Ducks can make cool pets, or they can serve as a great farming option. Whatever reason you keep ducks, there is also something else they are amazing at doing.
Duck pest control may not be something you’ve considered, but it is a very real option. Do ducks keep bugs away? Many people ask this question, and the answer is yes. Some people wonder if chickens or ducks are better for pest control, and the surprising answer here is ducks.
They are simply amazing at naturally clearing your property of a very large range of pests. It may shock you exactly how good of a job they can do.
To help you understand more about duck pest control, we’ve put together a guide. It not only explains why ducks are good at handling pest issues, but it also covers the pests they will eat, the best breeds for this task, and how to train your ducks to become your personal pest control team.
What Ducks Will Eat
Ducks, like many birds, graze throughout the day to get the nutrients they need to survive. While you certainly can provide your ducks with a varied diet, they will also love having access to natural prey, including insects and varmints.
We often associate ducks with bread, but what kind of insects do ducks eat in the wild? The better question may be what do they not eat because they are not picky. If you can think of a garden or backyard pest, then the chances are good a duck will eat it. Here is a look at some common questions about what ducks will and will not eat.
Cockroaches
We know they’re everywhere and we hate to see them, but do ducks eat cockroaches? Ducks will eat all types of insects, including cockroaches, but when using them as pest control, you probably do not want to use them inside your home.
They produce a lot of manure, which can be too difficult to control inside, so you may want to try an alternative option for controlling cockroaches inside.
Mosquitoes
If you live near a water source, which you probably do if you have ducks, you may be too familiar with pesky mosquitoes. Do ducks help with mosquitoes?
Ducks are amazing at controlling the mosquito population. They will eat the larvae and bugs in early stages, which can help prevent reproduction right from the start.
Slugs
Gardeners will be happy to learn the answer to do ducks eat slugs? Slugs are one of the favorite treats for ducks. Some breeds prefer them above all else and may only eat the slugs in your yard or garden.
Beetles
So, ducks eat a large array of insects, but do ducks eat Japanese beetles? Ducks will eat beetles of all kinds. The hard shell is not a deterrent for these hungry waterfowl.
Spiders
For those of you scared of our eight legged friends wondering if ducks eat spiders, you can rest easier knowing ducks will eat them. However, before wiping out the spider population, you may want to consider how beneficial they can be. Spiders also will help control many types of pests, such as gnats and flies.
Snakes
Bugs aren’t the only type of pest they will handle, though. Do ducks eat snakes? They sure do. Ducks can help to control the population in your area. They will usually stick to the smaller ones because larger ones may be too much to handle.
Mice
It’s surprising to think of ducks as carnivorous, so wondering if ducks eat mice may not be a natural thought, but they will eat mice if given the opportunity. Some breeds will even hunt for them specifically. They can and will eat a variety of small animals besides just mice.
Other Treats
These waterfowl eat snails, including the ones that serve as a host to liver flukes. They also eat grubs, all types of beetles, and grasshoppers.
Ducks are excellent at controlling the tick population in your yard. They will gobble them right up, protecting you and your other pets or animals.
You may wonder things such as “Will Muscovy ducks eat ticks?” and “How many ticks do ducks eat?” Rest assured, all ducks will eat ticks, and they do an excellent job at it. You should be able to control the problem easily by using ducks.
As you can see, ducks are deceptively great at keeping your yard and home free of annoying pests and varmints. They can serve as your pest protection while also letting you avoid the use of chemicals or other methods that can cause harm to you, your family, or other animals.
Why Ducks Are Good at Ridding Pests
Duck pest control works so well due to the biology of a duck’s bill. This is also why they are better at controlling pests than chickens.
The duck’s beak has an ideal shape. It is long and wide, giving it more space in which to scoop up prey. The bill also has combs inside of it that trap the bugs it gets ahold of.
The combs hold the bugs inside and prevent them from dropping out as the duck filters whatever it has taken in its mouth with the insect such as dirt or mud out. Even if the duck decides to spit back out something it doesn’t want to eat, the bugs remain trapped.
Benefits of Duck Pest Control
One of the things that may weigh on your mind as you consider duck pest control is: are ducks good for your yard? Obviously, you don’t want to sacrifice the beauty of your yard just for pest control. It would defeat the purpose.
Fertilize Your Lawn
You don’t have to worry. Ducks will be gentle with your lawn while also fertilizing it with manure and feathers. Also, they will keep your grass clipped, so less mowing for you. Thus, you get additional benefits.
Low Maintenance
There are other great benefits of duck pest control. The Ecological Landscape Alliance explains ducks do not require a lot of care compared to other fowl, such as chickens, which people often use instead for pest control. They are hardy and healthy birds, too, which means less worry.
Low Cost
Plus, if the ducks are getting full up on bugs, that means you feed them for free. So, they won’t even cost you an arm and a leg to maintain.
Food Source
Penning them is also simple. A barrier of 18 to 24 inches will usually keep them contained.
