+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Ducks

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    OKLAHOMA
    Posts
    44

    Default Ducks

    Okay, so I was gone one weekend and my DH calls to say, "Did you know you have ducks on the pool cover?"

    Well, of course, NO I don't know this!

    Now every time I get my pool cover water almost pumped off, it's been raining ... and here comes the ducks.

    When I open my pool, how can I discourage the ducks from thinking MY pool is their new playground? (It's on a flight route to a pond at a nearby park, I'm sure.)

    HELP - What do I do about the DUCKS?

    Thank you!

    Blessings,
    Debbie
    Blessings,
    Debbie in OK

    FOXX IG Vinyl Pool 18 X 36 (installed 2001)
    Pool Volume: 20,655 gallons -- Laars Lite 2 gas heater
    Hayward Pro Series Sand Filter (S-244T) -- Hayward 1.5 HP Pump

    God gave you 86,400 seconds today -- have you used ONE to say THANK YOU?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Scottsdale, Arizona
    Posts
    526

    Default Re: Ducks

    12 gauge
    14'x31' kidney 21K gal IG plaster pool; SWCG (Saline Generating System's SGS Breeze); Pentair FNS Plus 48 DE DE filter; Whisperflow 1 HP pump; 8 hours hrs; kit purchased from Ben; utility water; summer: none; winter: none; PF:5.7

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    205

    Default Re: Ducks

    Hi Debbie,

    Have you considered adopting a dog??? I noticed a pair of ducks on our neighbor's pool a few weeks ago. Their pool, and ours, remained open over the winter. Then, a few days later, I awoke to see a pair taking a nice paddle in our own pool! I guess they're trying to decide which neighborhood and which pool might make a nice homestead for nesting season.

    My 2 dogs were sent out with the instructions to discourage the ducks from a return visit. The ducks were never in any danger, but they've only been back one time since....that I know of.

    But seriously, I've also heard that floating a beach ball on the water discourages birds from getting too close. I don't know if that's true or if it's an old wives' tale. It's usually too windy here for me to keep any kind of floating toy on the water for very long.
    Sandy
    15,600 gallon, screened 15x30 IG plaster sport pool with 6x8 tanning area, Aquarite SWCG, Hayward cartridge filter, Polaris 280 cleaner

  4. #4
    CanuckPool is offline *Removed User* Weir Watcher CanuckPool 0
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    224

    Default Re: Ducks

    How about a floating alligator.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Indiana.
    Posts
    700

    Default Re: Ducks

    Tying strings across 6 to 12 ft above the pool surface kind of haphazardly will annoy the ducks. They won't like having to dodge them and it will make them uncomfortable. Once they quit hanging around, you can take them down.

  6. #6
    tonyl is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst tonyl 0
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    84

    Default Re: Ducks

    Thanks JohnT, that worked!

    The ducks (2) were in the pool every morning for at least a week, and I scared them off each day thinking that would be it, but....apparently they REALLY liked our pool.

    After reading your post we ran kite string acoss the pool in several areas, covering it fairly well...and NO DUCKS from day 1 and it's been several days now. Great idea John. It couldn't have been more effective.

    Planning to leave it up until Monday sometime...

    Tony

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Sugar Land, Texas
    Posts
    183

    Default Re: Ducks

    Here's something my Spanish-speaking wife hit me with a couple of weeks ago:

    She (with a deadly serious look of concern on her face): "What would happen if a duck got into our pool?"

    Me (after thinking about the potential ramifications): "Nada."

    She: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

    I hope our Spanish-speaking friends enjoyed the joke.
    Pool owner - contract signed 21Aug2006; HOA approval granted; complete - existing patio demolition; excavation; rebar; embedded plumbing; gunite; plumbing; electrical; tile and coping; decking; plaster; pool fill; acid start-up; regular start-up; pool school; gas meter upgrade; additional of salt; PDA remote programming.

  8. #8
    CarlD's Avatar
    CarlD is offline SuperMod Emeritus Vortex Adjuster CarlD 4 stars CarlD 4 stars CarlD 4 stars CarlD 4 stars CarlD 4 stars CarlD 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    North Central NJ
    Posts
    6,607

    Default Re: Ducks

    We don't have ducks but our back-fence neighbors do! I've told them about them--they hit early morning late afternoon.

    But when their automatic pool cleaner is in, the ducks stay away. I don't know what kind it is--I think it's pump-assisted, definitely not a robotic.

    Their fence is VERY far away from the pool...basically the back yard is fenced and they have a huge patio. We, OTOH, have the fence very close to the water, which, I believe, makes landing and taking off for the ducks tougher.

    Funny, because here ducks are rarely a problem and not that common in suburbia. Usually it's geese that are like giant flying pigeons and each one makes almost as much of a mess as a small beagle. But they haven't been around as much lately, unlike the infestations we had in years past.
    Carl

  9. #9
    matt4x4 is offline Lifetime Member Verb Herder matt4x4 2 stars matt4x4 2 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    .
    Posts
    819

    Default Re: Ducks

    Well, every spring we get two mallards that feed off the algae in our creek, my dog's been trying to get them for years now, this year, I finally trained him to leave them be, so now he just sits and stares at them......BIG MISTAKE - as of yesterday morning 5:30 AM, I now have 2 mallards splashing around in my pool morning and night.
    I'll try putting my solar cover on tonight to see if that will discourage them.....if not, "ducks a l'orange" it is.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    .
    Posts
    38

    Default Re: Ducks

    I had a duck issue for 2 years, there were 3 ducks who were determined my pool was a play area and bathroom.

    I tried everything I could think of... If I chased them off they would just circle until I went back inside then come right back! Worst of all, my dog didn't care about them, he would just watch.

    I finally found a solution that worked... A high power green laser pointer (75mw), the point is extremely bright in the sunshine and you can see the beam as it goes through the water. I'm not sure if they thought it was a snake (that would even chase them as they flew away in an evasive pattern).
    They tried alterting the time of day they would come, but after it chased them 3 times they have not returned... But I noticed 2 of them moved over acouple houses to their pool.

    Might not be the perfect solution, as these high powered lasers are expensive and can be dangerous, but it did work for me!
    Pool discussion site - new users accepted - questions crossposted here upon request: []www.pooltalk.info[]

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Dirty Ducks!
    By tysmom in forum Pools, Pets and Creepy Critters
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 07-06-2006, 10:27 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts