Free range vs the run

[DuckyDonna]

@DuckyDonna Thank you for this, made me feel a lot better. Sounds like your duckies have a great life and a wonderful set up!!! The predator problem just is too much for me to even risk letting them out alone. I can’t do it. I’m going to try to let them out a few times a week for an hour or two to forage.

I guess another question is, so I think they’re able to forage in their run...but if they’re not foraging enough in there is that a problem? Do they absolutely need nutrients from foraging in the yard? Or is their feed, water and occasional treats okay? I will try to let them forage when I can but I want to make sure by me not letting them forage in the yard all day, I’m not depriving them of nutrients out there or anything. If that makes sense!

Can you post a picture of their run so I can see what's going on there?

Everything for the ducks is behind and part of our barn including their pens. I've got the new babies in their own area and pen. Where our 3 pens are was an open area in the back of the barn where the former owner must have parked a trailer or tractor and it made a perfect place to build duck pens! It's covered, sheltered from wind and cozy.

The run has lots of little areas they can explore and search every crevice to hunt for things. Last night I sat and watched them chase bugs for about an hour. I couldn't even see the bugs but apparently they can! The fence around those blueberry bushes in the middle has been taken down since the berries are now done. They love to forage and nap underneath the bushes in the shade which is exactly what I was hoping they'd do. Funny because they don't bother the few berries that are left on the bushes or the leaves and branches. They are more interested in noodling through the pine shavings they are mulched with.

I built a raised bed inside the duck run and planted sweet potatoes. A volunteer squash and watermelon are growing up the side of the run and onto the roof now. Pretty cool! The squash is actually a gourd and the ducks just love to pick at the leaves they can reach. They will jump up as high as they can to try to grab a bite. They absolutely love that old Christmas tree. They have had the best time with it since I put in it there. They lay eggs under it, nap, and love to hunt for bugs in it. Sometimes I'll sprinkle mealworms all over it and they get real busy with that.

This was just a piece of a pallet I had laying around so I screwed it to the post and they love to lay behind it and it gives them another place for bug hunting.

So, on the whole, I think they've got a pretty good life, 2 pools lots of room and shelter plus stuff to do.

In the winter I hang a whole cabbage from the roof that they love to pick at like they're playing tetherball. Don't do it in the summertime though, they rot too fast and stink something awful!

 

[Bear1978]

I’d tell your neighbor to mind her own beeswax. It’s one thing offering advice, even if it’s unsolicited. It’s a completely different thing berating someone and making them feel bad about a decision like you have made; free ranging at the cost of loss of life due to a predator or other mishap vs. in a secure area where they would be able to live without the fear of predators or an oncoming vehicle. You do what’s best for your situation and if that person keeps up their shenanigans, then just politely tell them to go on and kick rocks down the road.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't have ducks, but I have a friend like that. She's always telling me what I'm doing "wrong" about my dogs. Their care, their feeding, their management, their training, everything. Even though I taught basic obedience for nearly 20 years! I know nobody can "make" you feel anything without your permission, but oh, my, goodness! She is a real guilt-master, lol! I don't want to get into arguments with her so I try to just tell her "thanks for that info," or, "I appreciate your opinion," and try to change the subject. Do what you think is best and turn a deaf ear. Bottom line, your ducks are alive and hers aren't. That already makes you an authority. Enjoy your ducks!

 

[Bear1978]

I don't have ducks, but I have a friend like that. She's always telling me what I'm doing "wrong" about my dogs. Their care, their feeding, their management, their training, everything. Even though I taught basic obedience for nearly 20 years! I know nobody can "make" you feel anything without your permission, but oh, my, goodness! She is a real guilt-master, lol! I don't want to get into arguments with her so I try to just tell her "thanks for that info," or, "I appreciate your opinion," and try to change the subject. Do what you think is best and turn a deaf ear. Bottom line, your ducks are alive and hers aren't. That already makes you an authority. Enjoy your ducks!

And that is why I’m beginning to prefer chickens to humans... lol

 

[BigBlueHen53]

And that is why I’m beginning to prefer chickens to humans... lol

Lol, you made me think of that song, "Don't worty, Be happy!"

 

[3bird]

I think you're doing great (as evidenced by your thoughtful questions posted here recently). We do sort of a modified thing around here: our six ducks get supervised free range time for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. They go where they want to go, and we just follow along. Some days they spend the whole time in one of their little ponds and other days we circumnavigate our four acres several times. We both work from home, so during the days they generally get divided into two pastures that are adjacent to their run. The pastures are post and rail with wire, so not 100% predator proof (we've talked about maybe adding a strand of electric). We have a fantastic crow population that mobs any raptors (and the ducks know to pay attention), and there are bushes and shelters in the fields in/under which the ducks often sleep during the day. If we are not outside working in sight of them, then we have the windows open listening for their very distinct alarm call. If we are away, we keep them in their predator proof 16'x8' run all day, and they are fine with that (but they are ready to come out in the evening!). We would like to build a large predator proof run in one of their fields, but that had to move to the back burner due to COVID, so we just continue to manage ours as I explained above.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I think you're doing great (as evidenced by your thoughtful questions posted here recently). We do sort of a modified thing around here: our six ducks get supervised free range time for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. They go where they want to go, and we just follow along. Some days they spend the whole time in one of their little ponds and other days we circumnavigate our four acres several times. We both work from home, so during the days they generally get divided into two pastures that are adjacent to their run. The pastures are post and rail with wire, so not 100% predator proof (we've talked about maybe adding a strand of electric). We have a fantastic crow population that mobs any raptors (and the ducks know to pay attention), and there are bushes and shelters in the fields in/under which the ducks often sleep during the day. If we are not outside working in sight of them, then we have the windows open listening for their very distinct alarm call. If we are away, we keep them in their predator proof 16'x8' run all day, and they are fine with that (but they are ready to come out in the evening!). We would like to build a large predator proof run in one of their fields, but that had to move to the back burner due to COVID, so we just continue to manage ours as I explained above.

I wish I had that kind of property we now have 8 ducks i got 2 sets of rehomed ducks 2 from one and 4 from another and had 2 surviving that i already had they wander our property but only when I'm Outside