How do you keep ducks in the yard?

[NYRIR]

The cayugas don't fly...but the mallards do...here's how I keep them in my yard...

Of course now we have a duck house in there...this pic was taken when they were only outside during the day.
O gosh...just looking at that grass and sunshine...can't wait for spring!

The run is landscape timbers,pressure treated 2x's and some galvanized american fencing.The top is covered in chicken wire to thwart off airial attacks.The ducks I chose NOT to free-range.The chickens do.

 

[dmiravalle]

ummm, just tell them to stay!!

and if your really good ya can teach them to heel on command! Oh don't forgot ducky schutzhund training, a must for all guard ducks!!!

 

[dmiravalle]

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Nice Pen!! Can ya come over and build some here???

I would like ummm, 4.

 

[greekbioguy]

this is my duck aviary

i keep mandarins and wood ducks and they all fly really well so their aviary is closed from all sides and 2,5-3 m tall . the ducks you are getting probably don't fly as well but unless you use protection from all sides including the roof and ground (you need chicken wire everywhere) then your ducks will become dinner to some animal sooner or later. a 3 feet fence will only be very helpful for the predator to keep his pray from escaping while he will be inside your coop exterminating the ducks one by one

of course ducks need clean water use some continuous flow system through some filter

 

[dmiravalle]

Very nice avairy. Mandarins...

Someday...

 

[NYRIR]

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Man!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll take ummmmmmmm....4 of those!

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
Nice Pen!! Can ya come over and build some here???

I would like ummm, 4.

LOL... I think greekbioguy has us beat!

thanks dmiravalle...it's what we could do for our budget and the ducks like it too

 

[greekbioguy]

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thank you i love the mandarins they are so strange and funny but i think i like the wood ducks more ,i know that for people in the US they may look common because they live free there but to me they seem really exotic and they are not as aggressive as the mandarins .the mandarins are better at breeding though ,i had a clutch of 12 babies out of one hen last year while the wood ducks never managed to raise more than 5 babies

dad mandarin and his 12 babies (3 weeks old)

wood duck mother with babies swiming

 

[Miss Lydia]

Me too, Me too love those pictures.. lots of love and work went into those..

 

[dmiravalle]

Quote:
thank you i love the mandarins they are so strange and funny but i think i like the wood ducks more ,i know that for people in the US they may look common because they live free there but to me they seem really exotic and they are not as aggressive as the mandarins .the mandarins are better at breeding though ,i had a clutch of 12 babies out of one hen last year while the wood ducks never managed to raise more than 5 babies

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/74494_megala_mandarinakia_2010_3_week.jpg

dad mandarin and his 12 babies (3 weeks old)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/74494_mama_karolina_2010.jpg

wood duck mother with babies swiming

I like the woodducks too, but the madarins just call to me!! I have calls right now and just love the little buggers, they are sooo much fun to watch. I see you are getting into Brahma's too???