Fort Knox?

[TheDuckCrew]

I lost two of my babies sunday (they weren't babies, they were year old pekins, but they were still my babies). currently, we have two ducks left and 14 eggs from my late babies in the incubator. after that tragic day of TWO different attacks, we are beefy up security big time. we let them free range in the day, but are putting the two ducks to bed over an hour before dusk and letting them out late morning to unsure their safety. they are currently living in the garage to protect them. i was thinking about building a fort knox. i'm planning on buying a shed, but i still need ideas. could anyone post pictures of their fort knox coops and runs? i want to keep my babies safe.



*fort knox-as in very secure and safe. nothing can break in.*

 

[MoodyChicken]

Not Fort Knox... Fort COX. Get it, get it?

lol... lame I know.

Use fine welded wire and put a cement border around the coop. Also, if you suspect a certain spot as the predator's entrance, rig up something so it falls when the predator tries to get in. Not only will you know that it indeed is trying to get in there, but it will probably be scared away for that night.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

well we're starting completely over. i want it big enough, with a real floor, and tall enough for me to fit in, with no small errors that we made on their first house. the boards weren't all square, the door was very hard to get real tight...it just wasn't enough to keep them safe. we have a pen that is safe thats 8X8 but not tall enough to connect to a shed. i'm trying to think of a way to use it in their new Fort Knox of a home.

 

[DarkWolf]

Looking forward to seeing what you all come up with, eh..

Now, you have both ducks and chickens, right? I've just got chickens myself, but would love to have some ducks.. In fact a copy of "Raising the home duck flock" is sitting beside me from the library so that I can read up on it all.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

nope. i'm a duck only person. we got them on May 13 last year from the feed store. i fell in love with them, and sadly lost my babies 10 days before we offically had them a year.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

my parents, after agreeing to beefy up security, have suddenly said we aren't making "fort knox." they pretty much said what we have now is just fine, but its not. it seems that they have forgotten i have been in tears since sunday because something killed our babies. i was going to pay for everything as well. i have the money, i can do it. why can't they see i love these ducks more than anything and that i'll do anything to keep them safe?

 

[emilyweck]

Can you improve your current house? So sorry about your ducks.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

to improve it, we'd pretty much have to take it apart and start over. it has no floor and it would be really hard to add one and we'd need all new wood that is actually good and there are just so many things that would need to be changed. it would be easier and safer to just get a shed. i don't care about money, what i care about is their safety.

 

[DarkWolf]

Can you post up pictures of all four sides of the structure and ID any serious issues with it that you have. Also do you know how the predator got in before?

I'm sure there are options to beef up the current duck house. Just need to review what you have to see where to begin.

Having no floor is not a big problem.. Coops are like that all the time. The digging issue can be solved by securing wire around the bottom and having it buried a few inches in the ground. For overkill 12x12 landscape pavers can be laid down around the perimeter over top of the wire.

Let's see what you've got to work with.. I'm sure plenty can be done to the existing structure.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

okay. i'll try to find batteries for my camera and take a picture of the house. its rather hard to get into and i just don't trust it anymore. a weasel was able to slip in there and fatally injure my duck. we could have fisher cats around, and we have fox, and coyotes, and kids with guns that like to mess with me. they had shot slushie. the vet found the bullet when she put her to sleep. it was from a bb gun and hadn't injured her, but still, someone tried.

eta: its small, only 4x8 but it is crudly attacted to our 8x8 pen. i want them to be so safe that there is practially no chance that any predator could get in.