misser Posted November 7, 2018 Report Share Posted November 7, 2018 Out of interest was wondering how much feed ie barley do the PW massive generally put down in their flight ponds...I feed a full white bucket (an old white 10l paint bucket) of barley daily and this has always gone the following day, am intrigued how this compares with other peoples feeding regimes.....also out of interest would anyone know an approx. number of duck that such a bucket of barley would feed...thanks...atb….misser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted November 7, 2018 Report Share Posted November 7, 2018 Do you know how many duck are coming in? I have an auto feeder going once a day and hand feed alot more than ten ltr. but then the pond is normally getting 40+ duck a night on it when the weather goes cold. You could always up it to 1.5 bucket a day and see if its all gone. Its hard to know how much individual ponds would need. More trial and error i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diss4111 Posted November 7, 2018 Report Share Posted November 7, 2018 I feed a 25kg bag of barley 2 or 3 times a week. If it has all gone I feed more and if it hasn't I slow down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nmb Posted November 7, 2018 Report Share Posted November 7, 2018 As above it’s a 25 kg bag of barley 2-3 times a week. average about 15-20 mallard and 20-30 teal per flight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted November 7, 2018 Report Share Posted November 7, 2018 Used to feed one pond 25kg 2-3 times per week for 20-30 duck and the colder weather would see the feed go quicker. I was around mostly on a a daily basis so could check amount that was getting eaten and increase or decrease as needed. The keeper and myself dug and hand sawed out a good 15 foot strip of overgrown and semi submerged willow as the pit had quite a steep water depth the other sides. This created a adequate platform for the duck to feed in the shallow margins. Wonderful birds ducks, resourceful and they are not too picky , they are Greedy beggars and they will snaffle up plenty. On the shoot we had access to some old spuds from time to time and these went down well with the duck. Feed in the margins, if too deep you can do a pallet raft on a runner line which works similar to an island. 🦆 atb 7diaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted November 11, 2018 Report Share Posted November 11, 2018 How big is your pond? My old pond was more or less circular and about 20 - 30 yards across. I used to feed 15-20 lbs of old barley daily or every second or third day depending on the number of duck coming in. I'd wander down daily to check what had been eaten and they had to eat it all before I'd give them more. Mostly there'd be 40-60+ duck (at a guess) on average but quite honestly, I never hung around into the gloaming to do a proper count! There were always plenty whenever we shot it though, which was about once a fortnight. We'd shoot 10 or so and stop, and there would still be more coming in while we were picking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 I would increase the feed over the next few days until a little is left over the following day. Difficult to estimate numbers. I used to to sit out near to my flight pond and count them in and also to see what species were coming. It is quite something watching them and listening to them squabble with each other over the feed. In an ideal world you would feed shortly before they come in each day as rats, moorhens and all sorts of other creatures will also be taking advantage of the food. We we set a trail cam up on a pond a few weeks ago and got literally hundreds of images of rats taking the feed and very few duck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 31 minutes ago, Clodhopper said: We we set a trail cam up on a pond a few weeks ago and got literally hundreds of images of rats taking the feed and very few duck. That's why I didn't use to add feed to leftovers. But where are you feeding? I always scattered the barley on the water. Are your rats swimming for it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 (edited) I was lucky to be invited to shoot an evening flight on a pond in Denmark.....I repeat a pond...yes probably 30yrds long and 20 wide. On one corner at the bottom of a track was a huge heap, probably the contents of a 10 ton farm grain trailer, of wheat. I was amazed. As the light began to fade the action came thick and fast and my hosts two labs where constantly retrieving and when things went quiet I walked across and he was stood in the middle of a pile of duck his dogs had dropped at his feet and gone for another. He said they never fed daily the load would be tipped a month before ducks started to come in and it would be all gone by the end of the season. On my return, I did the same with about 5cwt a time on a small pond that always had a few ducks coming in. On shoot days this provided a serious drive and nothing but to see a hundred mallard and teal come off. Just tipped another load once the first became a muddy circle. I have no doubt other creatures enjoyed the bounty but we had some superb shooting. Edited November 12, 2018 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 13 minutes ago, Retsdon said: That's why I didn't use to add feed to leftovers. But where are you feeding? I always scattered the barley on the water. Are your rats swimming for it?? The rats were diving for it. Never seen it before, the grain was inmaybe 3 inches of water a it’s shallowest down to about 1 ft. We also filmed some recently under a pheasant feeder climbing on each other’s back to get to the spring! Smoker and terriers have now been put to good use and reduced the numbers somewhat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 The saying is, there is always a rat within 10 yards of you. Always thought that was a bit extreme but you have to admire them they are the most resourceful of creatures. I was stalking one day and froze against a tree as I thought a muntie was having a go at a spring feeder. A check through my binos revealed an untold number of rats piled ontop of each other and more scurrying in from the wood to join in. I just wondered how many I could have killed with a shotgun. I estimate at least 50 to 60 no kidding. NV with air rifle at seasons end should provide some extra sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted November 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thanks for the replies gents....the pond is about 70 by 35 yds shallow sides the deepest part being about 18 to 24 inch...usually feed about 3 pm each day and as I say the feed is gone the next day.....as has been mentioned might try one and a half buckets and see if it goes....thanks again much appreciated for the replies Will try and get a pic tomorrow and upload it see what the pw massive opinions are....thanks atb...misser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted November 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 That was a couple of months ago. About 8 in more water in it now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 You have a lovely flight pond there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted November 13, 2018 Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 Just about the perfect flight pond. Two buckets!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted November 13, 2018 Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 (edited) 15 hours ago, Clodhopper said: The rats were diving for it. That's amazing. Would be a great video to post! @misser Nice pond. Is stream fed? Edited November 13, 2018 by Retsdon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted November 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 thanks gents for the replies and generous comments...its not stream fed, its in an area of low wetland meadows, it is pure peat and if it rains hard the water level can rise 12in the next day....its normally a lot more flooded...I built a bunding (its under the grass) to get to the hides..visible on the left side of picture......atb...misser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted November 13, 2018 Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 58 minutes ago, Retsdon said: That's amazing. Would be a great video to post! @misser Nice pond. Is stream fed? I will look into it, getting pictures from camera onto the forum is way beyond me at the minute. I will seek advice from someone with better tech. ability than me😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted November 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 that would be good video, knew rats aren't daft but would never have thought they'd dive for food... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 13, 2018 Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 Never mind quantities..the very important thing is to never have no food there. Miss feeding just one night can lose you a lot of ducks ....better too much than too little in my opinion. Nice pond that ..those big ducks will be sucking a lot of food up as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted November 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2018 thanks gents for the comments and input...now got a 20% bigger bucket so will try that and see how things progress...will keep you posted.....if we get more water might offer a flight on it if anyone would be interested....hope you're all getting out and doing a bit...cheers...atb...misser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted November 14, 2018 Report Share Posted November 14, 2018 Or you could shoot half of the ducks food would last longer then 😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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