Need advice please

[taz0812]

I really need some advice..this is a serious worry for me. I hand raised two ducks that I bought a year ago. Yesterday I lost my male khaki duck to a dog attack. I'm devasted!! But here's the thing...I do not now or ever have locked my ducks up at night. They are completely free range. Now I'm scared to leave my duck out but when I locked her up last night she quacked all night. She hated it and I feel horrible. What should I do?? Will she get used to it or should I let her roam like she is used too??? Really need some opinions!!

 

[Percheron chick]

She's quacking just as much for the male as she is protesting the locking up. Her safety is more important than her protesting. She'll get over it.

 

[Briza]

Demand compensation from the dog's owner and warn them that if it happens again you will be filing a complaint with the local authorities(if you have laws against letting animals roam freely off your property) but in the meantime, keep your ducky safe.

 

[Cheep N Peep]

You could make a roofed in, one hundred percent predator proof, hardware cloth enclosed mini run that she has access to at night. Then in the morning just open the door from the outside run to the outdoors. That way she could go 'outside' about four feet anytime all night long, but still be safe. It could be built on the side of the duck coop.

 

[Briza]

I wouldn't do that if you have male ducks because if he tries to mate with the female chickens, he will hurt them as their reproductive systems are different. I have heard of people housing female ducks with chickens alright.

 

[Briza]

Well, if you really want to try it I would suggest you not leave them alone at first that way you can take them out if it doesn't work out.

 

[thomasboyle]

Very sorry for your loss. I have both chickens and ducks, and they can co-exist without issues. My mallards live in the same coop as the chickens, the chickens roost up above, and the ducks sleep on the hay below. I have a separate coop that opens to the same shared run for my pekins. Each bird knows which coop is their own, and I never have to sort them out manually. Ducks like routine, so once they get used to being inside for the night, they will be fine. Mine have learned that when I come out in the evening and tell them its time to go home, all the Pekins line up and make their way into the coop. The mallards take a little more instruction, as they are a bit wilder and not as domesticated.

 

[gifters]

Buy a couple of ducks that are used to being locked up, search Craig's list

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[taz0812]

That sounds reasonable but I still own the female and a friend gave me another female today just so my daffy would have a friend..she was highly depressed.

 

[taz0812]

We are searching for the dogs in question. Never seen them before that night. But they attacked both ducks..my pekin was beat up pretty good but she's doing better now. I swear I better never see those dogs again...but if I find who owns them I will press charges. We have coons, coyotes and many cats in the neighborhood and never a problem for a whole year then these two dogs came from no where.