It’s that time of the year again and the fall migration is in full swing with ducks and geese landing anywhere they please. This includes your back yard especially if you have a pool. Ducks and geese are federally protected so disturbing them can get dicey and illegal. Click here to read up on the federal migratory bird regulations.
If they take up residence in your backyard you will have your work cut out for you. If you have a pool try filling it with large inflatable snakes, beach balls, noodles and other such floatees. Apparently the ducks think it is too crowded and will go to your neighbors. I have also heard of folks using bird netting and owl decoys as a deterrent. The good news is that they are just getting a short rest on their southern migration trip. But they can also be shopping for a nesting area before the mating season. The other news (good or bad) is once they find a nesting spot they tend to come back to it every year. One course of action during this migration is to just enjoy them and watch Mother Nature at her finest. But be advised, Mother Nature is a cold blooded woman and natural selection will happen. Click here for the duck migration report.
Some like to help Momma Nature out and feed the ducks. Almost anything is better than nothing but pick the feed carefully. Ducks will eat almost anything as the term “duck on a June bug” suggests. However in the wild they have a bigger feeding area than your backyard. I am not a big fan of cross species feeding. Don’t give guinea pig food to the ferret because it’s cheaper. For this reason dog and cat food are out. Obviously feeding a complete diet, engineered for waterfowl is preferred. I have heard and read that feeding chicken feed to ducks will do everything from kill to mutate them. This is a somewhat false statement. The bottom line is that a steady diet of chicken feed will not allow them to reach their full potential. It is however preferable to starving to death. Wells Brothers sells Maurui waterfowl feed. It is the best of the best you can feed our feathered aquatic friends. We also sell chicken feed and grains. Click here to read more about what and how much to feed ducks.
For all you duck hunters, click here for delicious duck recipes.
