Pond/coop questions

[Firepint Farm]

Hi all, we have a 3/4 acre pond that is crying out for ducks. We have chickens and goats already. So it’s daily chores for us anyway.
I would love to have a couple of ducks on my pond, but I also really would love some duck eggs in my tummy.
Maybe silly questions but here goes:
I’m thinking a pred/proof duck house. Most likely a repurposed plastic playhouse. Inside of a fenced run but then daily access to the pond. I gather from reading/lurking that only feeding at night in their pen should encourage them to come home at night. Will they lay in their house? Will they fly away with the locals? We have a couple of mallards that visit every now and again.
I would love runners, Cayuga or Rouen. Good choices? I’m in Hudson Valley New York. So we have hawks owls raccoons skunks possums coyotes foxes. My chickens are out fully free ranging most days nowand we’ve only lost 3 in 3 years. 2 to domestic dogs (neighbors grrrr) and one to a red tail in the depth of winter. But beside that we have been predator lucky. So if they would come home at night to be locked in I think they would be mostly okay.
Critique of my plan is welcome, it’s still prob a year off realistically but I like to geek out a lot in prep.
Thanks for reading.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Most domestic ducks can’t fly.

 

[Firepint Farm]

Well that’s that sorted then.
Thank you

 

[Pinckney]

Not an expert but here are my thoughts.
My girls are currently in the barn at night and when I let them out in the morning at about 6:30 all eggs have been laid, so your thoughts on enclosing them at night sounds good. During the winter they were outside with a chicken tractor for shelter and they did fine- they are much hardier than chickens; they were < 6 months so no eggs yet.

I love my ducks but they are the pigs of the poultry world. They do a great job of bug mgt. + improving my horse pasture but they need to be moved periodically if you have any number of them to prevent mud puddles. Just a few on a pond might be a different story but just a few???
I have Saxony ducks which are large, personable and beautiful. My Vet remarked how huge they were. I also have Dutch Hookbills which are small egg specialists and were bred specifically for egg production and are self sufficient. They come in different colors and are pretty as well but I think the female Saxonies are especially pretty. The Saxony lays a very large egg while the Dutch Hookbills are around chicken XL, maybe larger, but more chicken sized.

A few observations. I have them in electric netting and when I try to move them they are a bit of a challenge. If it’s a normal routine there are no issues- I herd them into the barn at night which has electric netting mostly around it as raccoons or opossums were constantly going for my chickens in the barn.
They don’t like narrow fencing when being moved...really frustrating. And as open as my chicken tractor was I think they felt too confined- during 0 degree snowstorms they stopped going into the tractor once I put up plastic sheeting to keep out the wind.
They really prefer open spaces so the playhouse may feel claustrophobic to them. Also might be too hot in the summer. Consider something more open with hardware cloth, and maybe electric fencing or top and bottom hot wire if you want something by the pond. They would probably prefer to stay on the pond at night, but they would need to be a larger duck with owls around (maybe). I have a pond and hope to get mine out on it this year. A goose to guard them (from winged predators) might be good too. I have a pair of Shetland geese and love them and have had other breeds too which were also fun.just 1 male would work, and if you can get him in the same order as your ducklings you shouldn’t have issues with aggression.
All my ducks fly for short distances, maybe less than 10 feet but rarely fly outside my 48” fence. The Dutch Hookbills might if they weren’t with the Saxonies which are too big. Both my breeds are critically endangered and need breeders!
Phew. That was long! Hope you find some of this helpful.

 

[CarleeAnn]

My latest egg is usually laid by 8am, so if I can keep my girls in until then I do so I can avoid an egg hunt, but today I found an egg in the pond Let them out at 6:30.....

Anywho, sounds like you’ve done your research and as long as the ducks come to the food at night and are locked away I think it would work out great!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

My ducks housing is a playhouse, I closed off a big window with coroplast and hw cloth, but the rest has hw cloth and plastic covering which can be removed for warmer months. The playhouse I have is actually a little bigger than they need with 4 ducks. Mine put themselves to bed, but they don't have free access outside of their run.

 

[Firepint Farm]

Thanks Everyone. I’ll still be mulling it all over for a while but it’s gettig there.