New duck pen. *PICS*

[ticks]

Quote:
I put a sheet over the top of the wire cage they are in, which is locked. The top is covered and I am planning on putting another layer of chicken wire on the top. As for the bottom, I have been fortunate to have been having the pheasants in a ground pen without any harm. usually I do board up the bottom though

 

[rainplace]

chicken wire isn't enough.

This is what a raccoon can do to wire:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=209766&p=1

A thread about chicken wire:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=39419&p=1

 

[ticks]

Its not chicken wire, but what do you suggest

 

[rainplace]

I'm not sure what you all have over there in vermont, but I would imagine like most places you have diggers, climbers, and chewers.

For diggers you want to dig down or have a skirt of some sort of wire. Here we have coyotes and neighborhood dogs. They love to dig under things and jump over into things. 5 feet is usually enough to deter jumpers from jumping into new territory, but that doesn't solve the digging. Foxes dig too, I think.

With your current setup a raccoon could pull your ducks out in pieces through the wire fencing you have, they can also go under it, there are some pretty big gaps on the bottom. They can also climb it and make your netting nonexistent or if you put chicken wire there instead, nonexistent. It's like paper to them.

You can use hotwire too.

I suggest heading over to the coops forums and predator forums to get more info. I have my ducks in a setup like you have for your chickens at night. Why don't you put the ducks in there at night?

 

[FenDruadin]

That looks good for daytime, but I agree with the others, from sad experience, that something is going to eat your ducks some night. Shutting them inside that lovely shed at night will fix that, though. Or you can really beef up the enclosure--you'll need wire underneath, wire over top, and finer-meshed, tougher wire for the sides (something like hardware mesh).

Oh yes, and they certainly need shade.

I like your pool set-up--the rocks are a nice touch, and it looks like they've got a nice bed of chips there too.

Also, is that a wire dog crate in there? If you don't mind the fencing getting torn up at some point by a would-be predator, the dog crate *could* make a decent night-time protection too. If you wanted to go that route, you could line the dog crate with hardware mesh (to prevent raccoons et al from reaching through and eating the ducks through the sides of the crate) and then shut the ducks in there at night. Add straw bales on either side of the crate & a bit of tarp over the top of your pen right over the crate, and you've got weather protection too. The downside is that the ducks will still look "available," and a predator might shred your fencing trying to get to them. They would be safe inside the crate, but the fencing would still be toast.

Cute ducks!

 

[Goat_Walker]

Ducks are more of "campers". Thgey would rather be out in the outdoors than inside a coop or dog house. And as rainplace said it doesnt seem very predator proof - if you have that many predators. We only have the rare dog comes running through the flock incidents around here though. I know you must have placed some hard work into this but anyway you can extend it for more foraging? That wont last very long , they will turn it all to mud.

I think that as long as you have a herding stick or pole you can let them free range.I would think about wing clipping though. I let mine free range all the time , they always come back to where the food is.

( RAINPLACE : I LOVE your never avatar

)

 

[rainplace]

Gah, I was being super critical! I apologize for that. You are off to a great start, just need a few more things to finish it up. As others have pointed out, ducks would prefer to not go inside (though mine head off for their house at dusk every night).

iamcuriositycat had a great suggestion about wrapping their dog crate with hardware cloth and surround it with hay bales for weather protection.

I also think Ghost_Walker's idea of extending the run a bit would be nice for them. They will turn that run into mud in no time. If you are comfortable with it you can clip their flight wings on one side and let them free range with the chickens. Domestic ducks are opportunists and will stay where the food is so in all likely hood you wouldn't need to clip at all. It's good though to let them get use to being in their new place.

Again I apologize if I came off as critical.

 

[1duckychick]

Ok, this thread's got me a little freaked out now! My ducks are gonna be sleeping in my house forever!

 

[Sillystunt]

Looks ggod, could it be changed....sure! But for now it does the job. I never dugg down with wire and use welded wire. BUT WITH THAT, i am lucky that id on't have many predators and my dog stands watch~

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
Geesh - that's a little graphic. Very true, but graphic.

I think it's a great start for a daytime pen - in fact, it looks quite a bit like my daytime pens, although smaller. For the nighttime, however, they need a bit more protection. The majority of the diggers, climbers, and chewers come out at dusk/overnight/dawn - and ducks don't see too well in dim lighting, so it's when they're the most vulnerable.