Having a pool is a great way to relax and cool off on the hot days. However, it’s not always fun, since you also should maintain it. One of the most common issues pool owners deal with is trying to find an answer to how to keep ducks out of pool. Today we are going to have a look at the reasons why you should do this, how to do it and make them never come back.
Why Should You Keep Ducks Out of Pool?
The first and foremost reason is your health. Ducks can bring all sorts of parasites and diseases into your pool and you may not even be aware of it. Not to mention that they can get the pool water dirty in no time. They might even lay eggs on your property. But how long does it take for duck eggs to hatch? Well, if this happens next to your pool, in about a month you will have a fresh batch of mallard ducklings in your pool.
What do baby ducks eat? Usually, they prefer vegetables, fruits, and greens, so if you have such foods around the pool, they might be encouraged to stay. Make sure you don’t give them any reasons to stay in the pool or around it. At the same time, the chlorine water can affect their kidney system, so it’s also good for them to stay away.
How to Keep Ducks Out of Your Pool
Here you have some useful solutions which you can try for keeping the birds away from the pool. It is recommended that you try them for at least a couple of days to see if they truly work.
1. Solar Cover
One of the easiest solutions is to use a solar cover. These help you keep the pool heated, as well as keep debris at bay. At the same time, they are a good tool for not allowing ducks to swim and poop in the water.
2. Automatic Pool Cleaner
Remember that ducks get scared easily. This comes from their strong fear of predators, and an automatic pool cleaner surely looks like one. You can Google the best robotic pool cleaners and buy one if you don’t have it already.
3. Inflatable Pool Toys
This is yet another simple solution to how to keep ducks out of pool. Place a couple of inflatable pool toys in the water whenever you are not using it. The key here is to choose some toys that resemble their predators, such as killer whales, snakes, alligators or bobbing dolphin. This should frighten them off. However, there are some people who reported that their ducks discovered the rubber animals to be harmless, and thus they keep coming back.
4. Get a Pet Dog
Ducks and dogs are long-time enemies. This is no surprise, considering that dogs are natural predators for the ducks. Only the sound of a bark will keep the birds away, not to mention a real dog. This is, in fact, a reaction method and it’s not used to prevent it from happening. Sometimes dogs can spot the ducks from inside the house, making them go away.
5. Duck Off
Duck Off is the name of a pool chemical produced by the Lo-Chlor company. The secret of this solution is that it breaks the water’s surface tension. As such, ducks can’t float on it anymore. The big issue with this substance though is that it’s an unnecessary chemical. Many people dislike the idea of using more chemicals than they have to, so this is an ultimate solution.
6. Fishing Line
If you criss-cross some fishing line above the pool, it will become a sort of invisible roof. It is a barrier that keeps the birds from landing on the pool. Moreover, it’s a good idea to teach them not to stay there. Once they’ve seen they can’t go through, they won’t return.
7. A Motion-Activated Sprinkler
Wondering if there are still any other answers to how to keep ducks out of pool? Yes, there are. A motion-activated sprinkler sprays water as soon as it detects any motion around. It’s a harmless tool for scaring off the birds.
8. Bird Nets
This is a more elaborated version of the fishing line solution if you think about how to keep ducks out of pool. If you have a large tree next to the pool, you can fix the bird netting and let it act like a roof. It will cover up the pool and it won’t let birds land. Moreover, it will protect the pool from leaves, which is even better.
9. Plant Smart
In general, ducks hate areas that have tall vegetation since they can’t see the predators. As such, quit the short perennials found next to the pool and go for tall shrubs instead. Moreover, don’t plant berries and nuts since they will come by to eat them.
10. Scary Eye Balloons
Balloons with huge eyes on them scare ducks away. They think that it’s a predator’s eye and try to maintain the distance.
How to Prevent Ducks from Coming Back
Now that you know how to keep ducks out of pool, you should also think of some other measures to make them not come back. There are various solutions which you can try to scare ducks away. Once scared, they won’t come back because they think it’s a dangerous area. Some of the solutions above do this as well, but here you have some extra ideas:
- Use laser pointers;
- Keep whistles or air horns next to the pool and use them when you see a duck;
- Play music loudly;
- Use a garden hose to wet and scare them;
- Play the sound of barking dogs if you don’t have one.
Conclusion
Though dealing with these birds is not so bad, you must learn how to keep ducks out of pool. These solutions are quite easy to install and to use, so they might solve your issue faster than you might think. If none of these work, you can ask for professional help from an animal control specialized company. They can give you the best advice and provide the best substances to deal with the ducks. In case you’re thinking about that, remember that it’s not a good idea to raise them on your pool. It’s not healthy for them, nor for you and your pool.
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