What ducks should I get?

[Labraduck]

Total newbie here so please bare with me.

My property is 8 acres with a few relatively close neighbors. I have a decent size pond (maybe a 1/4 acre) that has a spring fed stream bringing in fresh water most of the year. The pond occasionally attracts wild ducks but they usually leave by early summer. I’ve realized that looking out and watching ducks on the water is the best thing in the world. I’ve been looking into getting some of mine own, but every option seems to have issues. I would be grateful if anyone can help me decide.

My main concern is safety. The pond would need approximately 400 ft more fencing, plus a house. There are a lot of predators in the area as I’m surrounding mostly by woods. I hear/see a red shouldered hawk every day (red tailed hawk only once).

Any suggestions on sufficient fencing to keep ducks safe in such a large area? If it must be a 6 foot fence, that would take away from the scenery of the pond area which is the highlight of the property.

I was strongly considering muscovies until I realized they could just fly over the fence. I don’t want to clip any wings. The road is close by and people race up it on four wheelers.

At this point, I’m leaning towards a nice big enclosure with a roof and mini pond with call ducks. That seems the only way to have ducks while also ensuring they’re totally safe. I think this somewhat defeats the purpose though since I won’t be able to look out at the main pond and see ducks swimming. I also have some close neighbors, so I’m not sure about how loud call ducks may be.

I’ve gone back and forth a hundred times over these things, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[Zenmonkey]

Total safety is a fiction.

Muscovies tend to be pretty self sufficient. I'm not saying that it would go off without a hitch. However losing an occasional animal is a fact of life.

Animals in general tend to become savvy to that's in the environment, muscovies are larger birds and resistant, as adults, to solve of the predators that would kill off smaller birds.

Given a secure place to sleep at night helps a lot.

I'm not necessarily trying to sell you on the whole entire homesteading way of life. However cats help prevent rodents, and so that means far less likely predation of ducklings by rats, and also reduces weasel attacks as the weasels follow the rodents.

And of course a decent dog helps prevent, or at least alert you to, larger predators.

Adding canines and felines certainly is a life style choice, but so are birds! And the cat and dog are probably more effective and less expensive than building a fence around that pond. Well maybe not less expensive, vet bills and feed add up, and I only paid for that chain link fence once. But they also add a lot to life.