Pond for ducks

Does anyone know how to make a small pond for ducks, that won't break the bank that has some kind of filtering system. We have tried to use a kiddy pool and that works fine except to keep it clean you have to change the water morning, noon, and night. Help please.
  13 answers
  • Barb Burmeister Barb Burmeister on Jul 22, 2014
    try contacting county/state environment agencies to see if they have ideas or financial help.
  • Rachel Rachel on Jul 23, 2014
    Search Craigslist for someone getting rid of a preformed pond kit. that will do it. You will still have to change the filter a LOT because ducks are dirty little guys, but at least you don't have to dump the pool every day.
  • Years ago when we had our 40 acres and I raised ducks, I used the baby pool and just cleaned it every morning when I fed all the animals. That is one way I 'trained' the ducks too. Then throughout the day or evening filled it up again. If you try to filter it the muck will just clog the filters and you will spend a lot more money and time cleaning filters and pumps than dumping and refilling the pool. You can clean the pool every morning and night. just make sure there is water in it during the day. ducks do not care nor will they get 'sick' from their muck and mess. they love to dig in mud too so even if you dug a hole for a small pond somewhere and kept it filled up they would happy little ducks. good luck
  • Abedabun Dawn Abedabun Dawn on Jul 24, 2014
    I use a Rubbermaid FG424300BLA Stock Tank 50 Gallon Black. It works very well. We hooked up a drain pipe with a cutoff valve. To drain just open the shut off valve, let drain. Close shut off valve and refill tub with water. You never have to get your hands dirty :)
  • Buster Evans Buster Evans on Jul 24, 2014
    I never had the space big enough to do this, but I have heard that if you dig out a hole where you want a pond however deep you may want it, and allow the ducks to use it that they will pack the bottom and make it "seal" and hold water. So if you have space for a nice size pond and can do the initial digging of the hole they will keep it maintained and sealed... also put them an island in the center with water all around so they can be safe from predators such as cats etc.. Now this is ONLY what I have heard, we got 3 baby ducks when my kids were small and they spent all their time making mudholes in our driveway and yard.. thats when I was told about this. we took them to a nearby lake and released them and stopped and fed them often after that they had lots of other ducks and geese to play with.
  • Sheila Sheila on Jul 24, 2014
    I have ducks. They are filthy. Unless you have a decent size stock tank or actual pond with an decent ecosystem including bottom feeder fish and plants already in place, there will be changing of the water. I use a baby pool and change it every couple of days.
  • Tabby Tabby on Jul 24, 2014
    also don't feed ducks bread or too GOOD of a food because they will grow deformed from lack of proper calories, or will grow too quickly and end up deformed from too many calories, too quickly. Talk to your local wildlife rehabilitation experts first, to get a source of duck food that won't cause such deformities. Google 'Angel wing' and 'ducks' to see how bread and such non-duck feed causes problems.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 24, 2014
    You need to contact your local government (county/city) because EPA has strict regulations now on collecting rainwater...which is what pond water is! You can actually get big fines and go to jail! (Google articles on this.) If I were going to keep ducks, I would learn how to make a natural pond.
  • June June on Jul 24, 2014
    We used to have ducks and like a few on here we used a kiddie pool but what @Abedabun Dawn said would work quite well I would think. Best idea in my opinion..:)
  • K. K. on Jul 24, 2014
    We had ducks once and also used a kiddie pool for them as well. Later on we gave them away to a family with a pond on their farm. The ducks would not go in the pond, ever, so they decided to just toss them in. When the poor babies landed in the pond the floundered around a LOT. See they were used to the kiddie pool where there feet would touch the bottom, so they never learned to swim properly!! They lived a long happy life once they learned to swim. :) Kiddie pools will work in a pinch temporarily but they need to be deep!!! Love the idea from Abedabun Dawn.
  • Debra Debra on Jul 24, 2014
    I've had ducks. They are just dirty. I cleaned and filled their kiddy pool once daily. They did fine.
  • Kalsti Kalsti on Jul 24, 2014
    There is a great site where you could post this and other questions~ it is called "Backyard Chickens" and there are forums for ducks, chickens, geese, etc.
  • Ida Granny Ida Granny on Jul 24, 2014
    Duck's are very dirty for people, but then nice to have. Dig a small pond down to the clay soil. Don't worry about cleaning there water every day. They find bugs to eat, and you can give them small fish to eat (like gold fish). ENJOY.