I am getting my first pair of comb ducks, Sarkidiornis melanotus, has anyone here ever raised them? They are the African subspecies, S. m. melanotus and they are pinioned.
I have a large pen, 40X10 ft with a barn at one end. Right now I have a small preformed pond with a 3 inch drain in the deepest part, the pen is on a graded and levelled section of slope and I put the ball valve from the drain straight out the slope below the level of the pond. The pen is 5 ft high chain link with 6 ft high 2X4 inch welded wire inside because I have had foxes get to birds when I don't double the fence and leave a space. The bottom is wire covered with a foot of soil mix on top and i just planted the pen with clover, alphalpha and pasture grass, I expect this to be eaten and/or trampled very quickly.
This will be my first pair of ducks in over 20 years but my maintenance schedule for the other birds is fresh feed, greens and insects daily, because of mesquitos I empty all of the water bowls every evening and refill every morning, that is why I put a big drain in the pond. The pond is about 77 gallons but I have agricultural water rates for the property. I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Lake Tahoe so I have electrical to the barn so i can add heat in winter and a 5X8X6 ft covered section with a separate door to the barn and a large window for light where I can let them out during stormy or cold days, the same set up I use for my grey and Cylon jungle fowl.
Anything you might think I missed or any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have a large pen, 40X10 ft with a barn at one end. Right now I have a small preformed pond with a 3 inch drain in the deepest part, the pen is on a graded and levelled section of slope and I put the ball valve from the drain straight out the slope below the level of the pond. The pen is 5 ft high chain link with 6 ft high 2X4 inch welded wire inside because I have had foxes get to birds when I don't double the fence and leave a space. The bottom is wire covered with a foot of soil mix on top and i just planted the pen with clover, alphalpha and pasture grass, I expect this to be eaten and/or trampled very quickly.
This will be my first pair of ducks in over 20 years but my maintenance schedule for the other birds is fresh feed, greens and insects daily, because of mesquitos I empty all of the water bowls every evening and refill every morning, that is why I put a big drain in the pond. The pond is about 77 gallons but I have agricultural water rates for the property. I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Lake Tahoe so I have electrical to the barn so i can add heat in winter and a 5X8X6 ft covered section with a separate door to the barn and a large window for light where I can let them out during stormy or cold days, the same set up I use for my grey and Cylon jungle fowl.
Anything you might think I missed or any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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