Letting my ducks go or should I put them in a pen?

[old dixie]

Well, I raised some last summer with hopes that I could "replace" an aging KC that lived on our lake for 14 years. I let them "out" onto the lake on Labor Day last year They were 12 weeks old. They seem to be happy. I keep a floating house for them about 20 feet from shore. It has a feeder that I fill once or twice a week. They spend much of the night in the house and lay eggs daily. So I think it's possible but it really depends on the exact situation. My ducks are on a 100 acre lake in the backwoods of SC. Predators are abundant but the lay of the lake, and having a floating house makes a big difference.
They'll be a year old soon.
They are great, low maintenance pets So far, it's been amazing.

 

[amjustice]

woah ok im getting attacked lol. i bought wood and fence wire to build them a pen. they WILL have protection. they will be supplied with food 24/7 as well as water. my question is do they ALWAYS need to live in this enclosure? i love these ducklings and i know theyre my responsibility. my plans to keep them at my other friends house has failed. This is the only other thing Ive got to work with. Ive spent over 100 dollars on supplies to build them a pen already.

 

[Ducks4us]

Well, I raised some last summer with hopes that I could "replace" an aging KC that lived on our lake for 14 years. I let them "out" onto the lake on Labor Day last year They were 12 weeks old. They seem to be happy. I keep a floating house for them about 20 feet from shore. It has a feeder that I fill once or twice a week. They spend much of the night in the house and lay eggs daily. So I think it's possible but it really depends on the exact situation. My ducks are on a 100 acre lake in the backwoods of SC. Predators are abundant but the lay of the lake, and having a floating house makes a big difference.
They'll be a year old soon.
They are great, low maintenance pets So far, it's been amazing.

 

[Ducks4us]

woah ok im getting attacked lol. i bought wood and fence wire to build them a pen. they WILL have protection. they will be supplied with food 24/7 as well as water. my question is do they ALWAYS need to live in this enclosure? i love these ducklings and i know theyre my responsibility. my plans to keep them at my other friends house has failed. This is the only other thing Ive got to work with. Ive spent over 100 dollars on supplies to build them a pen already.

If you have a yard for them to free range in they can do that during the day.
Mine have an large coop/ house to go into at night. They go in by themselves.

 

[junebuggena]

They will always need a secure house for nighttime. If you're family doesn't mind duck poo everywhere, you can free range during the day. If poo on the driveway or porch bothers anyone, pen confinement is your only option. Ducks can live very happy lives confined in an appropriately sized pen. If you don't have room for a small pond, a kiddie pool is a good option for them.

 

[lomine]

I don't think anyone was trying to attack you. Some of us are just very passionate about the subject of releasing domestic ducks. It's a sensitive subject here in the duck forum.

Ducks can have very happy lives in backyards. Ducks don't instinctively know there are huge bodies of water out there so it's not like they think they are missing out on anything. Many folks on here don't have tons of acreage or huge ponds but their ducks are happy. Mine currently have a decent fenced yard and a kiddie pool and they are as happy as could be.

 

[Natural Life]

No mention of a duck house at all. Option one, just let them go. Option two, build a pen. No mention of secure, night-time protection.

it’s interesting reading the comments. Especially the ones from city folks who have little hands on experience with animals. Natural selection has nothing to do with feelings. Some things can be learned by reading. Some things are learned through experience.

 

[lomine]

it’s interesting reading the comments. Especially the ones from city folks who have little hands on experience with animals. Natural selection has nothing to do with feelings. Some things can be learned by reading. Some things are learned through experience.

Domesticated animals should not be subject to natural selection because of owner neglect. Humans changed their very nature when we domesticated them and so we are 100% responsible for caring for and protecting them.

Proper animal husbandry means we need to take care of the things our animals would normally learn growing up in nature or the things they can no longer do because we changed them so much. Proper animal husbandry means we don't toss them out totally unprotected and say "Oh well, it's just natural selection! They should have been smarter/faster/better..." What a terribly cruel and callous way to raise animals we have essentially created to be dependent on us.

 

[Miss Lydia]

AMEN!!