Guard Duck

[duckking]

Will my male Rouen herd my female Mallards into the coop if there is a raccoon (or some other animal) near the coop?

 

[veronicasmom]

He may, but I wouldn't count on your ducks being safe from the raccoon. If the ducks can get in the coop, the raccoon can too. And probably will

 

[jrsqlc]

My 10 ducks have a 50x50 outside pen with a custom made Duck Hut that houses there feed.
I have only had 1 problem with outside animals and that was because the duck had a gimp foot from an accident and was bleeding.
The gate has a wide enough gap that the ducks can get in and out by themselves!! Still no problems, unless I forget tolet them out and they let themselves out, lol!!

I also have scrap food, layer feed, shelled corn, and others spread all over the ground, and still no problems!!!
I cross my fingers and hope to never have problems

Also my crested and non crested drakes do there jobs as Guards watching over their girls!!

 

[katharinad]

You are asking for trouble down the road. Leaving food scraps on the ground will eventually attract mice and rats. You also need to make your pen secure to keep out raccoons, skunks, and other critters. Skunks can slide trough a 1.5 inch opening. Had a broken slat on my deck surround that size and had skunks move in. That was bad. Trapped them all and finished it right there. I would suggest to at least put some electric fence tape around the fence. Put is on a timer so it will not be on when not needed. They make fence chargers for small animals, so you don't have to worry about a big jolt.

 

[duckking]

Hey thanks guys

. But would my rouen freak out if he saw a raccoon outside the coop?

 

[duckluv]

Probably!

 

[katharinad]

I'm sure he will freak out, and turn the raccoon on with his actions. Plus he cannot outrun the sucker.

 

[jrsqlc]

Quote:
Well food scraps dont stay long, they eat that up fairly quick. And as far as that goes, duck poop attracts mice and rats.
I have never had any problems with any stray animals, probably because my ducks are real talkers!! They will let you know when someone pulls in the driveway! My ducks will go crazy if i walk outside at 2-3-4 am for no reason, even if im really quiet, QUACK QUACK QUACK!!! Louder than heck!!

 

[duckking]

but will she heard the females into the coop the person we bought him from said his rouen heard's his females into the coop.

 

[katharinad]

I don't know, depends on the flock. In my flock of 9 the boy leads the flock and they follow. His sister is always behind everyone else making sure they follow him. So he is not herding at all, but his sister the alpha girl duck does.