Best breed to protect my ducks?

[treldib]

I am looking in to getting a Rooster to protect my flock of four ducks (Black Swedish, Golden 300 Hybrid Layer, Khaki Campbell, and White Layer) from predators. I am in constant fear that a racoon will get them in the night and I'm wondering, What is the biggest, toughest, most overprotective breed of chicken?

. I think, when we order some more ducklings we will include a cockerel too. That way he can grow up with ducks and think of them as 'his flock'. Thanks

 

[SarahIrl]

Aren't you woriied about a bunch of female ducks and a male rooster?!?! They have and can cross-breed. Check out feathersite.com it's odd but true. A good heavy rooster you could pick a brahma lf or an orpington lf or a welsummer lf, all grow big males. However, they ALL sleep at night and so are as vulnerable as your ducks to nocturnal predators.

 

[treldib]

Quote:
They can? Wow..very interesting...anyway...I was just looking for a good rooster for protection IN GENERAL as my ducks would cower in fear if a mouse walked by..

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Ducks and Chickens cannot cross breed Guinea fowl and chickens can. If you don't have a secure pen nothing will be able to 100% protect your ducks. A livestock guardian dog may work. I have heard of roosters killing female ducks while trying to mate them and I have heard of male ducks drowning hens.

Henry

 

[kathyinmo]

A friend of mine has ducks and chickens. The ducks killed several of her chickens.

 

[RAREROO]

I dont think a rooster is going to do you any good for protecting your ducks at night, and the temperment and protectiveness will vary depending on the individul bird. I would think maybe a couple geese would be better guardians than a rooster but still, if something is hungry enough and can get in your pen, neither will do any good.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

I lost my drake to a predator, so the ducks were letting the roosters breed with them, haha. My ducks don't get bothered by anything during the day (except maybe a dog, if one were to come around), and no rooster will save them at night. My ducks don't have a problem with the chickens, but they kind of go off and do their own thing, ignoring any alarms from the roos.


Geese are a good idea though, like Rareroo mentioned. Hawks are intimidated by the geese, and they'd probably be pretty fearless if something came after them. I know the canadians that breed here every spring will often fly off the pond to chase a hawk off the property, before banking and landing in the water again.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I agree- get yourself a gander or a livestock guard dog (like a great pyr). Roosters are useless after dusk, but my geese wake at any disturbance.

 

[TK Poultry]

I have 2 EEs in with my ducks with out a problem. I would suggest a gaurdian dog not a rooster, because the rooster my not feel like he needs to protect the ducks, but a dog would protect everyone. And it would have to be like a live in one either. I just have two labs that are pets and they keep the predators down to almost nothing. In two years that I've lived on this property I've had one predator run in.

 

[chickboss]

I agree with everyone, I don't think a rooster is going to do you any good, especially at night. That rooster, assuming that he will be out at night as well, will be perched in some tree or something sleeping. Good luck finding a protector though. I want geese...