5 Duck Breeds Ideal For Small Ponds
Water is a central element in the life of ducks, not only because they need it from a nutritional point of view, but also because they are biologically adapted to water.
Bathing and swimming are simply part of their natural instincts. They refresh themselves in the water, clean themselves in the water and also relieve themselves. Therefore, anyone who wants to keep flying ducks, racing ducks or any other breed of duck cannot avoid digging at least a small pond for them.
In addition, there should always be an additional supply of water in a drinking trough in the open space.
Certain breeds of ducks need to be continuously in contact with abundant water, while other species do not require too much volume of water so they are more adaptable to being in small ponds.
Some breeds of ducks are even known for their ability to dive, for example, diving ducks or pochards.
Therefore, a very important consideration when having a moderate-sized pond is to take into account the size and diversity of the ducks.
In addition, the growth factor of the duck must be taken into account, so provide adequate space for the duck’s development.
If the pond is small, try to keep the water clean. The best duck ponds combine pumped water circulation, fish, which help to keep the water clean (to have fish and ducks you must have depth and hiding places for the fish or the ducks will eat them) and submerged aquatic plants.
Here is a list of the best ducks to have in a small pond, taking into account as main characteristics the size and growth of this bird.
Call ducks or Mignon duck
It is a breed of miniature size but does not have a fragile appearance, compact and solid appearance. Rounded head. Rounded structure.
It is a breed of ducks brought from the Far East by Dutch sailors. Holland was a pioneer in importing birds from all over the world.
The Mignon Ducks were known as Coy Ducks or Decoy Ducks, derived from the Dutch term kooi meaning in English Cage Trap.
What makes this type of duck ideal for small ponds is mainly its small size, these small-sized miniature ducks are very popular to start as a duck breeder because they are very easy to care for.
The water requirement for them is very little, they are very clean and tidy, and they project a decorative and elegant look.
It should be noted that this type of duck, in contrast to its size, has a very social and extroverted personality, so it may not be very quiet, in case you have neighbors you should take this into account.
Also, there is the fact that in the breeding season they tend to be very defensive ducks.
There is currently a large variety of the Mignon duck. Of which ten standard colors can be found: black, white, silver, dark silver, dark silver, apricot, blue beige, etc.
Pekin ducks
One of the most popular duck breeds, the Peking duck, while not too small, is not considered too large or too spatially demanding.
The Peking duck is one of the most popular duck breeds domestically, due to its calm personality and elegance, in addition to being a highly prized duck for its meat.
Despite being a duck with a lot of meat, which is not usually considered very small, the truth is that the Peking duck has a relatively small size and is suitable for a pond.
The Pekin duck is a hardy duck, breeds in a small space and does not have high water requirements, these species grow to a length of 34 to 45 cm.
In addition, the growth rate of the Pekin duck is quite accelerated, having reached its maximum size in about 8 weeks.
Cayuga Ducks
The Cayuga is a breed that has long been bred for meat consumption. However, due to its beauty, it is now mainly bred as an ornamental breed and some prefer it as a pet duck breed.
It is an ideal duck to keep in ponds due to its average size and its great resistance to outdoor environments, it is also ideal for children as it has a very docile behavior, which makes it an excellent companion.
Besides being quite resistant and strong, this breed is generally preferred by people living in residential or suburban areas because it produces almost no annoying noises.
Mandarin ducks
The mandarin, a small and very colorful duck, closely related to the common duck, measures 41 to 49 centimeters long and measures a 65 to 75 centimeters wingspan.
It is an ideal duck to keep in a pond or to start breeding ducks, the mandarin duck does not reach a very large size, nor does it require large extensions of land for its housing nor does it need abundant water for its survival.
A small pond or an artificial lake with clean water is a more than sufficient habitat for the breeding of these species.
Wood ducks
The Wood duck has exactly the same characteristics of the mandarin duck, a beautiful duck of striking color, small, adapted to live in the water, does not require very large spatial dimensions.
These last two breeds of ducks are excellent both for their beauty and their size, but they are breeds that in nature can fly, they are quite skittish.
Although they can be domesticated, they maintain the essence of wild birds.
