How do you catch a sick duck in a pond - she can't get out

[Miss Lydia]

Ponds are lovely and every time we drive by one I think there should be waterfowl on it. But Domestic ducks just don't live long on them. They don't have the same instincts wild ducks do to get away from predators and most can't fly which makes them sitting targets. Even in water many predators swim so they really don't stand much of a chance trying to live like their wild cousins. If your unhappy with her not being able to get on the pond maybe you should think of finding her a new home where she would be with other ducks? Not on a pond setting but where she would at least have friends. They really thrive much better when in a flock. My waterfowl have never had a pond just large kiddy pools and they are happy as can be. It's because they have their flock and can play in the pools, they don't require much to make them happy.

 

[Mashie]

@Miss Lydia all sound points. I do want her to be happy! She has a kiddy pool...

 

[Luv Ducks]

I too hope that you can find her a friend. They are so happy with their flock mates. I have my 14 now and right now they all love each other. Where one goes they all follow. I don't even have a kiddy pool but containers of water that they can fit in one at a time so that there is no mating or drowning going on. They are perfectly happy in their large covered pen outdoors and that makes me happy too. Good luck with yours and Thanks for the update on her.

 

[Mashie]

I too hope that you can find her a friend. They are so happy with their flock mates. I have my 14 now and right now they all love each other. Where one goes they all follow. I don't even have a kiddy pool but containers of water that they can fit in one at a time so that there is no mating or drowning going on. They are perfectly happy in their large covered pen outdoors and that makes me happy too. Good luck with yours and Thanks for the update on her.

I really miss the days when we had 20-30 freely roaming and in little armadas all over the pond. I don't seem to be able to find that breed of duck anywhere (pure white but mallard shape and bill, strong fliers, a bit bigger and a bit slower flying than mallards but happy to flock and fly with mallards). I think they were close enough to mallards that they escaped the foxes / mink... I'm told they were introduced to the neighbourhood 50 years ago. If anyone knows the breed please tell me! In the end we had 10 males and one female and the population simply declined to nothing over a few years - we had two old drakes for a while, then none :-( Our most successful girl raised 22 ducklings one year! but most of them were pretty useless mothers.