Duck Pond Help !!!!

les45

I have some land that floods during the late autumn , dries out April . I am digging some trial holes this week to assertain the level of the water table , my problem is finding a source of information on building / developing a suitable habitat for breeding , rearing mallard , teal. I should point out that this is not a Gun Club project but simply something I woulld like to develop for my own use.
Thank you in advance

John:D:D:D

J.R.

Check out the N.A.R.G.C. site

http://www.nargc.ie/site/conservation/duck_propagation.aspx?language=ENG

J.R.

If you're a member of a gun club with NAGC you may qualify for grant

http://www.nargc.ie/site/conservation/habitat_dev_grants.aspx?language=ENG

kowloon

les45 wrote: »

I have some land that floods during the late autumn , dries out April . I am digging some trial holes this week to assertain the level of the water table , my problem is finding a source of information on building / developing a suitable habitat for breeding , rearing mallard , teal. I should point out that this is not a Gun Club project but simply something I woulld like to develop for my own use.
Thank you in advance

John:D:D:D

Let me know how you get on with this, I'm looking to do something similar.
I've been getting conflicting info on how big things need to be to support ducks. Do you have a stream to build around?

meathstevie

Not a bad idea to have it in a slightly irregular shape with a few bends and corners in the banks. Also have a wee island in the middle of it so your ducks have a bit of chance of escape from foxes and other land based predators who're after their eggs and ducklings.

les45

Thanks lads for the help , I have a river that runs right round the property , there was a lake on the land in the early 1800s , sadly the lake and most of the trees were cut down filled at the turn of the 20century . As I said I am not a member of a NARGC Gun club , this is something I am doing on my own bat , I will check out the links suggested .

Many thanks

John

Vegeta

Ok from my limited experience with this (we built a pond a few years ago but it wasn't a huge success returns wise, only lost 2 ducks though all year long)

Do not have steep sides.
Do not make it too deep.
Put a few pallets floating on drums in the middle, or if possible a man made earth island.


Are you going to rear ducks on it or just hope to attract some locals

les45

Rear some and hopefully attract more , location wise I am between , Kells Athboy , Clonmellon. (Co Meath) . I have not shot game in nearly 15 years so this I hope will be a return to some very enjoyable times and also to add something to the existing habitat .

John

Vegeta

The pond we had was for young duck so we put an electric fence at ground level, a 6 foot chicken wire fence and another electric wire running along the top.

We then had mink traps around the bottom with dead smelly fish bait in them.

We only lost 2 duck out of 130 I think so it was pretty good from a mortality point of view.

I heard from an old gun recently that if you know anyone shooting rabbits tell them to throw the guts of the rabbits onto the shallows of the lake/pond, the ducks are meant to go mental for them. Haven't tried it myself but will give it a shot coming closer to september, meant to make the ducks more likely to return to the lake/pond

6.5x55

If you look up the Game Conservancy Council in the UK they have good info re ponds on their site . I believe that the minimum recommended size it 30yrds x 30yrds with an irregural shape to it and gently sloping banks to allow easy access for the duck .
Let us know how you get on with it .

les45

Lads , I really appreciate all the help and advise . I am not so sure about the bunny bits , but I will try everything .

I have the mini digger booked for tomorrow evening ,so Australia here I come !

I will keep you posted on the results

Again many thanks .

John

meathstevie

I'd be interested to see the result...It'll be some job with a mini digger man.

About those bunny bits. I wouldn't be too keen on throwing them in but the content of them might just be fairly irresistable to ducks allright. Half digested plant matter would be the sort of stuff a duck loves to feed on. Feeding maize ( available from Glanbia on the Kells road in Athboy or Alfco in Trim ), flaked poored on the bank just below the water line and spuds ( boiled so they're soft or flakes ) will attract additional ones in once you get a few residents.

les45

Stevie , the mini digger is for the trial hole only:D:D:D

meathstevie

Get you, you'd want the yoke for a while digging out a sizeable pond..

What I said about maize and spuds, don't feed too much. It could go a bit sour and rats love it too.

les45

Thanks Stevie , I will let you how the dig goes , we have a great digger man coming in a few weeks time to sort out a few bits and bobs . Last time he was in I briefly explained the plan , his comments were to say the least interesting.

John

meathstevie

Good man John, best of luck with the venture

kowloon

How do you keep the water clean in your pond without the use of a stream?

Reed bed and pump a good idea?

meathstevie

You can always dig a little overflow drain to a stream or ditch. And planting a good reed bed as Kowloon said is a great help. If the pond is substantial enough with a bit of depth keeping it clean shouldn't be much of a problem. Most of the stuff getting in to it will be organic material that'll sink to the bottom and decompose to become your typical black slicky muck you find in ponds and rivers. Unless this gets realy disturbed by digging works or the like you haven't got much to worry about.
If I remember the posts earlier on the pond is to be dug in a flooding spot anyway so there'll be a good flow of fresh water getting in during winter and autumn.

pavb2

I know it's an old thread but I'm looking to put a duck pond in the garden any advice on size, layout,cleaning, protection from predators much appreciated.

hunterpajero

J.R. wrote: »

If you're a member of a gun club with NAGC you may qualify for grant

http://www.nargc.ie/site/conservation/habitat_dev_grants.aspx?language=ENG

hi lads we looked into this 3 year ago on a pond thatwas not in our gun club,the nargc said it was no problem just get the secretaryof the gun club that the pond is on to sign the form that was it,there is a grant there for sowing trees and shrubs around it aswell,keep all receipts as proof