Do your ducks free range?

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I have 4 ducks. They have a barn in which they sleep at night and where they spend a lot of time in the winter (their choice). They also have a covered “duckio” that is not attached to the barn. It is, I think, 18’ by 18’. That’s where they spend their days when there’s not snow on the ground. I used to free-range under “loose supervision”, but I lost a Rouen to a bobcat. Now, I no longer free-range, but do take them on foraging walks, which they love. There’s still a bit of danger on the walks. I had a near miss with a hawk a couple of months ago despite being less than 10 feet away from the ducks. However, the walks are an important part of their lives…when it’s not snowy and cold, of course!

 

[laboroflove]

I have free ranged my ducks for around 12 years. Recently a pair of foxes came and wiped out all but one hen and two drakes of my flock. We are now in the process of putting together plans for a duck house/run where they will spend most of their time. It will be in a small-ish yard (50x50) that they can go out into during the day, but put back in their coop at night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have free ranged my ducks for around 12 years. A pair of foxes came and wiped out all but one hen and two drakes of my flock. We are now in the process of putting together plans for a duck house/run where they will spend most of their time. It will be in a small-ish yard (50x50) that they can go out into during the day, but put back in their coop at night.

Very sorry for your losses. I am sure that hurt losing so many at once

 

[laboroflove]

Very sorry for your losses. I am sure that hurt losing so many at once

Thank you so much. Yeah, it was pretty devastating. I had one drake in the flock that would snuggle into my neck when I picked him up. I called him Jack Jack.

At first it was one would go missing (hen laying on a nest somewhere I thought), but after the first couple went missing it’s like they came and had a hay day everyday (only took a few days really) on our place. I don’t know if it was a pack of juveniles or ??? I know we saw on one morning two foxes at once. One morning I saw a fox in the back pasture with a duck and I chased it off. Then two came back. My husband sat out there for a week ready for them to come back and they never did.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know here if I didn't have fencing for mine they would be picked off in no time. Predators never give up.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I let mine free range only when supervised. Lately I haven't due to bird flu getting too close for comfort.
I'm also going to be careful next time I let them out, I'll have to stay right by their side as I keep spotting a very massive bird of prey. Biggest bird I've seen!

 

[laboroflove]

We do have fencing but it is mostly down in one area where a tree fell on it. Our plan is to replace our whole perimeter fence. We had a couple LGDs and they kept most of not everything away. Now that they are no longer with us we are having problems. I guess I should invest in another pair of guard dogs.