Helpful tips for my ducks

[22lilchickens]

I have had ducks before, I've raised two mallard drakes, 10 Muscovys, and three Pekins my mallards are at a friends where he has plenty of girlfriends and I gave 6 of the baby muscoys to a friend. But sadly my Pekins and my 4 muscoys were killed by a dog. But luckly my mom found a woman that was selling a breeding pair of runner ducks

and I will be picking them up Saturday. They will go in a pen with my 3 little goats, which I'm not worried about my goats hurting them because they have been around chickens,ducks, and turkeys. The fencing is 2x4 welding wire tall enough to keep climbing goats in. But I need some ideas about having there own little area in the pen, like a hut only they can fit in( my goats will try to get in anything

) and for those who breed ducks any advice about how you have them set up and special things you have found to keep them and the baby's happy and healty. And any other tips will help.

 

[22lilchickens]

And the pen is 75x75 and will keep getting bigger as time goes on so they will have plenty of room and hopefully I will find some more hens for the drake

 

[StBob]

Have you thought of getting a chicken coop for them? I bought mine for my hens but the ducks used to come in and muddy the water when the door was open. So I closed the door and made a small hole in the wire about 8 inches square thinking the chickens could get in but not the ducks but they got in through that as well! But I doubt if a goat would. My duck even laid her eggs and brooded them in the nesting box so I think they would be quite happy with that and you can buy them ready made. Mine don't seem to have a problem with the ramp and even when I removed it she would jump up about 12" into the roosting box. If you keep them confined in there for a week they will probably start laying their eggs in the nesting box as well. Good luck!

 

[22lilchickens]

That what I plan on doing or an making a little area in the pen where my older goat can't get threw only the ducks can but since I raise goats and there the dwarfs the baby's will probably be the trouble makers since there super tiny when there born before you know it the baby goats will be cuddling with the ducks in the duck house

 

[StBob]

Nice. Love goats. I drive past a goat farm regularly and loved seeing the classic lineup of parents at each end and 3 baby goats in between. But I have to resist.

Here is a photo of Wendi inspecting the chicken coop. I would say make the hole 1/2 of what you think a duck could fit through. She fitted through that one no problem!