We realise it isn't hard to do, but we don't want to cause any unnecessary stress or upset to the birds and so far they do not handle well being separated, especially the two ducks. If it comes to that, then that is what we will do.
Thank you, - I have discussed this with my daughter and we both agree with you and have chosen to wait and see. We have a new hutch on order anyway which consists of two floors and the only way up is stairs (which we can remove if needed). If all works out, we will stick to the four we have but neither of us would mind getting more if needed. - Thank you again, your advice has been a great help and very reassuring.I would confirm the ducks are in fact drakes . If you don't want to give them up and you can only keep six total . I would stick with what I have . You just don't have room for the amount of females needed for two drakes . If you add a rooster you will have fertile eggs and if you slip up . You'll have chickens coming out of your ears . I think I would add two hen chickens to make my total of six birds . Separate the drakes to their own pen if they become a problem. But really the chickens should be able to escape them without to much trouble . Just keep enjoying your pets, you'll know what to do when the time comes .And
@chickens really thoughts on these ducks voices?
Thank
Thank you for your advice and concern, fortunately for us we don't have raccoons in our country, we have weasels/stoats and red foxes. This is a type of aviary wire which is thicker than chicken wire - hard to see on here but if you were to hold this and chicken wire together you would see the difference in thickness, plus we have it doubled up - up to if they did manage to bite through they'd then have a second layer to try to bite through as well. This would not be adequate enough for predators in the States nor for some places in the UK (especially where badgers and minx are) but where I am in England this is more than sufficient. I really don't know much about foxes but I have been in touch with wild life experts here and the foxes in my area can not jump high enough to jump the fence I have around my property, and to scale it they would need a foot hold or to stand on something high enough for them to grab the top and scramble over, so we have removed all that could have helped them. We hear them a lot as we live close to wooded areas and I know chicken keepers who's gardens the frequent but in the 24 years I have lived in this property I have never had any in my garden, neither have my neighbours and I believe this to be because we all have six foot fences surrounding our properties. We do however get stoats and hawks but the run fencing we have is sufficient and we why have it roofed we don't leave the birds unattended when free ranging the garden and we lock them in the pen when we are unable to watch over them. We have two pad locked bolts and one bolt lock door handle on the pen door because the foxes in my area have been known to rattle and kick doors to break handles etc plus we lock the birds up in their hutch for double safety measures, plus I live in a bungalow and sleep with my windows on vent so I can hear when the chickens give alarm calls, which when they have done has so far been the neighbours cat having a stroll around in our garden. I do worry a lot though and often go out in the garden to check through out the night and early hours - which is when I hear the foxes in the distance - thankfully I am a light sleeper - but only get hedgehogs and the neighbours cat in our garden which are of no threat to the ducks and in a couple of months time the chickens will be too big for them to be a threat to them also.
Thank you, that's worth keeping in mind, I am hoping it won't come to that though, but if so I think yours is a very good idea.
Hi, I have tried several times to upload the photos I've taken but the seem to get to 40 or 50% loaded then I get a message reporting there has been an error. I have tried loading one at a time with no success, do you have any suggestions please?
