Call Ducks

[Heidi R]

Am new to the site and hope I'm not repetitive. At the present time I have only 4 birds that are practically old enough to vote. I have lost a number of the birds to hawks flying overhead and old age. Am considering getting three Call ducks and three Maran chickens. Any advice - property is fenced and mostly safe from land predators except perhaps Fisher Cats. They go in and out like my two horses into their own houses. I cannot protect them against the flying predators so I limit their time out to when I am in the garden or we are out.

 

[SolarDuck]

Have you ever tried something like this to keep away hawks and such?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087MWM7B...abc_R6RR00H07V3KWBDP7BSS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It might work if you don't have a huge property, or maybe if you do have. A huge property you could just buy 1 of those nets and some cheap fencing to set up a nice safe foraging area for them.

 

[Heidi R]

Have you ever tried something like this to keep away hawks and such?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087MWM7B...abc_R6RR00H07V3KWBDP7BSS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It might work if you don't have a huge property, or maybe if you do have. A huge property you could just buy 1 of those nets and some cheap fencing to set up a nice safe foraging area for them.

No I have not. My yard is too big, but I'm guessing. Have to check out the link and check out measurements. I have two paddocks and one good-size play area for both the fowl and horses in which they can romp over the winter. It gives them free access and they can get in and out. But like I said, I do limit their time alone outside because I got sick of losing my birds here and there.

 

[Heidi R]

No I have not. My yard is too big, but I'm guessing. Have to check out the link and check out measurements. I have two paddocks and one good-size play area for both the fowl and horses in which they can romp over the winter. It gives them free access and they can get in and out. But like I said, I do limit their time alone outside because I got sick of losing my birds here and there.

Additional. Checked out the link. That it possible but I'd need two - Can be done - Spring for me though. Doing little to nothing right now. Just maintaining and keeping birds in hay for warmth. More snow tomorrow/Friday. Grrr

 

[Phillisy]

Calls can fly quite well (ours have ended up on the roof of our house more than once), so if you’re able to put up some kind of predator netting it would also help keep the calls in.

 

[Heidi R]

Calls can fly quite well (ours have ended up on the roof of our house more than once), so if you’re able to put up some kind of predator netting it would also help keep the calls in.

I've had some call ducks along with my pair of wood ducks. Fishers got in and joy killed. They were fenced in high fencing but not overhead. Of course their house was quite safe but I let them into their yard most days. Fishers are the most evil predators to have.

 

[Phillisy]

I've had some call ducks along with my pair of wood ducks. Fishers got in and joy killed. They were fenced in high fencing but not overhead. Of course their house was quite safe but I let them into their yard most days. Fishers are the most evil predators to have.

They really are . It would definitely be worth looking into investing in some kind of overhead protection then; for your current and future birds safety.