of growbeds will be a major headache I'm afraid.

[GaryD]

Hi Starter,

Ducks are better suited to a less intensive approach. You can integrate a duckpond with soil-based gardens and fodder crops but, as Ravnis has pointed out, grow beds would quickly become a stinking mess.

Gary

[starter]

Well now I know what to do with my ducks, put them uphill of my garden Thanks for the information.

[morrie]

i duno?
i had a couple of ducks a couple of times in a small back yard. i sure if you thought about it a bit you could intergrate them into a system very well
great for pest control
you can breed them in the city (the males don't crow)
very gentle spiritual things - ala Lunig
the fact that they poo and eat in the water means the fertilising capactity must be huge
if you could settle out the solids before using the water in a uni directional system you could grow some serious greens!!!

just some thoughts

cheers
ian

[GaryD]

Hi,

I recommend Muscovies for backyard purposes. They hiss quietly rather than quack......and they can obtain a lot of their food from good pasture or fodder plants. They don't need water to swim in (just deep enough to get their eyes under to clean them).

While they don't fly, they can glide for quite long distances and certainly over fences.

If you grow them for meat, they produce large breast fillets which are lean and quite delicious when cooked to medium rare.

Ignore things that you might read about ducks being good weeders. Unless you have the skills to train them to it, they will eat snails and slugs, weeds and vegetables without prejudice.

Gary

[morrie]

we had a trio of muscovies for a while - they ended up too messy and big for a small back yard - i agree they are quieter than other popular breeds, more meat and lay better. i understand you need a drake or your ducks will eventually leave in search of a mate
- i wish there was a bantum variety of muscovies (call ducks while the right size are very noisy) we got what was sold to us as a 'wild type' that were smaller than your modern breeds - still big but! either way delifghtfull animals .
cheers
ian

[GaryD]

Hi Ian,

You don't need a male unless you're planning to breed them......and, if you trim their flight feathers (on one wing only) they won't go anywhere. The ducks are half the size of the males, too - which may make a difference in small backyards.

Gary

[JohnMc]

Thought I might respond. Ducks may not be suitable in a backyard situation but farmers with small holdings (6-20 hectares) duck - rice integrated farming has been followed for quite some time. Takao Furuno (article here http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/nwl/2002/2002-1-leoletter/furuno.htm) has promoted the concept where young ducklings are used. They don't eat the rice and when they reach marketable age they are moved before the rice is harvested. Its a variation on what the Asian cultures have practiced for a long time.

[GaryD]

Hi John,

Interesting reading.

There are similar integrations in use right throughout Asia.

I believe that integrated agri/aquaculture is the only way......back to the future....so to speak.

Gary

PS......Muscovies are good for backyards. They are much quieter and less messy than Mallard-derived ducks.

[MarkEinOz]

I agree on the Muscovy. I have a few Indian Runners at the moment, which are very utilitarian and lay better than some of the chooks! However, with us living in the burbs, they are terribly noisy, and poop for Australia! As much as I love them, they will be relegated to the folks' farm and Mammoth Muscovies will replace them shortly.

[abbabba]

I have been thinking for quite some time to get ducks, and the idea of growing vegies with ducks sounds rather tempting. Could some of you, who keep ducks already please tell me- do I need to feed them or will they forage enough in the paddock or garden, and do I have to keep them in a fenced off area, or will they return to their nesting place like chickens do? We have a dam and I am thinking of providing a floating island in the middle for the ducks to rest at night as we have foxes around here. Does that sound feasible? Any comments will be appreciated.

[GaryD]

Hi Abbabba,

The problem with ducks and vegies is that ducks eat vegies. Those accounts that you read about Asian farmers (and others) using ducks to weed their vegetable crops are often fanciful (and recycled by well-meaning folks) or lacking in detail.

Where it happens, the ducks are just a few weeks old and are more interested in snails and insects. They are removed from the vegetable or grain plot before the crop matures (by which time, they will have developed an interest in the crop.

Geese are also used as weeders but they have to be trained to it from an early age.

I've tried it but I wasn't successful. The geese just ate the crop.

While some ducks (particularly muscovies) can get a lot of what they need from good pasture, they will usually need some supplementary feeding to fatten properly.

If they are not fenced, they will eventually fall victim to foxes or dogs.

Your idea of a pond with an island (where their night quarters are located) has been done successfully. I've seen such a design in one of the Permaculture books.

Muscovies don't require water to swim in. A large bowl (large enough to immerse their head in) will be required for drinking and washing their eyes.

Gary