How long can I leave the ducks alone?

[cassilaufer]

Hey everyone,
I am new here and will be getting 2 Pekin ducklings in 3 weeks. I am going to have them in a brooder in the garage until they are ready to stay outside. (How will I know it's ok to put them outside.). I will be building a 4'x8' run with a 3'x4' enclosed house. We also have a 20' x 15' pond for them to swim when free range. If I leave them with plenty of feed and water what is the longest time I can leave them alone in their pen if I go away for a long weekend? I have someone willing to stop by when I am away (about one weekend a month, but sometimes for 4 days) but I worry about not having them available to check on them.

Also will they destroy a lawn if I leave them free range for a long time?

 

[StruckBy]

I'm assuming you mean how long can you leave them alone when they are adults, not as ducklings? Make sure that you have multiple waterers and feeders just in case one leaks. When we didn't have access to a pond, I left my large flock (20-40 birds, depending on the time) for a couple weeks with someone checking on them every 2-3 days just to make sure the waters hadn't been knocked over or something. Now that I have a pond so there is 0% chance they can run out of water, I'd be comfortable leaving them unchecked for a week since my feeder lasts 10 days.

As far as them destroying a lawn, it depends on the size. A small yard they'll trash the grass pretty quickly if left out to free range all day every day. In a big yard you can leave them out all the time with no problems. Mine free-range 24/7 and the only place they trash is the edge of the earthen pond.

 

[cassilaufer]

Great! Thanks for the information. I will be away a weekend in May when they are still young but I will have someone checking on them. I plan to get a very large waterer and a heated 3 gallon one for the winter, I can leave them both out when I go away.

 

[BooBoo45]

I'm assuming you are talking about when they are fully grown and not leaving ducklings alone for long periods of time?

You don't say where you live but from a personal point of view I would never leave my ducks in a pen at night unless they were locked up safely. Too many preditors out there that would very easily break into your run and kill your ducks even if they have put themselves into the bed part. Believe me, and I'm sure others will agree, you do not ever want to experience that.

All pets regardless of size are a responsibility and although they entertain themselves and won't chew the place apart like a dog would, ducks need fresh water and food daily. If they are in a run that size it needs moving daily or clean out, it is going to get pretty messy. As for the lawn, again it depends on the size of your garden - if there is a muddy patch then they will dibble in it. That is what ducks do.

All pets are a commitment and you need to give a lot of consideration before buying one to ensure it is the right animal for you and your lifestyle.

 

[Amiga]

I would line up a responsible duck sitter. Six, maybe ten hours for adults in a very secure pen, but ducks can get themselves into unimaginable trouble. I once waited to do a head count after moving the ducks from one garden area to another until I was going to close them into their pen. One turned up missing. At least half an hour had gone by. I found her, head and shoulders woven into the fence, an abraded spot on her jaw, shoulder dislocated.

Predators have all the time in the world to find a way to either get in after the ducks or pull them out piece by piece.

At the rate ducks can splash water out of their bowls, having a kiddie pool at a minimum is important.

Ripping thunderstorms can come up very quickly, with high winds and hail.

I manage to get away from time to time. It involves giving trained duck sitters plenty of notice.

Have you seen Vickers58's threads? She lost Richard to a hawk attack. She now has a camera in her duck pen so she can monitor what's going on. Got a nice shot of a bobcat walking right up to the pen.

 

[jandavis]

I agree ducks do have an amazing ability to heal. They suffer more by being removed from the other free ranging ducks than if you just let them heal on their own. If they have trouble walking, I'd put them in a pen for maybe three days and then let them back out. My Pekin was attacked by an older duck he wasn't used to, and I penned the young duck for three days, but every day I took him out and let him join the five other ducks he was raised with) while I stayed out and watched him. When I had to go back in I put him back in the pen. Whenever I brought him out, (the other ducks new ducks that I raised him with, ran up to us all excited and eager for me to put him down so he could hang out with his "buds." I could only do this when they were all young and hadn't been out of the pen for long, because they stayed right in the yard. Once they left us to go to the pond, I doubt I could get close enough to pick one of hem up.