- Oct 8, 2015
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I've raised chickens since 2015. I'm considering adding some ducks this year but, being duck illiterate, I have a few questions...
1) I'm interested in Ancona ducks. Are they an easygoing breed that would be a good choice for a duck newbie?
2) If I free-range them, will they coop themselves in the evening along with my chickens?
3) We have a thriving coyote, hawk, owl, eagle, opossum & raccoon population, as well as a handful of black bears & bobcats. Are Ancona ducks predator-smart like my chickens or will they be "sitting ducks" (sorry, couldn't resist) to our local wildlife?
4) If I don't clip wings & allow them to be full-flight birds to better escape predators, will they stick around home or simply fly off with the wild, migratory ducks?
5) I have a Great Blue Heron that regularly visits my pond. Will that be a problem to my ducks?
6) Do free-range ducks come back to the coop to lay eggs like my chickens or am I going to have to hunt hither, thither & yon for eggs each day?
Thank you, everyone, in advance for any guidance you can give me!
1) I'm interested in Ancona ducks. Are they an easygoing breed that would be a good choice for a duck newbie?
2) If I free-range them, will they coop themselves in the evening along with my chickens?
3) We have a thriving coyote, hawk, owl, eagle, opossum & raccoon population, as well as a handful of black bears & bobcats. Are Ancona ducks predator-smart like my chickens or will they be "sitting ducks" (sorry, couldn't resist) to our local wildlife?
4) If I don't clip wings & allow them to be full-flight birds to better escape predators, will they stick around home or simply fly off with the wild, migratory ducks?
5) I have a Great Blue Heron that regularly visits my pond. Will that be a problem to my ducks?
6) Do free-range ducks come back to the coop to lay eggs like my chickens or am I going to have to hunt hither, thither & yon for eggs each day?
Thank you, everyone, in advance for any guidance you can give me!