Nuisance Ducks

Fargo · 07-04-2006, 03:09 PM

The ducks are making a mess of our small beach and dock to the point that it is a health issue now. Any suggestions as to how we can discourage them from hanging around would be appreciated. The "No Ducks Allowed " sign isn't working and neither is the rubber chicken strung up on the dock.

mg2107 · 07-04-2006, 03:12 PM

How about a roasting pan and a hot oven or a vigilant dog.

Gavia immer · 07-04-2006, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fargo

The "No Ducks Allowed " sign isn't working and neither is the rubber chicken strung up on the dock.

Change the sign to "No Duck Feeding Allowed".

KonaChick · 07-04-2006, 08:13 PM

I don't know about on your beach but I read once to get a remote controlled toy boat and chase them away with the boat when they are around. I thought this sounded like a good way to keep the ducks at bay!

SAMIAM · 07-05-2006, 08:52 AM

Last year I got a pellet gun to scare them off the beach (worried about duck itch and the grandkids) it worked great for a while,and the pellets just bounced off their feathers.....everyone was happy. Then,one day,I accidentally over charged the gun and killed a female duck.I absolutely felt like a dog,my wife called me a murderer,and to torment me even further,the male duck returns alone and floats around at the crime scene.I wake up in the morning,start my coffee,and there he is....floating in the morning mist....just haunting me.I'm a defeated man.Now I start my boat at the dock,put it in gear and use the current to clean the beach as the ducks swim off a short distance.I know they are laughing at me.

ITD · 07-05-2006, 08:59 AM

Keep chasing them away, after a while they will stay away, at least they did for me. Make sure no one is feeding them and there is no food source (bird feeder, they go after the seeds the birds drop.) I like the radio controlled boat idea. There are also chemical repellants you can try but you need to be relentless when you chase them away, if you see them make them leave. Good luck.

jrc · 07-05-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Last year I got a pellet gun ....

Samian, do you know how many state and federal hunting laws you broke.

Everyone else, be careful how much you harass migratory game birds. There's lots of state, federal and international laws protecting them and their nests.

Grant · 07-05-2006, 11:00 AM

Get a dog. The ducks never hang around long when my dog is on the dock.

SAMIAM · 07-05-2006, 01:29 PM

I hear ya' jrc....I feel terrible.I'd never hurt an animal intentionally.Many is the bird that I've saved that the cats dragged in alive.I even have mercy on mice and moles that I find deposited in the cellar.

jrc · 07-05-2006, 02:24 PM

maybe you need some practice

http://www.crackmuffin.com/html/Duck-Hunt.html

Sal · 07-05-2006, 04:10 PM

Love the shooting gallery ducks. If only the damned real ones could be disposed of the same way.

Fargo · 07-05-2006, 05:32 PM

We bought one of those plastic owls today and stood him on the beach. The ducks realized he wasn't real and hung out with him all day. These are smart ducks, need to come up with plan "B".

rrr · 07-06-2006, 07:01 AM

You're right about the owls - we have two - one has a head that moves. The ducks love them - they sit right next to them!

If plan B works please share!

Rattlesnake Gal · 07-06-2006, 11:59 AM

We trained our dog to “get the duck”. Mac just loves barking at them to scare them away.
(He also protects us from airplanes and thunder.

)

Another safe option is a long-range super soaker squirt gun. They really don’t care for that and the kids just love it.
(Then you will have the problem of everyone getting soaked.!

)

Usually the ducks do stay in the lake, but last year a very persistent female duck kept coming around to the house deck for handouts. (I strongly suspect someone in the neighborhood had been feeding it.

) I was afraid to let Mac go at her on land – what if he caught her?

Since my first two options didn’t work, (The squirt gun was always in the wrong place.) I scooped her up, brought her down to the dock. Set her at the end and held on to her. Then I had my son get Mac and put him on the shore side of the dock. One, two, three – let the dog go! The duck never came back.

Good doggie.
You know what they say, no harm, no fowl.

LIforrelaxin · 07-06-2006, 12:19 PM

Hummm....I guess I am glad the ducks like my nieghbors dock more than mine.....never realized how lucky I was

Hermit Cover · 07-06-2006, 04:55 PM

Emeril has featured several duck recipes on his cooking show in the past days...do you think he sympathizes with the plight of the "duck invadee's" and is trying to offer a tasty solution?

Fargo · 07-06-2006, 08:51 PM

We recorded eagles and hawks on line and played the noise to the ducks. Just made them come closer to the house, curious ducks. Go figure. I read somewhere that ammonia on a rag might keep them away. I'll post the results over the weekend. Hope I can stand the smell.

Fargo · 07-07-2006, 06:08 PM

Put ammonia on the beach and dock this morning, didn't do a thing, I think it evaporated too quick. The ducks are still here and I smell like ammonia.

