How to Build a Home Duck Pond

Male ducks are quite colorful while females are normally a dull brown.

If you want to attract ducks or other waterfowl to your property, your best strategy is to build a duck pond. Ducks can be attracted to even small, 10-foot wide ponds, and if there is cover nearby and a supply of food, they may decide to take up residence. Aside from the pleasure of watching the birds' antics, especially if they raise a brood on your pond, ducks eat a variety of insects, including slugs.

Things You'll Need

• Diatomaceous earth
• Shovel or backhoe
• Wheelbarrow
• Logs
• Brush
• Grass seed

Instructions

1. Mark the exterior shape of the pond with a line of diatomaceous earth. Generally, unbalanced shapes are more attractive and natural looking, but it's your pond so choose a shape that pleases you.

2. Start on the north side of the pond and push the soil to the south side, using a backhoe or shovel. Pile up the soil on the south side of the pond, creating a berm.

3. Dig the pond so that the northern end has a gradual slope into the water and the southern end has a deeper section. Small ponds, 10 feet in diameter, need to be only 18 inches deep in the center. Dig larger ponds, a half-acre or more, to a depth of 4 feet.

4. Create a gentle slope around as much of the pond area as possible for easy entrance and egress of the ducks.

5. Position large logs half in and half out of the water. The logs help small animals crawl out of the water and provide shelter to the ducks from the wind. The logs eventually rot and will need to be replaced every few years.

6. Seed the berm, the pond surround and the pond proper with grass seed. Use wild rice seed, if available, because it flourishes in water and provides food and nesting material for the ducks. Water the seeded areas frequently for two weeks until the seeds germinate and the grass becomes established.

7. Divert the natural runoff on your property into the pond by contouring the land, or fill the pond with a hose.

8. Populate the pond with local species of minnows. If the pond is not fed by a stream and has no outlet to a natural waterway, you can use mosquitofish or goldfish in the pond to control mosquitoes. Place brush in the pond near the edge in several locations to provide shelter for the fish and any amphibians that may move in.

Tips & Warnings

• If your soil is highly porous rather than clay-based and you have no stream to feed your pond, consider digging the pond an extra 8 inches deep. Pour a 4-inch layer of concrete on the bottom of the pond, then add 4 inches of soil on top.

• Domestic ducks also appreciate a pond as they need to groom daily in order for their feathers to stay healthy.

• Before digging your pond or diverting water to it, check with local authorities to determine if you need a permit. In many states, diverting water from a natural waterway is illegal.

References

• "Landscaping for Wildlife"; Carol L. Henderson; 1994