free ranging ducks

[RunnerWhisperer]

I started mine off by bringing them out in ther 8x8 pen during the day, and putting them back in the sunroom at night. Then when they were old enough to be outside all night, I would let them out for 20 min in the am and about 2 hours in the pm when I got off work. I gradually allowed them to be out all day to free range but always put them in at dusk. I have two terriers that could care less about them, but at the same time keep things out of the yard during the day. Since I have had them we have had the same schedule so they are use to it. There are times they just don't want to go to bed but I force it anyway for their own good. My pen is lined on the inside with chicken wire and lined on the outside with welded wire. I have two latches on the door of the pen which fit very tight. I haven't yet had preditor problems but I know they are around, I have had evidence of racoons in my yard lot's of times. Not so much now though since we got the second dog.

My ducks do watch the sky too and have seen hawks and eagles before I have, it doesn't keep them safer but it tells me they are aware of them and watch.

I keep their water and food in the pen and leave the door open during the day so they can go in and out as they please. They do find it to be a safe place. When Cocoa was sick for a couple of day's that's where she wanted to be was in her pen. And when we have gatherings with lot's of kids, they go in the very back of their pen and watch.

We have since gotten a cat, which concearns me more than anything else at this point. The cat has been outside and has lunged at the ducks once. But the dogs chase the cat all around the yard and keep her running. It's funny they could care less about the ducks but will not leave the cat alone for a second. The ducks sometimes chase the cat with the dogs, not to exactly be chasing but more out of curiosity I think about the cat. It's funny.

Anyway we have a routine we have kept from the beginning and it works for me and my ducks.

 

[iajewel]

I don't think you can free range a duck or any poultry with out the help of a guardian dog. I have not lost one since I bought my first dog, I now have one for each pen and 3 in the pasture, and my birds sleep on them, and run to them when they see something bad. The dogs watch the air and ground. They are a sound investment.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
I have Cayugas living with my flock of chickens and a pair of Toulouse geese. I love my Cayugas! They want to be stealth Ninja ducks at night, but they finally got the coop is where we sleep at night idea. Sometimes they don't make it in through the automatic door on time, and they are out in front of the coop by the people door when I get home from work. I'll open up the Dutch door and check on the chickens, refill feeders and waterers, gather eggs, and then stand by the door for the ducks to troop inside.

Otherwise, they range freely over my two thirds of an acre all day.

 

[Back on the Farm]

I only have 2 pekins and 8 chickens. They are together in the chicken coop. Last April when I moved both the ducks and the chickens to the coop & run from the brooder, I kept them in the coop/run area for a few months.

I then started to let them out to free range while I cleaned the coop/run/baby pool, etc... each time I let them stay out longer. The first few times I had to herd them back to the coop/run. At night I would go out and 'stuff' the ducks into the coop and close the door. Then it got hot... so at night I made sure the run was closed, but I left the coop door open to the run. At night the chickens and ducks put themselves to bed. Then I noticed that when the moon was full or almost full - those ducks would be taking a night swim in the baby pool - night swimmers.

Now my chickens and ducks free-range all day and they put themselves to bed at dusk. All I do is go and close windows & the coop door. On full moon nights - I have to 'stuff' the ducks in, but if the moon isn't full - they are already in bed.

I have been lucky with not having any predator issues, but now that the weather is getting colder - I'm keeping my eye out. I have dogs and they now go out with the chickens and ducks during the day. The dogs have a run - so they don't go after my ducks and chickens, but they are close enough to bark at any predator that might get to close to the house. My biggest concern at this point is the foxes and racoons that are in my area. I haven't had any coyote sightings yet, but a few farmers about 15 miles away are starting to see them - so it is only a matter of time. I have been told by a neighbor that I have an eagle on my farm - I have yet to see it. I do know that I have tons of red-tailed hawks, but since I leave my dog out more often now, I don't see them as close to my house - we'll see when it gets cold and food is scarce.

 

[RunnerWhisperer]

Quote:
I agree! I know the risk of dogs turning on your ducks. As a friend told me once "walking meal" is what some dogs see. Many people here have posted sad stories about thier dog injuring or killing their ducks even after long periods of the dog having no interest. I wonder what triggers the attack!? Well besides the natural instinct to kill.

Everyday I allow my dogs and ducks to coexist in the back yard. Haven't had a bit of problem but in the back of my mind I do fear the worst. On the flip side I also feel safer knowing that the dogs are out with the ducks. Funny I guess! If it's going to happen it will, but I do segregate the dogs alone when they eat which I feel helps eliminate tensions. I also have duck time and dog time so that everyone feels loved and tended to. I tell you, keeping these animals happy is a full time job!!

But I agree, duck guardians are nice to have when it works out!!

 

[Going Quackers]

Quote:
I think it depends on where you are though and of coarse whether your poultry is for business purposes. As i said all mine free range, i don't have a dog.. well i have dogs but there not that type lol it wouldn't be worth the investment for less than a dozen ducks only kept as pets.

 

[iajewel]

I have 30 aceres with fox, coon, hawks etc if I had one chicken it would be dead with out my LGD. It has nothing to do with making a living on them it has to do with keeping them alive.

 

[Going Quackers]

Quote:
But that has to do with where you live though, again i don't have an issue during the daytime here it's night which is why my birds are all locked up. A guardian dog is very expensive, i wouldn't go out buying one just to keep my ducks free ranging, i mean obviously if one wants to nothing wrong with that either, i'm just saying one doesn't have to have one to free range there birds.. there are many variables.

 

[dianaross77]

I live in the suburbs. I have a 6ft privacy fence that keeps out any dogs that might be a problem. I have seen a fox on the other side of the freeway that runs just behind my lot but in order to get to my birds it would have to cross 4 lanes of 70 mph traffic. Since I lock my birds up at night, the only thing I worry about right now are the hawks. There are quite a few since the freeway is so close but having my dogs out in the yard with the hawks is enough to deter them. I don't think a dog would suddenly turn on a member of the flock "all of a sudden." It's far more likely that the dog had shown interest previously that went unnoticed by the owner and was therefore never corrected. I never leave my own dogs unattended with my ducks for more than a minute because my bullmastiff mix has killed several animals (wild). She doesn't want to eat my ducks but she wants to play with them which can only lead to one thing. A dead duck. Excitement around the ducks is strictly forbidden here as there is little difference between playing and preying.

 

[DB_Tex]

I think that the breeding and drives your guard dog is bred for go a long way towards the trust you can afford them.
Not all dog makes a good livestock guard dog. I keep great pyrenees/great pyr mixes. You can train them to guard livestock one of two ways-- either you bond them to the livestock as puppies and not to people so they think they are part of the herd, or you bond them to a master and they guard the master and what belongs to the master. The first method is great if you want a dog to guard 500 head of sheep across a thousand acres, the second if you want your dog to live with people. My dog takes good care of my property and animals without a hitch because it's what she is bred to do, and it comes to her almost effortlessly. The only problem I have with her is if she manages to escape the fence... she thinks the vacant lots next to our property line are her guard territory too.

Before "employing" a dog to guard your poultry for you I suggest considering what that dog's breeding is going to tell him to do and decide if those instincts will be an advantage or disadvantage.