Hawks and ducks

[bmt123]

I know hawks can be a big threat to chickens so I keep them in a run during the day but what about ducks. Would a hawk bother them.

 

[FluffyDucklings]

Yes a hawk would gladly kill and eat any duck

 

[bmt123]

My yard has a lots of cover do would the ducks know to stay close to the cover

 

[FluffyDucklings]

I would think so but a duck house will help a lot. If you train the ducks to go to the duck house if they sense danger they will be much safer than if they were just hiding under trees or plants. Keep the ducks in the duck house for a week or so before letting them free range so they associate the house with "home" and "safety"

 

[bmt123]

They would defiantly have a duck house. If I kept them in there for the first could of weeks would they return to it every night

 

[FluffyDucklings]

They will do it on their own if they get into the routine of it. To get them started, at dusk you can lure them in the duck house using treats such as dried mealworms. Do this until you see them putting themselves away

 

[arnaudgf]

My yard has a lots of cover do would the ducks know to stay close to the cover

My ducks are very good at hiding as soon as they spot hawks (or anything remotely close to one).

I'm actually thinking about getting a pet hawk to convince them to go in the duck house in the evening

 

[Paulaann]

My friend has all kinds of chickens,ducks, turkeys and geese. They have a Cooper Hawk that thinks he's at a restaurant circling and picking out the choicest birds to eat. When he flies overhead the chickens run for the bushes and shed but the turkeys, ducks and geese raise seven kinds of heck and all come together into a circle with the little ones on the inside. I have never seen this sight before and was most impressed. When the hawk retreats or leaves they return to normal.

 

[Paulaann]

They actually go in the barn at dusk and are closed up. Then they are released in the morning to go about their business.

 

[desertdarlene]

Yes, hawks kill ducks, even small hawks like Cooper's hawks. I've seen red-tails circle around and try to pick a victim from a flock of very large ducks (like jumbo pekins), too.