new to duck raising: questions!

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I cant think of any way ducks could evade minks on the pond, or anywhere for that matter, but you might think of building a dock-like structure that extends a little over the pond. That way, they can be on the pond (escaping land predation) and be shielded (escaping air predators). Yes, most predation probably won't happen in the daylight, so the main thing is to lock them up at night. Make sure there aren't any little holes in their coop (weasels and minks can get through amazingly small crevices; seem to be deflatable) and make sure the door latch is not incredibly simple (something a coon probably couldn't figure out.).

 

[Amiga]

Ducks and Banny hens makes good points!

Raccoons can jimmy all kinds of fasteners. I'm in suburbia, and call me a pessimist, but for fasteners I have hasps and keyed locks. If raccoons figure out how to use bolt cutters, I'm going to panic!

 

[Felony]

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[Felony]

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the dock is an idea...you mean with a house on it? (to evade predators)

i soooo dont know how i'm gonna do this....i know spring is far but i want to be ready! the more i think about it the more i'm going to look on how much it would cost me to fence around the whole pond. and put a strand of electric wire at top and bottom of fence. that way i can let them roam free, not even have to lock them up at night, and they would have acces to alot of space and a pond. their only predators would be flying ones. already eliminates quite alot of predators! the minks are my biggest worry, i have seen them around so i know they are there...

i guess if ducks have alot of space so the maintenance is not too demanding, and they have a secure fence, then they are not such high maintenance birds to have on a homestead, right? provide them with a 3 wall shed to be protected from the elements and some extra food in case, and they should be ok?

 

[Amiga]

If you're leaning toward minimal shelter, then up your way I'd definitely go with a good sized breed. ( My little Runners don't have enough bulk to keep themselves very warm, and no, they don't huddle together. They might lie down tail feathers to tail feathers, but not much closer than that as a general rule. )

The nighttime shelter needs to be mink-proofed as much as possible - that's nothing larger than half an inch diameter. Hardware cloth does a good job. But the night shelter can be relatively small. We have about 64 sf for night time and that's plenty for the nine Runners.

Using a feeding schedule offering them food in their night shelter will help bring them in at the end of the day.

They are some work, but most people I know who have ducks agree that the joys are worth the effort!

 

[Felony]

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If i build them a shelter I will defenitly use hardware cloth (like the one for rabbit cages), but i would imagine a shelter for meat ducks would not need to be too elaborate and predator proof if the fence around it has electrical wire? I mean still good enough to keep them comfortable dry and away from the rain and wind...

if i dont have an electric fence their shelter will be like alkatraz

I also have to improve my chicken run, right now i have chicken wire, i'm going to add either 1x2 wire mesh or hardware cloth, and put big rocks or an apron all around it...next spring cause right now ground is frozen and covered in snow!

great idea for the feed at night, to put them in their house, thanks!!

 

[abhaya]

thanks this was very helpful to me as well

 

[Amiga]

If mink are around, remember they can squeeze through a one-inch opening, from anything I have been told.

And things will reach through fence and grab the ducks.