Nervous newbie

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BigBlueHen53 said:
Hi and welcome back! You have lots of questions and concerns, which is great. I just picked up on this one:


Your concern was about them being more heat tolerant than chickens. But my concern is for their safety. I have chickens, not ducks, but where predators are concerned, their needs are pretty much the same: somebody has to lock them into a safe environment about dusk, and release them in the morning. Here in SE MO we have raccoons, opossums, skunks, snakes, coyotes, foxes, dogs and feral cats. Where you are, you may also have rats, bobcats, mink, weasels, fishers, cougars and bears. Domesticated birds need a predator-safe enclosure to protect them from these marauders, particularly at night. If you take off for several days and nights, leaving your birds to fend for themselves, you may not have any birds to come back to.
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They would be in a predator safe enclosure when I leave… only allowing them to free range when I’m home and likely outside working in the yard. I am rural, and no stranger to predators… the coyotes howl out here nightly! Thank you for your concern tho! They will be kept safe!
 
Hello, Sarah, and welcome to BYC! :frowGlad you joined.
I currently keep a flock of chickens but grew up with a massive flock of ducks. Both kept in NY.
In my limited experience, chickens are easier to keep. Ducks need water and you are in a very dry area. That isn't a very good combination. And as has been mentioned, ducks are far messier than chickens.
As long as you provide dense shade over soil that can be kept damp, chickens do just fine in the heat.
I do vacation since having my birds but I hire my nephew to care for them when I'm gone. The flock is tended to by him in the same manner I care for them so they do just fine. I also keep an eye on things with security cameras. I also avoid vacationing during extreme weather or when broody season is in full swing so that I am here to deal with those issues myself.
If you select the right breeds for your environment, you can enjoy a new flock of chickens or ducks. Good luck.
 

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