I keep my ducks and chickens at a friends barn where I board my horses, its about 2 miles from where I live.
When we first introduced them in early March, we had them all in the same stall with a divider, after several weeks and warm weather we allowed them all to go out together and they did fine.
The geese (owned by my friend) went their way, and the ducks followed a bit then went their own direction, coming into the stall at night.
About 2-3 weeks ago, the hen, a white mallard laid 1 egg, and then 1 other about a week ago. They do have a covered (chicken wire) saw horse with hay in it to go into to get away from the geese if need be.
We also have two feeders, and two buckets of water for them.
The gander is a chinese crested and has tried to mate with our call duck drake in the pool we have for them all. IN the stall the goose has gone after the drake and literally picked him up and flung him....
I let them out yesterday morning and my drake was limping, a few hours later his wing feathers are very messed up and he is limping worse...
I caught him after seeing this, and he has a lot of feathers pulled, lots of small nicks and cuts, he feet/legs are cut up...
So he and the mallard are in another stall so he can recoup.
BUT after this.. how can we let them out, where can we let them out so the geese leave him alone.
I have 2 other calls I am bringing over to introduce to the other ducks...
Should I make them a private area they can go in and simply herd them from stall to outside area and back?
We do NOT have a coop for them, they have used a stall for the geese for years.
I am getting a coop built for my chickens, and it will be in an unused grassy paddock, and can create a place for the ducks there...
But in the mean time..
what can I do? AND I do have another pool I can put out for just the ducks.
Carol
When we first introduced them in early March, we had them all in the same stall with a divider, after several weeks and warm weather we allowed them all to go out together and they did fine.
The geese (owned by my friend) went their way, and the ducks followed a bit then went their own direction, coming into the stall at night.
About 2-3 weeks ago, the hen, a white mallard laid 1 egg, and then 1 other about a week ago. They do have a covered (chicken wire) saw horse with hay in it to go into to get away from the geese if need be.
We also have two feeders, and two buckets of water for them.
The gander is a chinese crested and has tried to mate with our call duck drake in the pool we have for them all. IN the stall the goose has gone after the drake and literally picked him up and flung him....
I let them out yesterday morning and my drake was limping, a few hours later his wing feathers are very messed up and he is limping worse...
I caught him after seeing this, and he has a lot of feathers pulled, lots of small nicks and cuts, he feet/legs are cut up...
So he and the mallard are in another stall so he can recoup.
BUT after this.. how can we let them out, where can we let them out so the geese leave him alone.
I have 2 other calls I am bringing over to introduce to the other ducks...
Should I make them a private area they can go in and simply herd them from stall to outside area and back?
We do NOT have a coop for them, they have used a stall for the geese for years.
I am getting a coop built for my chickens, and it will be in an unused grassy paddock, and can create a place for the ducks there...
But in the mean time..
what can I do? AND I do have another pool I can put out for just the ducks.
Carol
