Duck house & environment?

[pinkduck]

Hi,
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm considering ducks and have 2 starter questions. I'm considering a chicken coo with an attached enclosed run but feel like they will need to get out of there and stretch their legs.... 1- i have a natural pond will they follow me down to it if I open their coop? 2- is it safe to position their coop near the pond so they can access it whenever they want or do I always need to be the one to let them in and out due to predators?

 

[pomnovice]

Hi,
Sorry if this is a silly question but I'm considering ducks and have 2 starter questions. I'm considering a chicken coo with an attached enclosed run but feel like they will need to get out of there and stretch their legs.... 1- i have a natural pond will they follow me down to it if I open their coop? 2- is it safe to position their coop near the pond so they can access it whenever they want or do I always need to be the one to let them in and out due to predators?

1) They will most likely follow you down if they're well socialised, or imprinted on you. Even then, they love swimming in whatever water they can find, they'd go for it.
2) They shouldn't be free ranging without fencing or supervision, as they're very susceptible to predators.

If you have other questions, please feel free to ask! I'd be happy to help with whatever I can to ensure you're off to a great start.

 

[Monstro]

My ducks and chickens free range. Yes i have lost some this way but its the choice i prefer. Have to take the good with the bad. If you let them find the pond too soon, they could decide they like it better than being locked in the coop. Mine just recently found the creek, this group is about a year old. They do return at night but good luck getting them away from it if they dont want to. We are in the process of fencing an area with a spring in it for them.

IMO you can build a better (larger/better quality) coop and run for the same price as a prefab one, if thats an option for you. If its a coop that is raised a couple feet off the ground like some are, I'd pass on it. My ducks dont like ramps very well.

 

[pinkduck]

Thank you @pomnovice & @monstro! I appreciate your help! The only other thing I'm afraid of is how to keep them comfortable in a michigan winter....

 

[pomnovice]

Thank you @pomnovice & @monstro! I appreciate your help! The only other thing I'm afraid of is how to keep them comfortable in a michigan winter....

Oh, I live in Pennsylvania. We've recently had a 48" snow fall, and my chickens, ducks, and geese are inside because we were worried. However, personally, we use the brooder lamps in the coop from when they were younger, and they seem to be warm.

 

[Krazyquilts]

Thank you @pomnovice & @monstro! I appreciate your help! The only other thing I'm afraid of is how to keep them comfortable in a michigan winter....

I live in Willowick, OH, which is northeast of Cleveland and just a couple blocks off Lake Erie and my ducks don't mind the cold or wind one bit. They might hang out more in their house than in their pen, but they still take lots of baths in their pool and eat snow and generally act like silly ducks. The worst part for them about winter is that they only have have one 9-gallon pool instead of an additional large plastic tote for really really thorough bathing. In the summer, we can use a hose to change out their water but in the winter, their water has to get hauled from the house in big buckets so they have to content themselves with just the one pool.