First Exotic question. Red headed Pochard (hybrid silver)

[mominoz]

Got my first pair, the little boy in front of me got the red heads.(natural). But I really liked the silver hybrids too, so bought those. I put them in a temporary pen that has 2" top net. It has chicken wire over 2x2 fencing . My female was outside this morning. Caught her , fortunately it was the runner duck pen and they didn't hurt her. I did find some breaks I didn't catch yesterday she could have gotten out of if she tried hard. What I am wondering is the 2 X 2 top net too big? I started to work on a new Aviary, but with the rain it may be two or three weeks before I can finish it. I could put shade cloth over it.... Also what size top fencing/netting is proper for exotics. I also want to get some whistling tree ducks, maybe wood ducks , teals or mandarins and who gets along with pochards? Breeder says he has many varieties together, but he has a huge aviary...

 

[sourland]

I'm concerned with any 'roofing' mesh that is large enough that the birds can get their heads through. I raised ring necks as a kid and had a fairly large wire mesh as the pen top. I would periodically find headless pheasants in the pen. I eventually figured out that in the night Great Horned Owls would get the pheasants flying, and if their heads came through the top they were beheaded. Replaced the tops with smaller mesh and never lost another bird that way. If they were mine, I would add the shade cloth.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

I had to look up what they are. Beautiful ! Are yours like this ?

 

[duncan5]

Smaller mesh.

 

[mominoz]

I had to look up what they are. Beautiful ! Are yours like this ?

Yes

 

[mominoz]

I'm concerned with any 'roofing' mesh that is large enough that the birds can get their heads through. I raised ring necks as a kid and had a fairly large wire mesh as the pen top. I would periodically find headless pheasants in the pen. I eventually figured out that in the night Great Horned Owls would get the pheasants flying, and if their heads came through the top they were beheaded. Replaced the tops with smaller mesh and never lost another bird that way. If they were mine, I would add the shade cloth.

So happens I have a roll of shadecloth and was going to add some as we are in the south and I always add shade for ducks...
However smaller mesh means snow might be a problem. shadecloth comes down in winter or I have to manually remove snow....once in a while we get 6 + inches...(southern blizzard or ice storm(.