"Free Range" and timeline

[seashoreduck]

I have month old ducks. I hope to have them "free range" as I have a large yard, lots of room to run and live on a river. The idea is to have them happy to roost in a large doghouse. I have about 1 acre boarded on one side by river, other by woods, and am on a dead end. My landlord (on the opposite side of the dead end) has about 3 acres and is boarded by woods on two sides and the river on 2. I am in mid-new England.

Feed store advised me of this schedule to free range....I don't know if this is a good idea.

Acquired ducks at 4 weeks, working 2-5x daily getting them used to me.

4-6 weeks- live in the barn with supervized trips outside in the fence. (5x6 feet) They still have down so they still have a heat lamp. It will be 70+ when I take them out this weekend....do I really need to bring the heat lamp?

6-12 weeks- live outside in the 5x6 pen, "doghouse" at night

12+ Not sure

-Flight feathers- These are migratory mallards, the grain company said that since I have "locals" my domesticated ducks will probably want to fly away with the wild ones. I'm torn at clipping their flight feathers as I want them to be happy in the winter and not miserable in the barn for months on end. I do not imagine them doing well with snow. They are only 1 month old and already hate the barn cage and are trying to find ways out.

 

[ducklover87]

What's your temps at night? They will be fine without a heat lamp during the day if its in the 70s. They can even be outside all day even. Supervised or unsupervised. Just remember that if they aren't supervised anything can happen. Its a risk I take every day with free ranging my flock. Sure they stay mostly in the yard by the house all day and I virtually have no predators during the day but still you never know. Most of the time I'm outside or at least looking out the window every so often. I can't do this while I'm at work but they are always safe and sound when I get back. However its still a risk because you never know what can happen. They would be fine without a heat lamp during the day but at night they would need one. Although you do have mallards they are domesticated and not wild like the ones you see. Whether or not they would fly away with the others I don't know but then you'd be at risk of them ever coming back. They could loose their way or get eaten by a predator its really hard to say what would happen. My ducks love the snow. It can be -20° outside and a blizzard and they would love it. I have a heat lamp on for them during winter but unless I herd them into their house they don't go under it. Sometimes I do leave them in their coop during intense cold and bad weather but they would rather be outside. They really don't need a heat lamp during the winter but I baby them and make sure they have one. They will always look for a way out. Or at least mine do lol. I'm not sure when your winter is though. I'm in states. NY to be exact so for me I think winter in November to marchish and figure that's when everyone else has winter too lol.

 

[seashoreduck]

What's your temps at night? They will be fine without a heat lamp during the day if its in the 70s. They can even be outside all day even. Supervised or unsupervised. Just remember that if they aren't supervised anything can happen. Its a risk I take every day with free ranging my flock. Sure they stay mostly in the yard by the house all day and I virtually have no predators during the day but still you never know. Most of the time I'm outside or at least looking out the window every so often. I can't do this while I'm at work but they are always safe and sound when I get back. However its still a risk because you never know what can happen. They would be fine without a heat lamp during the day but at night they would need one. Although you do have mallards they are domesticated and not wild like the ones you see. Whether or not they would fly away with the others I don't know but then you'd be at risk of them ever coming back. They could loose their way or get eaten by a predator its really hard to say what would happen. My ducks love the snow. It can be -20° outside and a blizzard and they would love it. I have a heat lamp on for them during winter but unless I herd them into their house they don't go under it. Sometimes I do leave them in their coop during intense cold and bad weather but they would rather be outside. They really don't need a heat lamp during the winter but I baby them and make sure they have one. They will always look for a way out. Or at least mine do lol. I'm not sure when your winter is though. I'm in states. NY to be exact so for me I think winter in November to marchish and figure that's when everyone else has winter too lol.

Temps are in the high 40's at night and they still have their down. However except for when they've soaked themselves, they don't seem to be sleeping near the heat lamp.

I'm in New England

...pretty much the same weather as NY but far less snow since I'm not far off the seacoast. Our winter tends to be Nov/Dec to April/March. Good to know they will fare well in snow.

I have a dog that is a shepard mutt. She isn't much of an hunter at all, the bunnies will get within feet of her. She curious about the ducks, but not overly so. She whines when they start squaking. Mostly she lays and watches them. I'm hoping that she will be a guardian overall discouager of any predititors.

Natural animals in my yard.

