How to make 100 ducks into 300 ducks, an experiment in bird rearing

I've not said much about our little project pond for a while now. The basic premise that we had at the outset was that if we created some habitat, used some existing habitat, and supplemented the duck population we might be able to create a pond from where a sustainable harvest is possible.

Ducklings were procured, (and by god are they a damn sight easier to raise than pheasants!) and released into the pond. Feed was purchased. The ducklings took to their new surrounds immediately; and predation losses were low. Matt's been a good dad, arranging daily meals for the birds and cover while he and Gina have been away. To be honest, I've not gone up to the pond since the birds arrived so have been enjoying their progress vicariously through reports from Matt & Tony.

We'd decided that if we put down 100 birds, that we'd harvest 10% less and by doing so leave a portion of the population to hopefully breed.

Here's a montage of shots over their growing up journey.

 

 

Over a period of time the brood has grown up, flown around, found mates and from the original 100 birds we're now feeding 3 times that number. Gregarious creatures that they are, they've told 2 mates each that foods available back at the green pond.

Tony took a short vid of some of the birds feeding and preening. A couple of free-loading parries in there, but they seem to be coexisting nicely.

This hasn't been an overly expensive exercise when split 4 ways; hopefully a few more guys will get encouraged enough to try something similar.