srose0116
Chirping
- Jul 27, 2020
- 61
- 57
- 81
Hey everyone! I am once again asking for your help.
Our flock of six is now down to two. We have a female pekin named Honey, and a male khaki named Baby. They were the most mild tempered of our original flock and neither one of them is really a leader. They have no interest in their old pond, only the horse trough "pool" we've made for them. They are still sleeping inside at night as we need to make them a new predator proof home. I recently moved, and the ducks are living at my mom's house. We both have houses with walk in basements and land. She lives out in the country, with large fields surrounding the house, and a large wooded area way up behind the property. We've seen foxes and large birds, heard coyotes, and of course we know there are fishers in the area. My house is more in a wooded area, partway up a "mountain", we like to say. I'm in a more rural area, so the neighbors are a lot closer. But I still have a wooded area behind my house, and surrounding my neighborhood. The woods are a lot closer to my house here, than at my moms. But of course there are woods at both properties. The only predators I have seen here so far are foxes. And the house up the road who have 50-70 chickens say they have never had any issues with predators. And from what I can see, their coop doesn't look super safe. In addition, there was a bear spotted here about twenty years ago. SO it's a possibility.
I'm getting a bit overwhelmed as we can not make up our minds of where the ducks should spend the winter. This spring I will be adding a Carolina Coop to my property for my ducks and chickens. I have no doubts that it is going to be completely predator proof day and night. Though I won't have this coop until late March. So we have an entire New York winter to get through. First off, we know we need more birds. I am going to be ordering four female ducklings from Metzer farms probably in mid October. That way they are full grown and ready to mate by late February so our male Baby will have lots of ladies to mate with. I will likely keep the babies in my basement. I won't be ready to put them out entirely on their own until the weather starts to warm up at least into the 30s.
Baby and Honey is the big question mark right now. They are currently living in my mothers basement and go outside into a hen pen during the day. She closely monitors them, but it is not predator proof in the slightest. We don't know if we should build them temporary housing for the winter there, or here. Since there are only two of them I don't think moving them outside in the winter is wise. They won't be able to keep each other warm enough at night. But I also don't like the idea of them being out in a hen pen during the day. I want them safe during the day as well as at night.
I have an old shed here, and also a garage. I could convert either of these into a temporary winter duck house, but it would take A LOT of work. So I'm almost leaning towards just keeping them all in my walkout basement all winter. I just need to figure out a way to give them SAFE outside time in the winter. I've been researching non stop, and looking at different "chicken" runs.
I guess I'm not asking any specific question. Just asking for help brainstorming in general.
Another thing to note, I love my ducks dearly. I could never rehome them. And I plan on holding the babies every day to keep them super tame like Baby and Honey who will let us hold them. My ducks are a part of my family. I need them to be safe.
Our flock of six is now down to two. We have a female pekin named Honey, and a male khaki named Baby. They were the most mild tempered of our original flock and neither one of them is really a leader. They have no interest in their old pond, only the horse trough "pool" we've made for them. They are still sleeping inside at night as we need to make them a new predator proof home. I recently moved, and the ducks are living at my mom's house. We both have houses with walk in basements and land. She lives out in the country, with large fields surrounding the house, and a large wooded area way up behind the property. We've seen foxes and large birds, heard coyotes, and of course we know there are fishers in the area. My house is more in a wooded area, partway up a "mountain", we like to say. I'm in a more rural area, so the neighbors are a lot closer. But I still have a wooded area behind my house, and surrounding my neighborhood. The woods are a lot closer to my house here, than at my moms. But of course there are woods at both properties. The only predators I have seen here so far are foxes. And the house up the road who have 50-70 chickens say they have never had any issues with predators. And from what I can see, their coop doesn't look super safe. In addition, there was a bear spotted here about twenty years ago. SO it's a possibility.
I'm getting a bit overwhelmed as we can not make up our minds of where the ducks should spend the winter. This spring I will be adding a Carolina Coop to my property for my ducks and chickens. I have no doubts that it is going to be completely predator proof day and night. Though I won't have this coop until late March. So we have an entire New York winter to get through. First off, we know we need more birds. I am going to be ordering four female ducklings from Metzer farms probably in mid October. That way they are full grown and ready to mate by late February so our male Baby will have lots of ladies to mate with. I will likely keep the babies in my basement. I won't be ready to put them out entirely on their own until the weather starts to warm up at least into the 30s.
Baby and Honey is the big question mark right now. They are currently living in my mothers basement and go outside into a hen pen during the day. She closely monitors them, but it is not predator proof in the slightest. We don't know if we should build them temporary housing for the winter there, or here. Since there are only two of them I don't think moving them outside in the winter is wise. They won't be able to keep each other warm enough at night. But I also don't like the idea of them being out in a hen pen during the day. I want them safe during the day as well as at night.
I have an old shed here, and also a garage. I could convert either of these into a temporary winter duck house, but it would take A LOT of work. So I'm almost leaning towards just keeping them all in my walkout basement all winter. I just need to figure out a way to give them SAFE outside time in the winter. I've been researching non stop, and looking at different "chicken" runs.
I guess I'm not asking any specific question. Just asking for help brainstorming in general.
Another thing to note, I love my ducks dearly. I could never rehome them. And I plan on holding the babies every day to keep them super tame like Baby and Honey who will let us hold them. My ducks are a part of my family. I need them to be safe.
