duckling with hurt leg

[DuckyDonna]

Do they have a secure house? And no secure top on their pen? It’s just a matter of time before the predators show up an take advantage of your set up. Those precious ducklings need security.

I'm beating that same drum!

 

[dwlacy]

I thought the over hang should be good enough if I pile up a bunch of hay for them nest in, but for now they are coming in at night still....there is also a big open front shed right next to the pen....I feed the turkeys & guineas on a platform in there....

 

[dwlacy]

with 6 dogs in the yard I don't have to worry to much about predators....in the 7 years I've lived here & had animals, I have only lost one animal to a suspected predator attack....I have to worry about a couple of my dogs more then predators....the turkeys, and soon the ducks, will free range the back third of my property & I have an 8 ft fence separating that third from the front 2/3, though there is a lower spot where I have an old pool ladder to climb over the fence, that the dogs could jump over....it's not the perfect setup, but it's the best I can do the limited resources I have & I am out there every couple of hours during the days, and sometimes night, checking on animals....

newest members of the crazy farm....twin pygmy goats, rufnut & tufnut, born march 1st....

 

[Miss Lydia]

What precious babies. Congrats! We all do what we can so if you feel good about the set up you have for them then who am I to but in. Your Runners are beautiful. What hatchery again?

 

[dwlacy]

california hatchery....I'll be getting some more....

I don't feel 100% good with the setup I have & and always looking for input on ways to improve things which is one of the reasons I enjoy this site and all the knowledgeable people on it....

 

[DuckyDonna]

I think your set up with the trampoline looks great to give them some shelter and shade but what about night and flying predators? They can swoop right in there and the dogs wouldn't be any help at all unless you keep the dogs right in the duck's area.

 

[Isaac 0]

I thought the over hang should be good enough if I pile up a bunch of hay for them nest in, but for now they are coming in at night still....there is also a big open front shed right next to the pen....I feed the turkeys & guineas on a platform in there....

Make sure the trampoline is sturdy enough to support plenty of rain and snow accumulation on top, wouldn't want that to come down on the ducks. I would also consider reinforcing the outside with hardware cloth, many predators could get in there easily.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I thought the over hang should be good enough if I pile up a bunch of hay for them nest in, but for now they are coming in at night still....there is also a big open front shed right next to the pen....I feed the turkeys & guineas on a platform in there....

Oh, so these pictures are just of their day time run? So you have a shed or structure where you can lock them up at night? If so I would surely recommend that you continue to do that.... like forever!

 

[dwlacy]

I'm planning on running a small cable across where the fold is to give it some more strength....there are a lot of branches overhead from a great big sycamore tree that's growing about 5 feet outside the pen on one side and a mimosa tree about a foot away on the other side....here soon, that pen will be shaded all day....it catches the morning sun & then gets shaded....

not sure if my 300 lb kune kune boar, mungdungas aka mungus....this gives you the option of calling him by his full name when mad at him, is a deterrent to predators, but he is to my dogs....two of them bullied him somewhat when he was little, he was kinda the low man on the totem pole in the yard pack, but here about a year ago he put them both those dogs in their place & they no longer give him the respect he deserves....both dogs now carry scars from that last encounter....

 

[Isaac 0]

I planning on running a small cable across where the fold is to give it some more strength....there are a lot of branches overhead from a great big sycamore tree that's growing about 5 feet outside the pen on one side and a mimosa tree about a foot away on the other side....here soon, that pen will be shaded all day....it catches the morning sun & then gets shaded....

not sure if my 300 lb kune kune boar is a deterrent to predators, but he is to my dogs....two of them were bullied him somewhat when he was little, but here about a year ago he put them both in their place & they no longer want anything to do with him....both dogs now carry scars from that last encounter....

I wouldn't want to be on his bad side lol, minks, owls and hawks could easily take the ducks without the boar knowing. Just something to consider...