My garden 😞

[Xerocles]

I found a new curse word to use in public. If I am ever exasperated enough to utter a profanity, I can simply say "Runner Duck!" The jury is in. The verdict has been decided.
As those who are following this know, I don't know what I'm doing. When I mentioned that I was going to do a 12 inch mulch on my entire garden (working great btw, not a single weed yet) someone told me that I would have bugs, slugs, and vermin out the wazzu, and that I needed Runner ducks to keep them in check. So I got 5 runner ducks. I suppose technically that the ducks are keeping the bugs from decimating my plants. Because the ducks are eating the plants before the bugs get a chance. Peas? Got 7" tall before the ducks discovered them, ate them to the ground, and dug holes to get at the roots. Tomatoes? Planted 10. Put 5 in cages (that's how many I had on hand. They're 12-15 inches tall. The other 5? 4 are single stems, no leaves. One is gone completely. Peppers? All in chicken wire cages, but the leaves nearest the cage are shredded. I am afraid to plant the rest of the garden. I have plants that I started from seed that are in pots and starting to bloom.
The cure is worse than the disease! Now I have to decide what to do with the ducks. They were bought as day-olds in mid March. Too runner duck small to eat. Hate killing viable animals just to bury them. But something has to change! Anybody want some ducks? CHEAP! Like, in free, and I'll deliver? I'm in S.C. Will not consider traveling any further than California to deliver.
A few days ago, one sustained a leg injury. Inside their house. Like couldn't walk injured. My thoughts? Vet? HA! I thought, soon as I have time, I will end your suffering. Well, today it is running around like it never even heard the word injury.
I put more time, effort, and $ into preparing for those ducks than I have for ALL the rest of my garden, figuring it as an investment in the future. Lesson learned. Chemical poisons, here I come.

 

[Beekissed]

I found a new curse word to use in public. If I am ever exasperated enough to utter a profanity, I can simply say "Runner Duck!" The jury is in. The verdict has been decided.
As those who are following this know, I don't know what I'm doing. When I mentioned that I was going to do a 12 inch mulch on my entire garden (working great btw, not a single weed yet) someone told me that I would have bugs, slugs, and vermin out the wazzu, and that I needed Runner ducks to keep them in check. So I got 5 runner ducks. I suppose technically that the ducks are keeping the bugs from decimating my plants. Because the ducks are eating the plants before the bugs get a chance. Peas? Got 7" tall before the ducks discovered them, ate them to the ground, and dug holes to get at the roots. Tomatoes? Planted 10. Put 5 in cages (that's how many I had on hand. They're 12-15 inches tall. The other 5? 4 are single stems, no leaves. One is gone completely. Peppers? All in chicken wire cages, but the leaves nearest the cage are shredded. I am afraid to plant the rest of the garden. I have plants that I started from seed that are in pots and starting to bloom.
The cure is worse than the disease! Now I have to decide what to do with the ducks. They were bought as day-olds in mid March. Too runner duck small to eat. Hate killing viable animals just to bury them. But something has to change! Anybody want some ducks? CHEAP! Like, in free, and I'll deliver? I'm in S.C. Will not consider traveling any further than California to deliver.
A few days ago, one sustained a leg injury. Inside their house. Like couldn't walk injured. My thoughts? Vet? HA! I thought, soon as I have time, I will end your suffering. Well, today it is running around like it never even heard the word injury.
I put more time, effort, and $ into preparing for those ducks than I have for ALL the rest of my garden, figuring it as an investment in the future. Lesson learned. Chemical poisons, here I come.

I don't think you read everything I said about the ducks in the garden.....when plants are small, they have to be fenced off(a low netting fence will do) until they are bigger. THEN, I do believe I said 5 ducks would be too many for your space and the lack of other greenery in the space would have them nibbling on even larger plants.

Here's some free advice: Don't try something once~the wrong way~and decide it won't work for you. Folks do that all the time in my world~DL, FF, natural animal care and husbandry, etc.~and then pronounce that it may work at someone else's place but won't work where they live. This works if you work it.

I don't run the ducks into the garden until there is adequate bug supplies to keep them busy, I only put a few in at a time...now I only have 3 ducks, so that's easy...and I fence off seedlings until they are so big the ducks can't nibble them to death or trample them with their big ol' feet. Once they've been run in there for a number of days...and I start to see nibbling of green things that shouldn't be happening...they are back out on the grass to forage. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[Mini Horses]

OK -- start over mister! You've been given directions. LOL

By the way, I don't do ducks. Garden fenced from chickens, goats & horses. I do spray with BT, or soap & water for pests. Plant extra for bugs. Actually, the tomato hornworms are the most destructive things I've seen. Oh, yeah, stink bugs!! And sevin dust helps. I use a leg of a pantyhose...scoop in the stuff, walk thru and just wiggle that tube and it powders out fine & nice! Fast & easy.

 

[Xerocles]

I don't think you read everything I said about the ducks in the garden.....when plants are small, they have to be fenced off(a low netting fence will do) until they are bigger. THEN, I do believe I said 5 ducks would be too many for your space and the lack of other greenery in the space would have them nibbling on even larger plants.

Here's some free advice: Don't try something once~the wrong way~and decide it won't work for you. Folks do that all the time in my world~DL, FF, natural animal care and husbandry, etc.~and then pronounce that it may work at someone else's place but won't work where they live. This works if you work it.

