Lake and Pond Animals: Poultry Predators
by Erin Synder
Pond predators are often overlooked by many backyard flock owners. But for ducks, geese, and other waterfowl, pond predators are an everyday threat. From alligators to snapping turtles and more, take a look at how to protect your flock from hungry lake and pond animals to ensure your flock’s safety.
Chicken Predators
While most of these predators live in or near ponds, they can travel long distances for a chicken dinner. Follow the precautions to protect your chickens against the predators discussed in this article.
Snapping Turtles
Snapping turtles are one of the most common pond predators, preying on both adolescent and adult waterfowl. Snapping turtles are vicious predators, clamping down on swimming ducks’ legs and feet before submerging them in the water. Even if the snapper is unable to kill the duck or goose, the bird can be severely injured.
No pond is safe from snapping turtles, as they often go unseen by humans. The only way to ensure your flock’s safety is to keep them off of the pond at all times.
Snapping turtles are known to travel up to 10 miles, so be sure to house both your waterfowl and chicken flocks in completely predator-proofed pens.
For poultry owners, the first thing to do when a bird is being attacked by a predator is to reach for the shotgun. However, if a snapping turtle has a grasp on a bird, don’t kill it; it’s impossible to release the grasp of a dead snapping turtle without further injuring the bird.
Alligators
While not a threat to waterfowl throughout most of the U.S., if you live in the southern states, alligators can be a real threat to your birds.
Like snapping turtles, alligators live in ponds, preying on adult and young waterfowl. These crafty hunters lurk just below the surface, waiting to snatch a waterfowl meal.
If alligators live in your area, keep waterfowl off ponds and waterways.
Mink
Mink prey on both waterfowl and chickens, hunting their prey in a similar style to their weasel cousins. However, mink aren’t as plentiful in populated areas, preferring to stay near marshes and woods.
Check with your local wildlife experts to see if mink are a threat in your neighborhood before taking them off the list of potential predators feeding on your flock.
Bullfrogs
Yes, you read that right! Bullfrogs aren’t usually considered pond predators, as these opportunistic hunters don’t feed on adult ducks, geese, or chickens.
Bullfrogs can, however, prey on young ducklings and goslings swimming on the pond or foraging on the pond’s banks. The frogs snatch up the young waterfowl and swallow them whole, leaving no calling cards or remains.
The best way to prevent a bullfrog attack is by never allowing young waterfowl near or in the pond. Confine ducklings and goslings to a predator-proofed pen at all times until they reach adulthood.
Large Fish
Below the water’s surface, large fish can dwell. While these fish don’t pose a problem to humans, your waterfowl may be a different story. Large fish are known to gobble up unsuspecting ducklings, cygnets, and goslings, leaving no trace of an attack.
Keep waterfowl young safe by never allowing ducklings and goslings access to waterways, especially ponds, until they have reached adulthood.
Wild Waterfowl
It may seem strange to think about your domestic waterfowl’s wild cousins being a threat to your flock, but the truth is they can be.
Wild ducks and geese are known to bully and attack domestic waterfowl, even driving them away from the pond. Wild waterfowl, especially mallards, are agile, aggressive birds and can severely injure domestic birds.
Both migrating and residential wild waterfowl have the potential to make domestic birds sick, including carrying the avian flu. Protect your flock and never allow them to access a water source occupied by wild waterfowl.
Pond Alternatives
Many waterfowl owners believe their flocks need a pond to stay healthy. But these days, they’re switching to alternative water sources.
Pond alternatives have many upsides, including:
- Safety from predators.
- Less chance of ducks ingesting contaminated water (i.e., lead, other metals, or chemicals making both the waterfowl and owners who eat the eggs, sick).
- Disease-free water.
- Ideal for suburban or urban flocks
There are several alternative water sources to choose from.
- Kiddie pools.
- Water buckets.
- Flexible plastic mixing tub or stock tank.
Of all these water sources, the flexible plastic mixing tub (available from Tractor Supply) works the best for our flock. These mixing tubs are deep enough for ducks and geese to splash in but are easy for them to get in and out of with no worries of having them fall and injure a foot or leg.
Tip: Waterfowl should always have access to a bucket full of fresh, clean water. Unlike chickens, who don’t need water at night, waterfowl should have access to clean water day and night to keep your flock healthy, hydrated, and clean.
Pond Predator Protection
The best way to prevent pond predators from attacking your flock is by avoiding the pond at all times. Even though it may be tempting to let your ducks out for some fun on the water, it can quickly turn deadly.
House all poultry in a completely predator-proofed coop and run to ensure that traveling predators such as snapping turtles can’t access them.
Snapping turtle young can fit through a hole the size of a quarter, so attach half-inch, 16-gauge hardware cloth to the run walls, roof, and as a skirt to prevent digging underneath the coop and run.
Avoid free-ranging unless directly supervised to prevent predator attacks.
Even though they’re often unseen by the human eye, these predators lurk in and around water sources and can decimate your flock. Take proactive steps to keep your birds safe.
Resources
The Suburban Chicken: By Kristina Mercedes Urquhart
The Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook: By Kimberly Link
Originally published in the April/May 2025 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.
