Duck Tractors and safety.

[montana ducks]

Hello all - I've tried to search around for an answer but would love some input. We have 1 Male and 4 Female Welsh Harlequins ducklings that will be joining our family in a little over a month. They'll be secure in porch with a storm door (no screen) to begin with but when it comes time to move them outside I am very aware that my choices will directly impact their safety and I'm trying to take that seriously.

I currently rent and the only place the owners will allow a permanent structure is at the far end of our property. This is less than ideal for a variety of reasons. I feel like they are safer closer to the house - especially in the front yard which is not only the farthest away from the woods but also where I can easily watch them all day long since I work from home. Plus they get a ton more sun there than where the owner will allow a permanent structure since that has a lot of coverage by tall trees. Not to mention the fact that the front yard has easily accessible water.

So with all of that in mind, and also with the land owner's request that any lawn damage caused by the ducks be repaired I think a duck tractor would be most ideal. We intend to put them in the coop every night and not let them out into the run of the duck tractor unless we can monitor them.

Looking online there are a lot of neat tractors out there but I'm worried about the off chance of a predator digging underneath the tractor and getting in during the day when the coop will be open.

How do people secure the run part of a tractor against that? I saw one which had roughly 12 inches of chain link fencing around the base of the run laid out flat and parallel to the ground which I suspect would make digging underneath it a chore.

Thanks all!

 

[laughingdog]

Wire the bottom. the ducks can then still graze and forage but cannot destroy lawn as bad and dig out (yes ducks can dig, as neighbors ducks caused dammage to owners trailer ect here during wet season). also had rescue duck that loved to mounds and holes to play. i used deer netting as strong but gentle on feet and bill, but box cooped up at dusk till dawn and collie took guard duty serious.

 

[montana ducks]

Wire the bottom. the ducks can then still graze and forage but cannot destroy lawn as bad and dig out (yes ducks can dig, as neighbors ducks caused dammage to owners trailer ect here during wet season). also had rescue duck that loved to mounds and holes to play. i used deer netting as strong but gentle on feet and bill, but box cooped up at dusk till dawn and collie took guard duty serious.

Deer netting - never heard of that. Should be easy to get around here, though. Thanks so much for this, I think it's the final thing I needed to feel like these little guys will be safe.

With deer netting were they able to get enough dirt or did you have to provide grit?

 

[Red-tailed Hawk]

Lol! I'm in a similar boat as you Montana Duck! I have searched all over for duck tractor ideas. There isn't much is there, while chicken tractors are a dime a dozen. Backyardchickens should have a cool section in the coop section for duck houses and duck tractors to make it easier to find them. I really hope other people post pictures on this thread because I'm a visual person myself. I've got a cool idea for the duck house, but would kind of like to try making a duck tractor as well.

 

[ducklover87]

You can take any chick tractor design and just add to it. If they are gonna be confined at all times I'd go with as close to 9 sq ft per bird as possible. And an easy way to keep predators from digging under would be to attach some 1/2 or 1/4 in hardwire cloth to the bottom and all holes that will always be open such as ventilation spots and things like that. Mine free range so I can't really give more than ideas.