Locking up at night

[ducklings5405]

So I have 3 ducks who are nearly a month old that have just started living outside. So far I have been locking them into their coop overnight but they really hate being stuck in there, 11pm-9am. I hear ducks like to wake up at the crack of dawn. Would it be a better idea to leave their door open so they can roam freely between the coop and the run? (They are connected to each other). Please tell me if you think this is safe and advisable, here is my set up.

 

[Isaac 0]

No, because you have chicken wire wrapped around the whole pen which easily tear's, if you want to house ducks in that pen you'll have to use Hardware cloth.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only way that would be safe is if the whole pen was covered in hardware cloth. Top bottom all sides that is the only thing that is secure to keep predators from
Climbing over under and reaching through.

 

[DuckyDonna]

No, I wouldn't do that. There are too many predators that can get into that run. Chicken wire won't keep them from sticking their hands in and grabbing a duck. I'm talking about raccoons especially. I have no idea where you are but minks, ferrets and things like that will be able to slip in there in a heartbeat and your pretty duckies will be gone.

 

[Flyinbolts]

I would agree with the above sentiment. You're going to be better off than most however if they sleep next to the edge a raccoon can easily reach in and grab. Had this happen with a dog kennel I thought was secure enough.

If you're going to let them out at night it needs to be hardware cloth 100% surrounded and if you can 2x12's into the ground half way to help deter foxes/dogs/digging predators.

 

[ducklings5405]

No, because you have chicken wire wrapped around the whole pen which easily tear's, if you want to house ducks in that pen you'll have to use Hardware cloth.

It’s a dog cage I bought online that’s made of galvanised steel, similar to this pic, I added chicken wire on top to make the holes smaller. There is also chicken wire on the ground to stop animals digging and also a brick wall built underground to act as a barrier.

 

[Flyinbolts]

It’s a dog cage I bought online that’s made of galvanised steel, similar to this pic, I added chicken wire on top to make the holes smaller. There is also chicken wire on the ground to stop animals digging and also a brick wall built underground to act as a barrier.

This is literally the same thing that a raccoon massacred my ducklings from last year. They slept too close to the edge so it didn't matter how strong it was - if you don't have hardware cloth they'll reach in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The gate area is going to be a problem. You can work on making it secure or risk loss believe us please most of us have been here long enough to have seen mutilated bodies,ducks with out heads to know your pen isn’t secure.

 

[ducklings5405]

The gate area is going to be a problem. You can work on making it secure or risk loss believe us please most of us have been here long enough to have seen mutilated bodies,ducks with out heads to know your pen isn’t secure.

Thanks for the advice. I live in Ireland in the city where the only common predators would be foxes, we don’t have raccoons, ferrets etc.

 

[416bigbore]

Through an electric fencer into your operation for added predator insurance.