Airwaves · 07-07-2006, 08:42 PM

Good luck!

There are places where you can "rent" dogs to chase away geese and ducks, that is probably the best thing to do.

Eliminate their food source...eliminate their nesting places...chase them away, that is about all you can do.

They used to crap all over my boat canvas. I bought and used a product from 3M that I coated my canvas with and the duck, seagull etc. crap hosed right off. I can't recall the name of the product but it is designed for furniture hopefully someone will help.

However, during hunting season :-) Get a waterfowl stamp! Every time I eat out and duck is on the menu I order it, just to reduce the population by at least one!!!

John A. Birdsall · 07-07-2006, 09:42 PM

We had a neigbor years ago, and I wish he was still in that house., he wait till we went home in the fall and then fill his freezer with duck. Maybe the same practice needs to be done now to protect the "human" race. Quack Quack. Bang, Bang. Freezer has two ducks.

SAMIAM · 07-08-2006, 08:13 AM

Problem solved.......Samiam 1....Ducks 0
I had some small roman candles.the ones that do not have a report,just shoot a flashing ball.Since they don't explode, I put on a leather glove and held them in my hand,directing them at the ducks.
They couldn't get out of there fast enough and haven't been back since.

Fargo · 07-08-2006, 08:33 PM

My wife patrolled the beach and dock today but was no match for the 12 ducks hanging around...nasty sunburn, gotta hurt.

Fargo · 08-12-2006, 09:54 AM

I placed two small stakes at either end of the beach and one next to the dock and strung a nylon cord between them. The cord is about 4" above the water. The chubby ducks can't swim under the cord and their leggs aren't long enough to step over it. Seems to be keeping the docks off the beach.

Airwaves · 08-12-2006, 12:43 PM

Fargo, How does the nylon cord effect the family swimming?

I had a problem at home with pigeons roosting on my roof making a mess of my new walkway. I used the garden hose and every time the bird poked its head or any other part of its body over the roof I shot it with water. After about a half hour the bird went away and hasn't returned in weeks.

ApS · 11-18-2006, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fargo

We bought one of those plastic owls today and stood him on the beach. The ducks realized he wasn't real and hung out with him all day. These are smart ducks, need to come up with plan "B".

Plastic owls don't work—mostly because they aren't mobile.

But while browsing catalogues, I saw this—which can be tethered to a an anchor just off your beach:

07-04-2006, 03:09 PM	#1
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	Nuisance Ducks The ducks are making a mess of our small beach and dock to the point that it is a health issue now. Any suggestions as to how we can discourage them from hanging around would be appreciated. The "No Ducks Allowed " sign isn't working and neither is the rubber chicken strung up on the dock.

07-05-2006, 11:00 AM	#8
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,499 Thanks: 374 Thanked 229 Times in 123 Posts	Woof Get a dog. The ducks never hang around long when my dog is on the dock. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

07-06-2006, 07:01 AM	#13
rrr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Winter Harbor Posts: 214 Thanks: 75 Thanked 37 Times in 14 Posts	owls You're right about the owls - we have two - one has a head that moves. The ducks love them - they sit right next to them! If plan B works please share!

07-06-2006, 11:59 AM	#14
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	Get A Super Soaker Squirt Gun! We trained our dog to “get the duck”. Mac just loves barking at them to scare them away. (He also protects us from airplanes and thunder. ) Another safe option is a long-range super soaker squirt gun. They really don’t care for that and the kids just love it. (Then you will have the problem of everyone getting soaked.! ) Usually the ducks do stay in the lake, but last year a very persistent female duck kept coming around to the house deck for handouts. (I strongly suspect someone in the neighborhood had been feeding it. ) I was afraid to let Mac go at her on land – what if he caught her? Since my first two options didn’t work, (The squirt gun was always in the wrong place.) I scooped her up, brought her down to the dock. Set her at the end and held on to her. Then I had my son get Mac and put him on the shore side of the dock. One, two, three – let the dog go! The duck never came back. Good doggie. You know what they say, no harm, no fowl.

07-06-2006, 12:19 PM	#15
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,870 Thanks: 1,037 Thanked 892 Times in 524 Posts	Guess I am lucky Hummm....I guess I am glad the ducks like my nieghbors dock more than mine.....never realized how lucky I was __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

07-04-2006, 03:12 PM	#2
mg2107 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	How about a roasting pan and a hot oven or a vigilant dog.

07-04-2006, 08:13 PM	#4
KonaChick Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 518 Thanks: 19 Thanked 62 Times in 15 Posts	I don't know about on your beach but I read once to get a remote controlled toy boat and chase them away with the boat when they are around. I thought this sounded like a good way to keep the ducks at bay!

