Ducks now sleeping on my roof.

[peterlund]

I bought 10 Muscovies late in the summer, and they folded in nicely with my chickens... UNTIL... last week 2 of them decided to spend the night on top of our wooden clothesline. Now they have decided, and can fly to, that they like the peak of my roof. Obviously these two are rebels, but what kind of weather do I have to worry about? By the way, they join the free ranging flock daily.... They just like to be out late! One thing is a positive... My gutters are spotless!

 

[sourland]

Rather than the weather, you may need to worry about a Great Horned owl. If one locates your ducks, he will eat them. When the snow arrives, they will give up roof sitting.

 

[katharinad]

Only the female great horned owls pose a risk, the males are to small. Their size differences are like day and night. 3 feet for the girls and less then half the size for the boys. I have a bulk load of them living in my ponderosa pine trees. My 9 ducks are out all day and I haven't had a problem yet. They do get locked up at night.

 

[mychookschick]

Sounds messy! LOL YUCK!

 

[sourland]

In January when the female is brooding eggs, the male is the supplier of food. They will tackle prey far larger than themselves, and can easily kill female muscovies.

 

[dieselgrl48]

I didn't know Muscovie's could fly that high

.Im sure they can fly but actually Roost?? I've had Call's and Mallard's and ton's other's.Yike's lol. None of mine ever roosted in tree's or anything. Never had flightie's like wood/ madarin etc.I had Royal Palm Turkey's on my roof half a winter once. Crazy Scovie's I guess lol.Never had any myself but they say they great duck's! I like the AFLAC one's Me-self ty lol.

 

[sianara]

Quote:
Umm, maybe not.

I've got an older hen that's a rebel (golden campine) and that girl sleeps outside from time to time and it doesn't matter what the weather is. She's survived freezing rain (several nights in a row), snow, pouring rain, heavy winds and just general yucky weather. She doesn't do it every night but I've given up going out there in the dark with a rake trying to get her out of the tree anymore. She's got smarter too as she recently started roosting higher so I can't reach her with the rake anymore!

She's several years old now and I figure she's had a really good life. When she decides to sleep outside I dread going out the next morning and finding umm... parts of her.

She almost bought the farm this time last year when an owl chased her out of her tree. I went out to check on her when I heard her screeching through the closed windows. I hurriedly opened up the coop door and faster than you can say "jumping jack flash" she was inside that coop. Then I heard a "who, who" close by

 

[peterlund]

Quote:
I was startled that they could get to the roof too! I have a cape and it is 25+ feet high... They made it, and have taken up residence. If you drive by you will see two kooky ducks, side by side, on the peak of my house. Now I have no defense when my neighbors say I am nuts!!!!

 

[peterlund]

Quote:
It is going to rain tonight.... I hope!

 

[peterlund]

Quote:
Well..... I can't protect them when they are on the roof.... Hopefully they stay skinny and don't look too appetizing, as they are far from "hidden". All I can say is that their brothers and sisters are snug in the coop....