Digging Bantams

[Debbanne]

Hello and it has been a while since I visited again and hope everyone is doing well? I am struggling with some new Bantams hens we recently purchased. We have ducks as well and recently lost some Bantam hens and now my husband and I having a problem because the new bantams are in our yard and keep digging up my gardens. If we put them back in the pen, one flies over and the others get out some how too! If we put them out with our ducks, one of them attacks the Bantams so I had to put them back in the main yard. Luckily our goose is ok too with them so far!! Is there any way I can keep the bantams safe but protect my gardens and them? We have been given the ducks and other hens ,goose and also not sure exactly from where!? We purchased the bantams from family recently. I am wondering if Planting a garden for the bantams would deter them from my gardens? We are getting some duck eggs and bantam eggs which is terrific!! Would really appreciate some advice as my husband and I trying to come up with a good solution for all of us ! If a male duck attacks my husband and other birds should we be keeping him? I am new to all this and feeling anxious as I want to plant things for all of us and my gardens are my passion like my husband's sheep and our beauty and food as well !

 

[Callender Girl]

Chickens are more destructive in the garden than ducks, for sure. I am mourning the loss of a flower garden that was just getting filled in this year when Honey and the rest of the girls decided it needed some tilling.

You said the bantams fly out of the pen, is there some way to cover the top? One of my temporary pens has simple netting stretched over it, made from the fruit tree netting made to keep birds out of my tiny orchard.

Planting a garden for the bantams would likely distract them briefly, but they will eventually seek out their old feeding ground.

The male duck can likely be redirected from attacking your husband, if you want to keep the drake. He may just feel your husband is trying to move in on his hens, and he's protecting his girls. You're lucky the goose is behaving so far, mine like to herd the ducks and hiss at the chickens.

What kind of sheep does your husband have? We had Suffolks when I was a kid, and I have had Kathadins for the last decade or so.

Good luck getting your flock under control.