Making a unusual duck house!

[Danragg]

Hi guys dont know if anyone else has ever done or considered this, i am due to be getting 4 muscovys soon and am wondering if i would be able to keep them at night in a sort of modified tree house out of the reach of foxes. another idea would be to susspend the coop from 2 tree branches to keep it out of reach would loe to hear peoples opinions on this would this be possible and would the drake be able to fly high enough to get into this if i was to create it? thanks (ill attach a pic of the garden and the trees that i have to choose from what one do you guys think would be best thanks again Dan.) the plan is what the suspended idea would look something like.

 

[needlessjunk]

Sorry but drakes don't fly but it is a good idea. Hens can but I don't know how well. I remember your other post and I think there are some serious considerations. They will need to stay in your yard and you will have to figure that out with the creek you have running through your property. Hanging out with wild waterfowl in not that great of an idea. How do you plan to get them back? Wildlife carries diseases as well that your guys may catch. They will not roost in your trees and to top it off how are you going to keep mink and raccoons out? They need a secure house that can be closed up at night.

 

[Danragg]

thanks for the feedback, think i will stick to keeping them in a secure place at night and blocking of the ends of the creek, do you think that they would always try to escape the yard or do they know were is home? thanks again. dan

 

[needlessjunk]

thanks for the feedback, think i will stick to keeping them in a secure place at night and blocking of the ends of the creek, do you think that they would always try to escape the yard or do they know were is home? thanks again. dan

I image as long as they know where home is that they won't try too hard to escape, but water is very temping for them. Mine are in my backyard so I don't have any thing like that to work around. I also don't have muscovies. Have you posted your ideas on the Muscovy thread? You might get better feed back there.

 

[Danragg]

i was unsure that there was a muscovy thread i will try that thanks, can drakes fly at all or just a little bit.

 

[needlessjunk]

i was unsure that there was a muscovy thread i will try that thanks, can drakes fly at all or just a little bit.

Most can fly for the first few weeks but beyond they won't get off the ground. The hens weigh a lot less so they are able to fly.

 

[needlessjunk]

These wonderful people all have muscovies and will be able to answer more breed specific questions muscovies are a bit different than other waterfowl. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/130753/muscovy-keepers-share-your-pics/13020

 

[Danragg]

Thanks one more question
was wondering if muscovys are such good foragers if i was to let them hatch say some runners would those runners grow up to become as good foragers as the muscovys that raised them?!