New! not much experienced yet but interested and ready to commit!

[TyroneOfSix]

Hello,

Im Tyrone, as you read I have very minimal experience helping raise backyard poulets and turkeys as a teenager some fifteen to twenty years ago! I have an opportunity to introduce poultry to my current employment doing some tourism and interpretive work with children and adults. So I have been exploring starting a flock of mixed waterfowl and poultry at work and for my own purposes at home.

Based on my current research I may be getting a little ahead of myself in regards to mixing. I have access several acres of fallow lands and early successional forest and meadow as well as an established pond.

My background is in ecological restoration and historical interpretation and fish and wildlife work.

I am exploring using (ducks/geese) to do some Ecological Restoration through integrated grazing and pasture management. I have my heart set on waterfowl but my only experiences are with chickens and turkeys. I have friends to raise ducks and geese and they are adamant i try it out.

my next steps are exploration of mobile or temp fencing, and building poultry tractors and fencing in the pond.

any suggestions or guidance I would greatly appreciate

Take care :)

[Killerbunny]

Welcome to the site. Don't be afraid to ask questions, we will not be nasty! Quite a few folks here know a lot about ducks & geese and also forestry etc. Enjoy the site!

[WLLady]

Welcome to PTO!
I have limited experience with ducks (none with geese). I have muscovies and the darned things breed faster than rabbits (forewarned). They're messy, they love water, and their droppings is unparalleled for "slime factor" and fertilizing grass! But they can turn any water into a complete mud pit so not sure they're very suited to small ponds, but for sure a larger one would withstand them better especially if it's already established.

anyways, lots of people here with geese and other ducks, i'm sure they'll be along shortly - RIGHT @Dominion Link ?? @windwalkingwolf ??! LOL

Welcome to PTO

[TyroneOfSix]

@WLLady @KillerBunny thank you! I am looking at Kijiji to purchase some adult or juvenile birds. Is this advisable? Gosh I haven't been active on any forum since the early 2000's! I feel like checking my Myspace account lol jk!

[WLLady]

Make sure you can see the birds first before agreeing to purchase.....and make sure you set up a system for quarantine, especially if you already have birds. Just in case they have anything, you do not want to infect every other bird you have. There are many people on the forum here that sell birds off and on as well. and there are a few sales depending on where you are in ontario.
London has an auction (it's not the best, but not the worst) i think every week, and hagersville has an auction every friday. Woodstock BST happens every so often (@ross knows when that one happens). And there are a bunch up in the ottawa area too. Some of the fall BST are still happening before winter.

[ross]

Wdstk BST was this past Sat . Just missed

[Killerbunny]

You could always put a shout ouut for what you need on PTO,we have a wanted area.
Wanted

[TyroneOfSix]

Hi Ross I am sorry but I am not sure what the acronyms stand for. lol please educate me! :)

Wdstk BST was this past Sat . Just missed

[ross]

Hi Ross I am sorry but I am not sure what the acronyms stand for. lol please educate me! :)

Woodstock Buy Sell Trade was this past Saturday. Just missed it .

Wdstk BST was this past Sat . Just missed

[Dominion Link]

Generally, waterfowl are messy if they have water and mud to play in. And because most domestic waterfowl can't fly, they are easy targets for predators. Imo, that's about it for the cons of waterfowl ownership. The pros include that they are very hardy and weather resistant, ducks eat a lot of bugs and snails, muscovey's are excellent for fly control, and geese like to graze on grass and weeds. They all are "easy keepers".