07-05-2006, 08:52 AM	#5
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	Last year I got a pellet gun to scare them off the beach (worried about duck itch and the grandkids) it worked great for a while,and the pellets just bounced off their feathers.....everyone was happy. Then,one day,I accidentally over charged the gun and killed a female duck.I absolutely felt like a dog,my wife called me a murderer,and to torment me even further,the male duck returns alone and floats around at the crime scene.I wake up in the morning,start my coffee,and there he is....floating in the morning mist....just haunting me.I'm a defeated man.Now I start my boat at the dock,put it in gear and use the current to clean the beach as the ducks swim off a short distance.I know they are laughing at me.

07-05-2006, 08:59 AM	#6
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,925 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	Keep chasing them away, after a while they will stay away, at least they did for me. Make sure no one is feeding them and there is no food source (bird feeder, they go after the seeds the birds drop.) I like the radio controlled boat idea. There are also chemical repellants you can try but you need to be relentless when you chase them away, if you see them make them leave. Good luck.

07-05-2006, 01:29 PM	#9
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	I hear ya' jrc....I feel terrible.I'd never hurt an animal intentionally.Many is the bird that I've saved that the cats dragged in alive.I even have mercy on mice and moles that I find deposited in the cellar.

07-05-2006, 02:24 PM	#10
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	maybe you need some practice http://www.crackmuffin.com/html/Duck-Hunt.html

07-05-2006, 04:10 PM	#11
Sal Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 311 Thanks: 103 Thanked 169 Times in 53 Posts	Love the shooting gallery ducks. If only the damned real ones could be disposed of the same way.

07-05-2006, 05:32 PM	#12
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	We bought one of those plastic owls today and stood him on the beach. The ducks realized he wasn't real and hung out with him all day. These are smart ducks, need to come up with plan "B".

07-06-2006, 04:55 PM	#16
Hermit Cover Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Hermit Cove Posts: 354 Thanks: 20 Thanked 68 Times in 40 Posts	Just an idea! Emeril has featured several duck recipes on his cooking show in the past days...do you think he sympathizes with the plight of the "duck invadee's" and is trying to offer a tasty solution?

07-06-2006, 08:51 PM	#17
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	Just Ducky We recorded eagles and hawks on line and played the noise to the ducks. Just made them come closer to the house, curious ducks. Go figure. I read somewhere that ammonia on a rag might keep them away. I'll post the results over the weekend. Hope I can stand the smell.

07-07-2006, 06:08 PM	#18
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	Quack Put ammonia on the beach and dock this morning, didn't do a thing, I think it evaporated too quick. The ducks are still here and I smell like ammonia.

07-07-2006, 08:42 PM	#19
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	Good luck! There are places where you can "rent" dogs to chase away geese and ducks, that is probably the best thing to do. Eliminate their food source...eliminate their nesting places...chase them away, that is about all you can do. They used to crap all over my boat canvas. I bought and used a product from 3M that I coated my canvas with and the duck, seagull etc. crap hosed right off. I can't recall the name of the product but it is designed for furniture hopefully someone will help. However, during hunting season :-) Get a waterfowl stamp! Every time I eat out and duck is on the menu I order it, just to reduce the population by at least one!!!

07-07-2006, 09:42 PM	#20
John A. Birdsall Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Norwich, CT Posts: 599 Thanks: 27 Thanked 51 Times in 35 Posts	ducks We had a neigbor years ago, and I wish he was still in that house., he wait till we went home in the fall and then fill his freezer with duck. Maybe the same practice needs to be done now to protect the "human" race. Quack Quack. Bang, Bang. Freezer has two ducks.

07-08-2006, 08:13 AM	#21
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	Problem solved.......Samiam 1....Ducks 0 I had some small roman candles.the ones that do not have a report,just shoot a flashing ball.Since they don't explode, I put on a leather glove and held them in my hand,directing them at the ducks. They couldn't get out of there fast enough and haven't been back since.

07-08-2006, 08:33 PM	#22
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	Foot Patrol My wife patrolled the beach and dock today but was no match for the 12 ducks hanging around...nasty sunburn, gotta hurt.

08-12-2006, 09:54 AM	#23
Fargo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lake Winni Posts: 215 Thanks: 36 Thanked 130 Times in 38 Posts	duck solution I placed two small stakes at either end of the beach and one next to the dock and strung a nylon cord between them. The cord is about 4" above the water. The chubby ducks can't swim under the cord and their leggs aren't long enough to step over it. Seems to be keeping the docks off the beach.

08-12-2006, 12:43 PM	#24
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	Fargo, How does the nylon cord effect the family swimming? I had a problem at home with pigeons roosting on my roof making a mess of my new walkway. I used the garden hose and every time the bird poked its head or any other part of its body over the roof I shot it with water. After about a half hour the bird went away and hasn't returned in weeks.