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[randallt1]

Thanks for the new welcomes! I'm glad I'm sticking with pine shavings, thank you and I was pretty sure about the water but wanted to double check.
Do you guys think I'm alone in having my ducks live in a section of my back deck? Are there problems I'm not considering? We hose down all the time, clean the coop often and I throw cedar chips under the deck for smell control. We can look out the back window and check on them or step out to talk to them through the evening until we put them in their coop and everyone goes to bed. When its warm one of the dogs hangs out on the mammal side of the deck until its time to go to bed. The ducks are only spoiled a little, honest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the new welcomes! I'm glad I'm sticking with pine shavings, thank you and I was pretty sure about the water but wanted to double check.
Do you guys think I'm alone in having my ducks live in a section of my back deck? Are there problems I'm not considering? We hose down all the time, clean the coop often and I throw cedar chips under the deck for smell control. We can look out the back window and check on them or step out to talk to them through the evening until we put them in their coop and everyone goes to bed. When its warm one of the dogs hangs out on the mammal side of the deck until its time to go to bed. The ducks are only spoiled a little, honest.

Is their section fenced, thats my only concern as your back yard looks kinda like mine, lots of woods for preds to hide. I do let my flock out when I am home though to wander out side the fenced in area. It's a chance I take and so far thank goodness I haven't lost any. They do like their freedom. Your girls look very healthy and content I don't see where you would need to change anything. Unless you just wanted to.

 

[melissamerry]

Thanks for the new welcomes! I'm glad I'm sticking with pine shavings, thank you and I was pretty sure about the water but wanted to double check.
Do you guys think I'm alone in having my ducks live in a section of my back deck? Are there problems I'm not considering? We hose down all the time, clean the coop often and I throw cedar chips under the deck for smell control. We can look out the back window and check on them or step out to talk to them through the evening until we put them in their coop and everyone goes to bed. When its warm one of the dogs hangs out on the mammal side of the deck until its time to go to bed. The ducks are only spoiled a little, honest. 

My three white mallards live on my patio with no problem. It's a very small patio, mostly concrete, but there is a small path dirt and some fresh sod. I just hose it off every morning when I empty/refil their pool.

I say the whole space is 12x7 but we go out to the park an beach a lot so that they can explore and have fun. They also have fun stuff to play on. TreeTrunks just claimed the top of the ice chest as her own, but that's only because Jake called dibs under the BBQ!

I like the set up because, as you also mention, it's easy to step outside and talk to them. I definitely think it made our relationship stronger. I say as long as they are heathy and happy, which ever set up works for you is just fine.

Oh, and I spoil mine too! =]

 

[randallt1]

Miss Lydia and melissamerry,
Daytime predators are not a problem as the dogs are always close by and are very protective and the two ducks always come up to the deck on their own as it approaches dusk. The deck where they chill is fenced but not the yard. I'm glad to hear about your "patio ducks". Sounds like a breed that evolved living in Miami condos. Lol.

 

[jdywntr]

Just watched your little video of them sliding down the ramp. Very cute.

I think that we all should be overly cautious when it comes to predator protection. Too often I read posts of "but I'd never had a problem before for years". I raise my ducks for meat and (knock on wood) have not lost a duck to a predator but I have lost several chickens. For me, my reaction to a loss kind of depends on the predator. Hawk, I'm exasperated about. Coyote, I try to get a little more scent marking in the pasture with the dogs. I will also change ranging habits of the birds for hawk and coyote kills. Neighbor's dogs I get LIVID about. But I don't get sad, only mad.

I think those of you that raise your ducks strictly as pets should take greater precautions as a loss would be much more devastating for you. It is always better to be safe than sorry. You seem to love your ducks so much that I would hate for tragedy to strike.

 

[Going Quackers]

Just watched your little video of them sliding down the ramp. Very cute.

I think that we all should be overly cautious when it comes to predator protection. Too often I read posts of "but I'd never had a problem before for years". I raise my ducks for meat and (knock on wood) have not lost a duck to a predator but I have lost several chickens. For me, my reaction to a loss kind of depends on the predator. Hawk, I'm exasperated about. Coyote, I try to get a little more scent marking in the pasture with the dogs. I will also change ranging habits of the birds for hawk and coyote kills. Neighbor's dogs I get LIVID about. But I don't get sad, only mad.

I think those of you that raise your ducks strictly as pets should take greater precautions as a loss would be much more devastating for you. It is always better to be safe than sorry. You seem to love your ducks so much that I would hate for tragedy to strike.

I think you make excellent points here, jdywntr

Sadly, we don't truly know what we have for predators until we get something they would like, then we find out sometimes the hard way.

 

[randallt1]

Thanks for that heart felt predator advice. About 15 yrs ago we lost a little kitten to a hawk. At least one of our dogs is with them most of the time and they make their rounds together but most of the time they are right out back in the yard. We also have three good cats prowling around all the time. Btw, one of the cats tolerates Gladys being real close. The other two, no way. Hilarious to watch. Also in our favor I hope is that we live in a place with an abundance of hawk food, it's a buffet out here in the mountain forests of Appalacia. Seems a hawk would go for easier pickings if he could instead of going after a bird that is bigger than he is.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks for that heart felt predator advice. About 15 yrs ago we lost a little kitten to a hawk. At least one of our dogs is with them most of the time and they make their rounds together but most of the time they are right out back in the yard. We also have three good cats prowling around all the time. Btw, one of the cats tolerates Gladys being real close. The other two, no way. Hilarious to watch. Also in our favor I hope is that we live in a place with an abundance of hawk food, it's a buffet out here in the mountain forests of Appalacia. Seems a hawk would go for easier pickings if he could instead of going after a bird that is bigger than he is.

aw, that's so sad. My husband lost a small dog to one as kid. It's hard, you get animals need to eat, you just don't want what you own to be that menu.

 

[DenverDucky]

Hi folks, we have two 1 yr old Pekins and we love them so much. I signed up here when we first got them and lurked enough to get started. Things have worked out really well, thanks. Gladys and Amelia are daylight free rangers that are accompanied by one or two dogs most of the time. We live in the woods in the mountains and these ducks do a lot of climbing. They own half our back deck in a low fenced section with a secure coop and hang out after dark in their little world till we go to bed around eleven. When you go in to put them to bed, Amelia walks right in the coop. Gladys insists on being picked up and placed inside. Too cute.

I've read some things lately that made me question some of my techniques for caring for the ducks so I look forward to spending more time here. They seem to be thriving and very healthy and happy. And they run/flap so fast it's hilarious.

Hello again! I wanted to invite you to join us at the Pekin Duck Club thread! We would love to share pics, stories, advice, even recipes You can find us all at

http://backyardchickens.com/t/742668/pekin-duck-club

 

[jessiew33]

that is so cute