-Foxes are gone this year...thousands of bunnies attest to that, run in 3 year cycles so next year may get bad
-May have some jay hawks
-Blue Herron
-Cormorant and/or it's cousins (never been close enough to tell but they swim/fish)
-Occasinaly loons
-Way too many bunnies (wild)
-Wild ducks
-Wild geese
-Gophers
-Groundhogs
-various sparrows/woodpeckers/robins/crows/jays


Any of those besides the foxes I should be concerned about? I have a large barn and doghouse. They will probably be kicked out of the barn and into the big wood doghouse.

I understand the risk of them not coming back. My concern is that I'm also a tenant. What would happen if I move in 2 years? If they are independant I don't have to worry as much. If they rely on me and "know" their home I don't want to traumatize them. If they only rely on me for summer food, my landlord is ok with that as grubs, bugs, ticks and grass can all use some duck lovin'.

They sure are agressive critters. They want out of their current kennel in the worst way.

 

[ducklover87]

With temps still low at night I'd leave the heat lamp at night. She sounds like my dog. He very much so loves the ducks. Its funny now that they all have their voices they will be outside just a quacking away and my dog barks and wants to go out just to see what's going on. Foxes and hawks will attack the ducks. Hawks might not it really depends on the hawk and if he thinks your duck is worth it. I have hawks and never had a problem but I read every so often on here about someone whose lost one to a hawk. The wild ducks and geese might attack your ducks as they may be territorial. Geese are very protective over their mates. They may not even bother with your ducks but you never know. Do you have snapping turtles? Snapping turtles will definitely go after a duck no matter how old or big it is. If it comes down to you having to move you could always rehome them if they don't take to flying away. Or you could get lucky and find someone willing to let you have them.

 

[seashoreduck]

With temps still low at night I'd leave the heat lamp at night. She sounds like my dog. He very much so loves the ducks. Its funny now that they all have their voices they will be outside just a quacking away and my dog barks and wants to go out just to see what's going on. Foxes and hawks will attack the ducks. Hawks might not it really depends on the hawk and if he thinks your duck is worth it. I have hawks and never had a problem but I read every so often on here about someone whose lost one to a hawk. The wild ducks and geese might attack your ducks as they may be territorial. Geese are very protective over their mates. They may not even bother with your ducks but you never know. Do you have snapping turtles? Snapping turtles will definitely go after a duck no matter how old or big it is. If it comes down to you having to move you could always rehome them if they don't take to flying away. Or you could get lucky and find someone willing to let you have them.

No snapping turdles, only painted turtles and bulfrogs. Do you have their flight feathers clipped?

the geese are on the pond just north of my river, they fly over but due to my dog don't seem inclined to visit.

The fox does worry me a little bit. the nest is empty this year, so it's unlikely...but what can I do to protect them?

 

[ducklover87]

Well that's good then. All the breeds I have don't fly. With foxes its hard they can dig, they can ft into small spaces, and tear through weak spots. You can bury fencing underground a Lil bit to help deter them from digging under. Making sure there is no small spaces that aren't covered up with at least hard wired cloth if nothing else. Making sure your fencing isn't easily breakable. I'm sure I'm missing something but again mine free range and are locked in their coop at night. Coops are more easy to predator proof than pens are. At least in my opinion.

 

[seashoreduck]

Well that's good then. All the breeds I have don't fly. With foxes its hard they can dig, they can ft into small spaces, and tear through weak spots. You can bury fencing underground a Lil bit to help deter them from digging under. Making sure there is no small spaces that aren't covered up with at least hard wired cloth if nothing else. Making sure your fencing isn't easily breakable. I'm sure I'm missing something but again mine free range and are locked in their coop at night. Coops are more easy to predator proof than pens are. At least in my opinion.

Does having a raised coop help? The doghouse is on a skid.

 

[farmer boy]

how i would protect my birds from a fox is shoot it and kill it or send my dogs after it only if the foxes trys to bug my birds nit if its not even near me ... you could clip their wings would be better if you did so they don't fly away .. do the wild ducks come into your yard ??

 

[seashoreduck]

how i would protect my birds from a fox is shoot it and kill it or send my dogs after it only if the foxes trys to bug my birds nit if its not even near me ... you could clip their wings would be better if you did so they don't fly away .. do the wild ducks come into your yard ??

well the fox den is empty, so we're good for this year.

The wing clipping will be a matter of predation. If it will keep them safer I'm doing it. I got them for pest control...they are not pets like my dog is. They are farm animals with a utalitarian purpose. They are ADORABLE farm animals, but they have a job to do.

Wild ducks will swim in the river as the dog can't reach them, but generally avoid my yard as i have a dog.