Considering Ducks

[cskotek]

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I am extremely worried about the coyotes. It is a real mental struggle to forge ahead with my notion of free ranging critters (daytime) because of this. I just do the best I can for them.

How do the ducks handle winter? Since my duck pen would not be fenced, would they even want to come out of their 24 sq ft pen in the winter? Would they be safe to stay in there? It is completely secure from predators with 3/4" welded wire construction and plywood on all sides, top, and bottom. I mean, there is not room for a swimming tub in there -- if the ponds were to freeze over, for example!

We have coyote here amongst other things like bear, fox, weasel, and opossum and others. I have only had 1 duck disappear and 1 taken by opossum.... But other then that no issues. You can always add electric fencing to help keep the predators away.
Ducks do pretty well in the winter for as long as they are provided shelter. My Mandie's did great! My domestics though started to shiver when it got into the single digits. Most ducks dont need a pond, I just gave them a heated bucket deep enough for them to clear their nose holes of debris and when it got warm enough for water to flow I ran water long enough for them to get a small thing of water to splash in. And they probably would leave their pen once they got used to the idea of it being cold, they would get bored lol. Mine all escaped on me one day and decided to play around the house!

 

[Going Quackers]

They do need shelter to get out of bad weather especially if you get a proper winter. Muscovy would be an option BUT drakes could be an issue most don't fly that well past 1yo, there bulk catches up with them. My one guy used to fly like the wind but in his second year his growth has left him unable too. Now the ducks they fly like you wouldn't believe, mine clear the 5ft fence that surrounds the barn.

Since i free range i leave them full flight but am fully aware my drakes are one dead duck should anything come, i lost 2 drakes last year to the neighbours dog. So your typical predators are not always the main worry, i have bear, coyote/wolves, fox, mountain lion, hawks, raccoons and so forth yet the classic pet dog turned out to be my worst issue.

Swimming usually dulls off come winter, i don't allow mine a pool then, they'll ice up and could freeze, they do however need water to clear the nares so i use a heated bucket.

The best thing in my experience has been to lock ducks up well at night, that will reduce your loses for sure but also be prepared things can go wrong during the day, leaving them non fenced is a risk but sometimes without doing that they loose the purpose you have them for, but being aware what you do have for predators is important and the only way to reduce the risk to your birds, know your enemy.