Chicken wire and ducklings?

[Miss Lydia]

whoah.
Way to sugar coat it. (NOT)
(Jk)
What do I use then? (Cheapest optinoin please)

I'd say hardware cloth, and yes it's expensive but when you took on the responsibility of your duckling [who is adorable by the way] then you took on the responsibility of making sure it is safe indoors and out. And believe me no matter where you live you put your duckling outside in something made of chicken wire you'll find out real fast about the predators you said you don't have.

 

[Amiga]

Cheapest option is keep an eye out for someone clearing out their garage, or taking down an existing pen, like on craigslist, finding the materials that way.

Chain link or 2"x3" woven wire with two feet of metal hardware cloth along the bottom is a good start.

 

[PetDuck]

Is there any way to get it sooner?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Lowes, home depot, farm stores, ace hardware all carry and sell hardware cloth. It's not cheap, but it's the correct material for the job.

I don't sugar coat discussion of predators and securing an enclosure. No need to, or we soon read a post about how upset said owner is when Duck X is dead and the pen is destroyed.

Do it right the first time and lesson the worry when they are outside.

All of our birds (except the ornamental ducks) are locked up in houses each night, then let out each morning. The ornamentals live 24/7 outside in their flight pens and have our 200lb great Pyrenees live stock guard dog out also 24/7. These will only ever be caught and penned if we have a hurricane coming through.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

This is hardware cloth
http://www.lowes.com/pd_218928-1641...tt=hardware+cloth&pl=1&currentURL=&facetInfo=

Anything else is not as secure.

 

[Nyowpotopop]

So I have a question.... I'm thinking of building my duck enclosure into an existing wooden fence. The fence will be 6 foot high solid wood around my whole back yard. My question is whether or not chicken wire would be acceptable inside that and/or as a dig guard.

We have all sorts of predators... Foxes, hawks, coons,... Very rarely a coyote, cat or a loose dog. The foxes grow big and keep out almost everything else. We're a suburb but there's patches of forest that breeds all manner of wildlife. Herds of white-tailed deer are everywhere. Despite this most of the predators stay away from houses in general and are pretty gunshy.

I was thinking of bulding the duck pen into the wooden fence. So three walls would be 6ft high wood with a chickenwire dig guard, the fourth wall would be chicken wire w/dig guard but within the walls of the fence. Then a deer netting top I think should keep out the hawks... The birds around here are not as bold as the foxes and are far and few between or else my sister's pomeranian would have gotten snagged years ago. The ducks would be cooped at night and range in this pen during the day. Does this sound acceptable for our situation?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

I would skirt the wood fence to prevent digging under and in with field fencing or hardware cloth. I covered a hole in the hard with chicken wire, covered with dirt so the dog wouldn't redig it and he went right through the chicken wire and now has a nice large hole he lays in.

 

[Amiga]

I would skirt the wood fence to prevent digging under and in with field fencing or hardware cloth. I covered a hole in the hard with chicken wire, covered with dirt so the dog wouldn't redig it and he went right through the chicken wire and now has a nice large hole he lays in.

Sometimes I miss having a dog . . . .

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

LoL Amiga, I can forgive him since he lives out there 24/7 and keeps all the birds safe. Not the dog for everyone as he is a 200lb great Pyrenees, worth his weight in gold.

 

[Amiga]

Please pardon the digression, but in my dreams, I sometimes think of having a Maremma to watch over the other animals.