How High of fence to Contain Runner Ducks

[Doug the Chicken Man]

We purchased a trio of Runner Ducks on the weekend at an auction.
We have housing for them but just wanted to know how High a Fence is required to contain the Ducks.
We will be fencing the yard that they are going to be contained in and just wondering what hieght it needed to be.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have fencing 2 foot high that contains my runners- However it gives them no predator protection.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Thanks. they are housed within a yare with 5 Ft chainlink fence so the preditors should not be as big a problem.
We have chickens in the area as well and never had preditor problems yet, Just chipmunck thieves.

 

[Amiga]

Sometimes ducks will sleep propped up against a chain link fence, and a predator can reach through. In several places I have seen the suggestion to cover the bottom three feet of chain link or other larger-opening fencing with half inch hardware cloth, especially to deter raccoons. Then there is the digging under the fence situation.

I keep mine, when I am with them, in a three foot high plastic poultry fence area. This is temporary, and only when I am with them. But it contains them well. I also stretch netting across the top, since a number of hawks live in the neighborhood. They are good neighbors and I want to keep it that way.

The permanent duck yard will be coated woven wire, 40 inches high. The runners can do what I call wing-assisted long hops, but I haven't heard of one flying yet.

Their night pen is 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, 8 feet long (attached to their house). It is wrapped in half inch hardware cloth top, bottom and sides.

 

[chicken boy sam]

If you go to feathersite.com, they have a picture of a flying runner!!!!

 

[CityChicker]

I know, isn't that flying Runner bizarre? I have had more Runners than I can count and never had a single one that could clear even a 2 foot fence. I agree though that predators will be a problem. Don't fool yourself into thinking just because you haven't had a problem yet that you won't. Predators are a problem even in the middle of cities. We are barely ten minutes from downtown of a major city and we regularly have foxes (every single night), coyotes, skunks, and raccoons (not to mention flying predators). It seems like people will be fine for a long time and then all of the sudden a predator discovers their flock and decimates it in a matter of days (or hours in the case of some like foxes and raccoons).

Don't think it won't happen to you! There are several that will be able to get over, under, or through a 5 foot chain link fence like it is nothing.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Don't you mainlyhave to worry about ground predators (coon, possum, etc) at night? I always keep their yard uncovered, but they are only out in it for during the day and then before night fall they are put in their predator safe pens. Should I worry more than I have been?

 

[CityChicker]

A lot of people keep birds in open pens during the day and lock them up at night. We did that for years with almost no problems. We have recently gone to keeping the birds in covered runs 24/7 because we have a major fox problem here and they have started coming around during the day.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Knock on wood, but we've never seen a fox around here. I have seen one and only one hawk about 3 months ago, but he did not bother with the ducks. I was out there, and I would have kicked his feathered butt if he'd tried though! There's a ground hog under my garage (yay I know) but again, he's a not a threat. the only things I worry about are night time preds like the coon.

Honestly though I am terrified of letting the ducklings out in the yard alone. I know one day soon I will have to, but until then....

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

Thanks for the info. Our yard has 3 sides fenced with chain link fence. The only side is not fenced is along a stream that we will be keeping the ducks out of. THey will be locked up in a preditor proof coop at night. Currently they are in a chicken tractor 1X1 Welded wire run that I built last year for some of our chickens. The chickens frerange in the yard during the day for the last year with no problems yet. We have a dog that goes in and out all the time. when the chickens are free ranging some one is out with him. THe wild turkeys across the road in the woods have no problems from what we can tell.

A falcon go one of the chickens 3 years ago. It then sat in a tree for 3 days waiting for its next meal then it decied to move on.

We have seen muscrat and beavers along the stream on the side of the property and the dog killed a muscrat a year ago as it was trapped in the back yard.

So far so good.

I currently putting up a 5 Foot fence 2 X 2 fence around where the Runners will be. We are still deciding on the exact nature of the permanent fence. It sounds like it may be wood for the astetics.