Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management pros and cons of having ducks on my 2 acre pond

Thinking of getting ducks for the pond or at least putting decoys out for wild ones. What are pros and cons. I am not a duck hunter...just like watching wildlife

Ducks = duck poop, which could lead to swimmers itch. Also if you are successful in bringing in ducks, geese might show up. If they do, a single goose poops 1# per day, adding a huge amount to the nutrient load on a pond. They could also poop out invasive weed species seeds.

We have migrating ducks come through each fall - counted 80 woodducks landing in the 1 acre pond one night. Love seeing them and have no problems. On the other hand, overwintering geese are not encouraged. We use the pond for swimming, guest fishing, and wildlife habitat. We maintain a "natural" edge so that may account for our pond of nutrient issues.

Pro's...fun to watch....con's....too many to list...lol

Along with some of the other hazards mentioned, depending on the species, several ducks or geese can do a real number on fish populations in very little time! Ducks have been blamed for eating and wiping out millions of RES in Arkansas fish farm grow-out ponds the last couple years after only a couple days time on the water.

I'd shy away from domesticated ducks of any kind. Along with the poop (nutrients), they will muddy up your pond while feeding in the shallows. Given time, they can also kill the grass on your banks. I don't think they would last very long with the critters around my place.

I wouldn't mind having a pair of ducks raise their babes on our pond, but haven't seen any ducks at all. Geese, GBH, Egrets, GWH all the time but no ducks! I had a 20 foot wide swimming pool years ago and ducks all the time!!

Bill D.,
I'd take the ducks.....around dinner time!

ok guys, Now I have to tell the wife she can't have ducks. We will watch for wild ones and go from there.If a goose lands I might just have to fire up the oven!! What about chickens or guineas?

Chickens, (and guineas), are a blast to watch. But I'll bet they won't last long unless they're put up every night.

Everything likes chicken.

Hey Don't give up on ducks altogether! You have the decoys. They are quiet, don't eat anything and don't poop!

Our 1.5 acre pond was finished early September and filled about a month ago.. We have 2 blue bills that have made it their home for the past 2 weeks.. Really cool to come home to every evening.

Went down to the pond to shoot some woodies last weekend. Sat down in a chair in the woods next to lake, waited til almost dark then here they came, first a drake and hen. They lit right in front of me less than 10' away. I didn't move. They swam into the flooded timber. Still no shot. The next group came in the same way. Still no shot fired.... So when it was dark about two dozen woodies came in . I guess I went duck watching instead. Went the next two evenings and guess what.. You guessed it just watching. It's not always about the kill.wild ducks at less than 10' is really cool... So if you want ducks ... Add em!

Pat W

My neighbor has a 1/4, maybe 1/3 acre pond. He put 2 white ducks in it. After a few months he noticed the shore was being eroded by their dabbling among the grass roots, and the pond was muddy. Coyotes or owls got the ducks and the pond cleared up in less than 2 weeks, and the erosion stopped. That was 2 years ago and he hasn't even thought about replacing the ducks.

No Aflac ducks! Just plain passing thru ducks won't tear up that much if any

Pat W

Pat W, a funny thing happened over time with my pond, I became a watcher also. Nature in it's natural cycle produces the most things to watch.

John,
I think I am getting to that place as well. The work starts after you pull the trigger, anyway.

Its a matter of proportion. Geese certainly do generate 1 lb per day per bird. But, depending on surface area and depth, there is an acceptable number of birds , especially if they are seasonal.

If you put in a floating island you create a safer habitat for breeding and also introduce some aquatic plants that will counter the clouding issues. Properly done, the floating island becomes an attractive platform for cover for mating pairs. The idea is to give a group of 8-12 ducklings a chance to survive at 70% survival rate until they imprint on YOUR property and then come back the next season. Sometimes that happens the first year, sometimes it takes 5 years or more. but the floating islands increase your odds significantly.

Another advantage to having some POOP? Geese Poop especially seals the pond better than bentonite. However we saw a pond in Weatherford Texas with dozens of domesticated ducks and GEESE. The pond was only about 40' X 80' and 7 feet originally. But the year round birds: stomped every bit of nearby ground bare. Plus their Poop added up to be quite a bit if you get overpopulated. This particular pond had nearly filled, and what was 7 feet deep, had become literally 4".

Ponds of more than an acre can support a few dozen for a few months.

ThomasTponds.com

We have 28 resident Canada geese that rotate between ours and three other ponds in the area. We get them one or two days a week and I can attest to their poop.

Now we have about 15 Canvasback(diver) ducks on the pond for the winter. Think they eat plants and not fish......I hope.

Geese are great to have!.......Slow smoked with a hickory fire!

I had about 15 bluebills living on our pond. It started with 2 and slowly built to 15. That was enough for me. Called some buddies up threw out the decoys and we whacked em 2 mornings in a row. Now we have 1 or 2. Figured the cons out weighted the pros so had to improvise.