I don't run the ducks into the garden until there is adequate bug supplies to keep them busy, I only put a few in at a time...now I only have 3 ducks, so that's easy...and I fence off seedlings until they are so big the ducks can't nibble them to death or trample them with their big ol' feet. Once they've been run in there for a number of days...and I start to see nibbling of green things that shouldn't be happening...they are back out on the grass to forage. Wash, rinse, repeat.

"I don't think you read everything I said about the ducks in the garden....." Yeah, I'm a little slow. I need you HERE, to whack me on the back of the head and say "that's not what I said"

"when plants are small, they have to be fenced off(a low netting fence will do) until they are bigger." To a non-gardener, I need definitions for things like "small" and "bigger". I thought taller than the duck's head was bigger. I guessed that small meant literal seedlings. Remember, I'm greener than my plants.

"THEN, I do believe I said 5 ducks would be too many for your space" Correct. But they only had straight run, and I planned on attrition, and eventual culling of drakes would get me to the two I needed. AND, at 40 lbs of food every 2-3 weeks...are they REALLY so hungry that they need to eat my plants? They're little ducks.


Ok. Please. Take me by the hand. I'm serious. Let's start over. I'm here. The ducks are here (4 of them now). How do I play this? Take them out of the garden and free-range until I see bugs? (I'm ok with that, won't even be broken hearted if they get predated.) How big is to big to be trampled by their big feet? In case you're rolling your eyes and thinking "can anyone REALLY be that dumb?" yes I can be and I am.

 

[Xerocles]

OK -- start over mister! You've been given directions. LOL

By the way, I don't do ducks. Garden fenced from chickens, goats & horses. I do spray with BT, or soap & water for pests. Plant extra for bugs. Actually, the tomato hornworms are the most destructive things I've seen. Oh, yeah, stink bugs!! And sevin dust helps. I use a leg of a pantyhose...scoop in the stuff, walk thru and just wiggle that tube and it powders out fine & nice! Fast & easy.

Thanks for the advice and help. Uhmmm. Got an old pair of pantyhose I can borrow? I'm fresh out.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Lol I would seperate them in two groups if possible. Lol that way you can always put only two in. I have assortd of ducks including runners but they run from me still. The others will eat from my hand. Two of my ducks (ironically not the runners) roun/Campbell mixed ducks got out and invade my garden for a week before i caught the little snotts. Grant they only killed my Swiss card and ate to the ground the spanich and lettuce. However i have re seeded just incase the smart pants escape again. However my squash plants seemed thrilled and the peas, green beans, ect seemed untouched. Not sure i trust them and the area they were in was pretty well every where... the had access to my yard which is .5 of an acre and his grandma's yard and field.... personally I think they came to enjoy my veggies. But once again not the runners. I also had a naughty chicken killing some plants as well. If she wasn't a new layer she be on the hit list. However so far she behaving but only time will tell. The evidence speaks for itself however since they been locked up one squash plant seems unhappy about something i have to figure that one out.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

This is before the ducks

After the ducks first day and couldn't grab them

And now but mine were ducking in and out of fences to avoid capture and running through fields and we live on 200 acres of land they stay around the first 10 acres and I was not going to chase them all day.

 

[Beekissed]

How do I play this? Take them out of the garden and free-range until I see bugs? (I'm ok with that, won't even be broken hearted if they get predated.) How big is to big to be trampled by their big feet? In case you're rolling your eyes and thinking "can anyone REALLY be that dumb?" yes I can be and I am.

Now that they've been in there awhile, yeah, I'd take them out until your plants are bigger and you start to see things like squash beetles and bugs, bean beetles, flea beetles, Jap beetles, etc. Then, start training the ducks to go into the garden each evening(feeding them there helps)when pest bugs are most active and being let out to free range each morning after they've already foraged in the garden for pest bugs. Since you are just using them for pest removal, sell excess ducks and just keep 2....females would be best. Selling them is not a problem...there is a very brisk trade on any small livestock right now as people react to decreased availability of eggs and meat in the stores.

Big enough is out of seedling stage and entering into maturity enough to bloom/head up/etc.

Just watch your plants and watch your ducks....if they are no longer foraging in the mulch and picking bugs off plants and have started, instead, to nibble on leaves more, time to get them out of there for awhile until you start to experience more pest bugs in the garden. You don't want to leave them too long in the garden at a time, as they are indiscriminate foragers....your beneficial bugs will get eaten as well. Just a morning and evening sweep through(don't feed them a lot when you put them in...you'll want them hungry enough to forage) and then out on the green grass.

Since you don't have anything to protect them as they range, you might consider getting a great horned owl decoy and mounting it up on a nearby lookout point....hawks are mortal enemies of owls and some folks report that this works. I'd build a small duck house for your garden so you can lock them in at night, if possible. Or, you could put that dog to work and leave it on guard 24/7 so you don't lose your investment.

 

[Mini Horses]

Uhmmm. Got an old pair of pantyhose I can borrow? I'm fresh out.

On your own! I haven't worn any in years but -- can be bought cheaper than a dinner date.....not as much fun.

 

[Baymule]

I don't have ducks. Last time I tried ducks, Trip ate them. Then he had the nerve to snarl and lunge at me. Did I back down from a snarling 120 pound dog? You KNOW I didn't! I picked up a 4' long tree branch off the ground and whacked him with it. Trip did not want to give up his/MY duck, so I escalated from whack to an all out beating. Yes, I beat my dog with a tree branch. Something about being the Alpha Dog or being the duck. He finally ran off, I took the duck and disposed of it. Trip got 'em all but one. The perfect dog except when it comes to ducks. I'm sure he'd like some more. Do you deliver to Texas? I promise not to whallop him with a tree branch this time.