Alternatives to livestock guardian dog

[Miss Lydia]

They can guard an alarm but sure can't do much to protect from a predator with teeth.

 

[chickens really]

Well I'm not thinking anything other than Lahma or Donkey if your not wanting a dog. Although they are not fool proof either. Safe nightly lock ups are best.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I am living in Le Bic (Quebec, Canada). Most predators are wolves, stoats, weasels, racoons. I let my ducks outside when they are 1 month old, so I usually don't have problems with flying predators. Don't have other animals for now except poultry.

Well don't get comfortable with thinking your ducks are going to be perfectly fine at 1 month of from flying predators because I'm here to tell you they are NOT! I don't know what else to say except they are never going to be safe from flying predators no matter how old they are!

I've had a king snake take one of my ducklings at 1 month and a falcon took my Daisy at 6 months old! @WVduckchick has been having one hawk attack after another on her grown ducks this year too. A couple very recently.

We used to have an Anatolian shepherd that was awesome with the ducks. She protected them with her life but was so gentle with them. Ya, I know, its a dog but it's what I know about.

 

[DuckyDonna]

What’s a stoat?

it's like a weasel type thing.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

That’s all they can do is sound off they get eaten too!

Well, they do eat ticks...but so do ducks and chickens...and they’re a lot cuter

 

[DiYMama540]

My kitty brought me a stoat home not too long ago. I had no idea what it was but the folks on the predators forum did!

My in laws have a farm with cows and horses, and one crazy guard donkey! He will kick and scream at anything out of the ordinary

 

[Miss Lydia]

They must be good they are in just about every pasture here with livestock in it.

 

[Mamas_Looney_Farm]

Well I have a blue heeler, rooster , guineas goats and cats and I just only let my poultry out when the goats are out. The blue heeler guards the outside of the pens while the goats are large and discourage any flying predators. I also have the guineas to warm of trouble and a fake owl that I move daily on my fence. We considered a donkey but were told that they will kill dogs

 

[DuckyDonna]

Well I have a blue heeler, rooster , guineas goats and cats and I just only let my poultry out when the goats are out. The blue heeler guards the outside of the pens while the goats are large and discourage any flying predators. I also have the guineas to warm of trouble and a fake owl that I move daily on my fence. We considered a donkey but were told that they will kill dogs

I think guineas are such cool birds. They don't look real to me. I've got 2 border collies that are great with the ducks except one of them won't stop eating the duck poop so I can't leave her in with them. Nasty little eater!

 

[WVduckchick]

My roosters all sound the alert when birds of prey or other predators are nearby. My dogs are useless as guardians, as are the cats. They may help some, just by being active in the yard, but they don’t initiate protecting anything. Lol

So my roosters are the most help to me and the ducks. My best suggestion would be plenty of places of cover for the ducks to retreat to, hide under, run into, etc. if a hawk or other predator is around. I have call ducks, so they are small, and easy pickings. But... they can fly fairly well, so they are more adept at escape.

Just keep in mind, the more numbers you have, the more they attract predators. You will have losses, unless you keep them locked in Fort Knox all the time. Your level of comfort for losses will have to dictate how much you allow free ranging, etc, no matter what kind of guardian you choose.

And just because I took this last night, here’s my current duck being nursed from a hawk attack. My neighbor actually saved her by scaring the hawk off her. The hawk tore a hole in her neck, but I think she is going to recover just fine. (She is standing on the arm of my recliner lol)