Ducks are also productive. They will take care of your pest while providing you food. You can eat them if you like, but they also produce highly useable and delicious eggs.
Climate Resistant
Mother Earth News offers another perk of ducks in that they are adaptable in almost any climate. Suppose you get hot weather; no worries. Super cold weather and snow also won’t ruffle their feathers. They will adjust and thrive.
Above all else, ducks are entertaining. They can be fun to watch and interact with. You might even find a new best friend among your flock.
Downsides to Duck Pest Control
While ducks are pretty great, there are some downsides to using them to control your lawn pests. The good news is that many of the bad points are things you can control or avoid.
Lawn Maintenance
The biggest issue is they can be destructive. As they forage for pests, they will walk all over anything and everything. This can include your plants. They may also take a little taste of anything green and leafy or steal fruit and vegetables you are trying to grow.
You can usually avoid this issue by putting them in a pen or penning off your garden areas. This should keep them from wandering in. Although, they won’t be able to attack pests in areas where they do not go.
Excessive Excrement
The other main downside is their poo. They go a lot. It is slimy and stinky, but again, penning them or keeping them in one area can help. You can move the pen around to allow them to forage in different areas for maximum pest control.
Temporary fences will become your friends if you have ducks. You will want to use them to protect areas and to keep the manure issue isolated and from becoming out of control.
The good news about ducks is you can herd them easily, so getting them to go where you want won’t be tough. You can just put them in a new area each day, which will allow the poo to fertilize the soil in one area while you get full pest control all over your property.
Choosing the Right Breed
There are various breeds of ducks, and some do better for pest control than others. You may want to do some research if you have specific needs, such as the best ducks for tick control or the best ducks for fly control. However, these general breeds are overall good for controlling pests of all types.
Runner Ducks
The top choice for duck pest control is runner ducks. Specifically, Indian runners are very popular. They are exceptional at foraging, so they will find every little bug around.
They also have the best benefit of being good layers, so if you want eggs along with your pest control, Indian runners are a perfect choice.
You can ID a runner breed by its interesting body shape. It looks a lot like a bowling pin, which can make them super fun to watch. You are sure to get quite a few laughs from them.
Khaki Campbell
Another common choice is the khaki Campbell. It is a cleaner option if you worry about the messiness of using ducks. They have exceptional foraging skills, too.
They are lighter than the runner ducks, which means they won’t trample plants as much. They will also require less feed.
There is one downside to the smaller breeds. They do not do as well in cold climates. If you get freezing temperatures in the winter, you can expect them to go dormant and not do much outside.
Call Duck
Another option is the call duck. They are not the best layers and do not have as hardy of an appetite, but they are small. If you only want a few ducks and have a smaller area in which to have them forage, this can be the best option.
Muscovy Duck
Finally, the Muscovy duck will also work. You’ll recognize them by the red on their face. These are friendly ducks who will quickly make friends with you while doing a nice job of pest control. They are excellent for eggs and meat. Plus, they do well in any climate.
How to Get the Best Results
Now that you know more about duck pest control, you may wonder how to start your own pest control brood. The good news is it isn’t hard.
Ducks are easy to train, and they listen well when you direct them. They are very fond of routines, which will serve you well in your efforts. All you need to do is point them towards what you want.
- Step 1: Start by getting them familiar with the pests you want them to eat. You can give bugs or snails or whatever your target pest is as a treat. They will quickly develop a taste for it.
You want to start early. If you are feeding pests to ducklings, make sure they are something they can eat. They should do fine with whole bugs or slugs, but with snails, you’ll need to crack the shell for them. The adults can do it themselves, but ducklings cannot.
- Step 2: The next step is important. You want to have the ducks associate a sound with the pests. You can make a unique sound or ring a bell. Do something that signals it is treat time.
As they learn the sound, they will become quite eager to get their treats. This will serve you well once you let them loose, so they know what you expect of them.
- Step 3: After giving them a nice taste of the pests, you can begin teaching them to forage. They have natural instincts to do this, but you will want to show them where to find the pests in your yard.
Take them out with you and point out pests they can eat. It probably won’t take much to get them munching away.
Once you have them trained, you should be able to make the unique noise you used to signal it is time to forage, release them, and watch as they rid your yard of pests.
Don’t worry if you want them to handle other types of pests. Once they start foraging, they will eat anything they come across. That is not to say ducks do not develop preferences because they do.
If you notice they are only eating certain pests, you may need to find a different breed to handle the other pests. This is why choosing the right breed to start is best. However, getting more ducks is hardly a horrible thing when you enjoy them and they do such good work.
Wrapping Up
You may have never thought about duck pest control before, but now you have all this information on it. You are ready to get yourself some ducks and create a population of pest eaters that will free your yard or garden from annoying bugs and other insects.
Plus, you get protection against snakes, mice, and other small animals that also can cause you headaches. Your ducks will be a great team that will do so much for your overall comfort and happiness by clearing out things that make the outdoors less than desirable.