Ducks in their new home

So after a bit of tree-cutting and hurdle-moving the ducks have a new home . 

They have been locked in at night. Ducks usually lay their eggs first thing in the morning so locked in , we have a chance of collecting the eggs.








Still muddy -  18  hours of rain yesterday - but everywhere is muddy.

A bit of the pond has been fenced in so they have access to water whilst locked up and we don't have to lug buckets and it will (hopefully) be a bit less sloppy everywhere.

And then the duckhouses moved in .

Something must be done

About the ducks. 

They need access to water and they are incredibly messy eaters.
So put 18 ducks in a pen , and some water and some food and you get this

And its not even winter and  its been dry recently. Attempts to improve drainage by adding hardcore and digging channels have failed. The water needs to be  changed every day .

So they are going to be moved to where they will have access to water , so the filling and carrying of buckets wont be necessary. And the bit of land that is the pen will  need some natural drainage


We have another pond  that they use.
 

But it will need a bit of work.

It need to be made otter-proof, so the inlet and out let will need to be suitably meshed

Outlet

Inlet

And then we will need somewhere to put the duckhouses. There is a bit of flat land which will (hopefully) drain if it gets too wet .

The bush in the foreground will have to go.
And the tree that is leaing at  a jaunty 45 degree angle will have to come out as well.
The slope down to the pond will ( hopefully)   provide the drainage.


So a bit of work to do then,   Before the weather gets bad.