Housing question

[Pekinmomma]

Hello everyone! New here with a question for all of you.
I have 2 pekin ducks and a large fenced in yard that they freely roam during the day. They have a small cage at night but it is not large enough for the now seasonal 13 hours of darkness each day. We dont have coyotes, loose dogs, etc....only cats, the occasional hawk and maybe raccoons in the area. Would they be safe in the yard even after dark (until say 9pm) and early such as 5 am to accomodate work schedules, or should I buy something larger to keep them in all the time when I have to work until late spring when they have more sunlight again and can roam free?

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us I'm not sure how small, "small" is. They likely will go in when it gets dark and not come out until sun rise, that said, if you don't have predators I don't see an issue with opening the door at five and closing it at 9. Again welcome.

 

[Pekinmomma]

Thank you for the welcoming and reply
By small duck house, its approx. 3.5 feet x 4ft pen we bought from tractor supply. It's big enough for them to sleep in comfortably but i feel bad leaving these spoiled ducks penned up too much just because the daylight is so short now. They easily go in at night and I close them in until I get up or have to leave for work. Poor things look at me like I am crazy when it' dark outside and I open the door to let them out

 

[MagpieDucks]

6 sq ft. isn't bad considering what some people keep their ducks in. They should be fine. Like rjohns said, they probably will go in there by themselves before you lock them up. And likewise, they might not come out until sunrise also. If you are worried, about owls/raccoons, it would be worth it to see if your neighbor or somebody would be willing to shut them up at night, in return for nice fresh duck eggs.

 

[casportpony]

@Pekinmomma , welcome to BYC!

 

[onaharley]

Currently I have to do the same thing on letting them out in the morning and putting up in the evening. 5:30 am I go out turn on all the lights I can- Christmas lights around their pen, big light on barn and all my patio lights. I let them out and prop open door for the day. Clean water for their pen and fresh food for the day. I let them free range all day. When I get home, I clean out all water buckets and set them up on the picnic table full of water for the next morning rounds.(if I don't do this, they go one by one and muddy them up before I get the last cleaned ) Clean pen, more fresh water and food. When it's dark they go in the pen to let me know that it's meal worm time and then lock them up for the night. It is getting dark 1hour after I get home, so I hang with them as long as possible before locking them up. Then I repeat the next morning just find what works for you and run with it.

I don't like that they are out at 5:30am but it's the only option I got right now. I might hire some one to swing by daily to let them out since 5-8 am is a long time in the dark....

 

[chickens really]

Hello....I have a 10x10 dog Run around my Duck House..Mine are only allowed out to forage when I'm home..They happily accept the accommodations and then I lock them in at night...I also have Christmas lights on the pen....I have a bed of straw outside in a corner of the run for them to lay in during the day...My Run is covered in a tarp and wrapped in vapour barrier plastic to keep out the wind and snow.....
Best wishes...