Do ducks need fresh water if they live near a pond?

[DucksQuackMeUp]

Right now, I’ve got the ducks ranging during the day in a secure enclosure alongside my goose, rooster, and chickens. It’s a mixed flock, but it works well because everyone has separate spaces at night:

• Main Coop for the chickens
• Duck House for the ducks
• Welcome Coop for new additions and quarantine

During the day, they all hang out and forage together, but at night, they each have their own designated area. I’ve started working with the ducks specifically to train them into using their house at dusk — and you’re 100% right: routine is everything.

Every evening, I physically guide or place them into the duck house, and they’re slowly starting to go in on their own. But if I slack even once, they’ll camp out in the corner of the run like nothing was ever learned

So consistency is key — and a little patience, too.

I’ve also noticed that once one or two ducks figure it out, the rest tend to follow. They’re stubborn, but not hopeless!

I’ll try to get some photos of the setup soon — always open to tips on improving the layout, too.

Tom - Chief Mother Flucker & Director of Farm Operations
Mother Flucker Farms
(Where bedtime routines are enforced... or at least attempted nightly )

I can only blame myself for not securing them in the house for a period of time. Duck bombing did not help. Two grandchildren decided to hurry them up in the pond and dropped them off the small bridge that connects the island. Horrified at this activity I quickly shut it down. But now I fear they are traumatized. And rightly so. They will only come near me now and steer way clear of the five and ten year old. This morning the three peacocks were pecking at the food. I kindly asked them to depart and shook the feed bag and the ducks swam over and climbed up the island. They are pretty far away from me and I can't visually see them from the house as the pond is behind the barn. All I can do is make frequent checks. There are goats penned in close to the pond and further down the chickens. There is activity during the day with horse riding and dirt moving. It's the night I worry about.

 

[Duck Breeder]

I can only blame myself for not securing them in the house for a period of time. Duck bombing did not help. Two grandchildren decided to hurry them up in the pond and dropped them off the small bridge that connects the island. Horrified at this activity I quickly shut it down. But now I fear they are traumatized. And rightly so. They will only come near me now and steer way clear of the five and ten year old. This morning the three peacocks were pecking at the food. I kindly asked them to depart and shook the feed bag and the ducks swam over and climbed up the island. They are pretty far away from me and I can't visually see them from the house as the pond is behind the barn. All I can do is make frequent checks. There are goats penned in close to the pond and further down the chickens. There is activity during the day with horse riding and dirt moving. It's the night I worry about.

It sound like you have a great set up. My grandkids always want to hold the ducklings we let them for a few minuets on Sundays but they pay for it if the hen gets a hold of them. I want Peacocks my wife made fun of me and bought a stuffed animal Peacock and said that as close as I'm going to get. We bought 8 acers in farm land I will retire in 2 years and we will get horses and Peacocks and the wife wats goats. Good luck wish I was riding horses we had them growing up.

 

[DucksQuackMeUp]

It sound like you have a great set up. My grandkids always want to hold the ducklings we let them for a few minuets on Sundays but they pay for it if the hen gets a hold of them. I want Peacocks my wife made fun of me and bought a stuffed animal Peacock and said that as close as I'm going to get. We bought 8 acers in farm land I will retire in 2 years and we will get horses and Peacocks and the wife wats goats. Good luck wish I was riding horses we had them growing up.

It is very beautiful here. I get to look at horses and Zeus the donkey out my kitchen window. We have goats too! We have five grown goats. One neutered male, three pregnant and one that delivered three kids a month ago. They are the cutest little things. The more time that is spent with them the friendlier they get. The Peacocks know that I'm the treat human. They have a favorite which is organic shelled sunflower seeds. I worry about their protein needs. They need 30% while the chickens need less. It seems everyone eats each others food. The ducks are obviously separated now out on the little pond islands. I walk over a bridge to get to them. They are adorable too! And I will be moving ten incubated chicks today into the new Chick Mahal. Lot's of moving parts. Oh and two of the pregnant goats are over due to deliver. Yikes!

 

[Duck Breeder]

It is very beautiful here. I get to look at horses and Zeus the donkey out my kitchen window. We have goats too! We have five grown goats. One neutered male, three pregnant and one that delivered three kids a month ago. They are the cutest little things. The more time that is spent with them the friendlier they get. The Peacocks know that I'm the treat human. They have a favorite which is organic shelled sunflower seeds. I worry about their protein needs. They need 30% while the chickens need less. It seems everyone eats each others food. The ducks are obviously separated now out on the little pond islands. I walk over a bridge to get to them. They are adorable too! And I will be moving ten incubated chicks today into the new Chick Mahal. Lot's of moving parts. Oh and two of the pregnant goats are over due to deliver. Yikes!

What kind of incubator do you have

 

[Duck Breeder]

It sound like you have a great set up. My grandkids always want to hold the ducklings we let them for a few minuets on Sundays but they pay for it if the hen gets a hold of them. I want Peacocks my wife made fun of me and bought a stuffed animal Peacock and said that as close as I'm going to get. We bought 8 acers in farm land I will retire in 2 years and we will get horses and Peacocks and the wife wats goats. Good luck wish I was riding horses we had them growing up.

There was a large farm near my house when I was growing up the farmer had Peacocks and he feed them hard boiled egg by hand. I want to try that