Adult ducks & Ravens

[kingzulu]

I have my young ducks out on a warm day and my two black swedes were killed by a raven. I've got seven remaining ducks, two pekins and 5 blue magpies. They are outside permanently now and I'm keeping them in a fully covered coup when I'm not outside. My question is, though, when they are fully grown can I let them out in the bigger pen during the day?

 

[needlessjunk]

I have my young ducks out on a warm day and my two black swedes were killed by a raven. I've got seven remaining ducks, two pekins and 5 blue magpies.  They are outside permanently now and I'm keeping them in a fully covered coup when I'm not outside.  My question is, though, when they are fully grown can I let them out in the bigger pen during the day?

How young are they? Also is there any cover where they will be ranging? Mine aren't bothered by bigger birds but it's always in my mind when it's winter and the tree are bare and there is little wild food for birds of prey. My ducks are pretty good sized though and I wouldn't imagine a raven would mess with them but then again that isn't common bird where I am.

 

[Teila]

Howdy kingzulu and Welcome to BYC

I am sorry to read of your loss

While we do not have Ravens here is Aus, we do have Crows.

Ravens thrive on small invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, birds, cattle/sheep carrion, human garbage.
Crows prefer birds, fruits, nut, molluscs, earthworms, seed, frogs, eggs, nestlings, mice and carrion.

I only have bantam chickens, some of which are about the size of an adult Crow. The Crows have never bothered my adults but I am very wary of them around chicks and adolescents.

I saw a Crow corner a juvenile, fully feathered Dove in my back garden, pin him down and proceed to try and eat him alive. I rescued the Dove.

 

[localife]

My ducks (Welsh Harlequins) are 3 months old and out in the pasture most of the day. The Ravens here are numerous and enormous. So far, they seem to do a lot of flyovers to check things out, one or two have dropped lower for a closer look, but none have attempted to actually get close to the flock. That said, there are 9 ducks, and they travel in a close knit flock, and also have a large covered area (one of those bamboo reed fence rolls that runs from the side of their pen out over an outside shade house) to which they quickly go whenever anything large flies above. I saw a Cooper's Hawk fly over yesterday, and so did they -- and they beat feet to shelter. I also put their swimming pools under cover so that they can be distracted by their love affair with the water without getting dive bombed.

Just FYI the reed fencing is working really nicely, in part because it is so large, and in part because it is so easy to move around and attach to, or drape over, things. It provides good cover/concealment and also some nice dappled shade. My ducks love it!

 

[kingzulu]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The larger area I have for them is about 60' x 40'. It is line with trees and one side of our house. But other than that and some shrubbery its pretty open. I did think about the netting. I wasn't sure how effective it would be if it wasn't sealed up tight.

Does anyone have any thoughts in regards to a larger bird that might help scare off the likes of a raven. Would a turkey or goose help possibly?

 

[Kaessa]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The larger area I have for them is about 60' x 40'. It is line with trees and one side of our house. But other than that and some shrubbery its pretty open. I did think about the netting. I wasn't sure how effective it would be if it wasn't sealed up tight.

Does anyone have any thoughts in regards to a larger bird that might help scare off the likes of a raven. Would a turkey or goose help possibly?

A goose would probably help, they're very protective of their flock.

 

[localife]

Even providing some covered areas is beneficial, so that they can head for cover whenever they need it. I notice that mine also really prefer to rest under some kind of cover during the day, which makes sense -- how relaxing could it be to always have to keep an eye on the sky? Their current favorite place is under a picnic table. The covered areas can be quite simple, but should be large enough for everyone to get underneath at the same time, since they usually follow each other when one heads for cover -- it would be awful to have them do that and leave someone stuck out in the open.

I have also heard that geese make good alarm birds, and they'd certainly be too big, once grown, to interest a raven. That said, you might also just consider a good old fashioned scarecrow! You have to change them up a bit, or move them around now and then, or the ravens get wise to the trick, but if it looks like a person to the birds, they will usually stay away.

 

[kingzulu]

Thanks much to everyone who replied. Turns out it looks like someone is going to give me two geese. So I'm going to have that and then I think add a net for the ducks to free roam under. The brush has really grown up a lot as it moves deeper into summer and I think that will help a lot as well.