# My veggie garden bug control has been ordered.



## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

I just ordered 7 Indian Runner ducks in assorted colors. They should be hatching in a week and on their way. I hope they like stink bugs. And for those of you who want to get some chickens City Farmer in Rosenberg has chicks.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I'd bet that it works...but hopefully you have strong coyote protection. Around here they wouldn't last more than a fortnight.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

No problems with yotes in Nada but at my old place the owls became a serious issue. Im building a pen for the ducks by the chicken pen. Im gonna a build a movable pen out of pvc that's the width of my veggie garden and around 4-5 rows wide. That way I can put the ducks in and keep em there to do their job. Then move over to the next section.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

The permanent pen will have their pond/baby pool and nest boxes. Runners lay a ton of eggs and duck eggs are good eating. My boy can hatch some in the incubator and sell em to the feed store.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Would really like to get some gineuas (SP?) but think I would just be feeding assorted varmints, short of training them to go into a snake/****/ coyote/owl/ feral hog, cat and etc. proof coop at night and being here to shut them up. (No bears yet) Guess I'll just do other bug control. Wondered about geese, could roost in the tank till ***** figured that out.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Post pictures of the ducklings after you get them.

Quack, Quack........ Quack, Quack, Quack

I've got bears hangin around my fruit patch if anyone needs one.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Dick, would you trade bears for feral hogs? In fact, I would give you the hogs, then if the bears ate them, I might take a bear. (LMAO)


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

jm... I am so glad that we don't have feral hogs up here. I've hunted them in Texas and have seen 1st hand the kind of destruction that they cause. The bear in our are all Black bear and top out at about 550#s. The biggest local one from a few years back went 650#s. They probably wouldn't want to mess with a 300 or 400# boar. They don't even mess with the adult deer that much and I'm not sure why? The wolves on the other hand are putting a real dent in the deer herd. 

Chuck, sorry that I took a left turn with your thread.

Back to ducks... Quack, Quack


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

No bears for me. I talked to an old man in Arkansas that had a black bear around that kept getting in his worm boxes. Owls are the biggest threat to guineas since they roost in trees. They can be taught to go into a coop at night to keep em safe. I wouldn't think that a **** would have a chance against a full grown goose though. I picked up 2 little African geese last week. Cool critters and they get real big. Im hoping they stay tame. The ducklings are coming from Metzer farms in California. They specialize in ducks and geese and their shipping was only 28 as opposed to 50 like the other places.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Hope you the best of luck with them. Don't think I ever worked any harder and got less return from a garden than this year, about to chop down till under everything but okra, which I guess the grasshoppers will totally defoliate. Plant everything in peas for cover/ grasshopper food till fall. Gonna think some more about the guineas and geese.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Guineas are hell on grass hoppers. The stink and leaf footed bugs moved in on me in late May- early June. I had already canned and eaten a ton of maters by then but I could have gotten more without the bugs.


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## pshay4 (Aug 18, 2005)

I'd be interested in hearing how the duck adventure works out. I have chickens and bantam ducks and a garden. Just not all in the same place. I have trouble with the sparrows in my tomatoes. I haven't found anything that likes to eat stinkbugs. I'm glad to hear others having trouble with a garden this year. I'm hoping the fall planting does better. About ready to get started on it.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Chuck... Have the ducks arrived yet? Pictures?


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Dick Hanks said:


> Chuck... Have the ducks arrived yet? Pictures?


They hatch today and we should have them by Wednesday.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

The ducklings arrived yesterday healthy and happy. 4 chocolate and 3 black.


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

let me know if they eat those leaf footed bugs. I need something to help control them.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Gilbert said:


> let me know if they eat those leaf footed bugs. I need something to help control them.


Will do. I hate them too. As soon as they show up the stink bugs come with them.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

At that age, do you think that they will imprint on you, and follow you around?


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Dick Hanks said:


> At that age, do you think that they will imprint on you, and follow you around?


They were following my son around like little puppies. We have 2 African geese that have imprinted on me. They walk around the yard with me when Im doing my chores. They whine until I let them out of the pen.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

The runner ducks are just over a month old and are starting to quack and put on feathers. Im gonna start training them in the next week or so. All I need to do is teach them to walk to the garden when I let them out and go back to the pen when they are done eating bugs. It can be done. Folks in Asia have been doing it for years.


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## firedog4$ (Aug 24, 2004)

We used to have guineas around our place in the country when I was a kid. They roosted in our china berry trees. They raised cane when a varmit came near or even if company came a calling.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

chuck leaman said:


> The runner ducks are just over a month old and are starting to quack and put on feathers. Im gonna start training them in the next week or so. All I need to do is teach them to walk to the garden when I let them out and go back to the pen when they are done eating bugs. It can be done. Folks in Asia have been doing it for years.


That would be so cool if you can teach them to do that.
What a great video that would make.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

video of runner ducks


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