Last year on impulse we bought 4 straight run Khaki Campbell baby ducks at Rural King while buying feed. They were purchased to forage and control the slug population on my property. They have exceeded our expectations. The only draw back is that we have 1 female and 3 males. So during breeding season we have to separate the males to cut down on fighting. But other than that they run the property and are everywhere. Thelma (the female) follows me around like a dog because I pick bugs and throw them to her like treats. Mom finds all the good stuff! The "boys" follow Thelma's lead.
We keep small kiddie pools around the place to give them plenty of access to water. For those who have not had ducks they poop in their water so we have to drain those pools pretty regular. So we started pouring the poopy water on surrounding plants. Lo and behold those plants started to look wonderful and healthy.
So our poopy duck water pools have become liquid gold, giant vats of manure tea. We now move the little pools around the place near different plantings to make it easier to scoop the water out and use it. It's a win for everyone because the ducks get watering stations and we get fertilizer.
We have no intention of breeding ducks or maintaining a huge flock. Just a few to cruise around and eat the slugs. They do not scratch up things like chickens but we do have to protect the seedlings in the garden. Once the plants get bigger they don't seem to mess with them.
So the ducks help us to control our slug/bug problems chemical free. The plants get the benefit of extra nutrients in the water. We eat the eggs as we get one daily and they are wonderful to bake with. And the straw that is cleaned out of the duck house once a week feeds the compost piles too.
Thelma and "the boys" has ended up being a good investment after all!
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
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Thanks for this report on ducks. Have often thought of getting some for bug control.
ReplyDeleteBe safe and God bless.
I wondered about ducks, too. They sound like a good help, for sure. And they are beautiful to boot!
ReplyDeleteDarlene
We have had ducks for a few years and I never thought about using the water in the kiddie pool for the garden! Genius! We are lucky that we have three female but they are not tame at all. They act like we are going to try and kill them if we get too close and we raised them from ducklings lol. I never had any problem with them eating any of my plants until I saw them munching on my pepper plant through the fence around the garden.
ReplyDeleteThey occasionally take a nibble I think but all in all I think once they get over the seedling stage they tend not to mess with my plants too much. Everything that I put duck water on does great though so that is a definite added plus to owning ducks. I have no idea why mine are so tame though.
DeleteGood tip about the pool water and the pools. Common sense...you are just full of it!
ReplyDelete