I live in a small rural farming town. we do not have many predators.
We just moved in in September.
My set up is this: I have a duck house that predator proof that I lock my ducks up in at night. they are free range during the day. our half acre is fenced in with a combination of farm wire fence and wood.
the day after Christmas I found one of my Cayugas dead by the watering bucket. I had kept my dogs in that day.
based on the clues (small set apart footprints, small hols in the snow etc) we think that the predator is a mink or a type of weasel.
ever sense I have not let my ducks be out of there house unless my dogs were out as well. we have not lost any more ducks.
the neighbors across the street however lost there hole flock of ducks and chickens to what they think was a mink/weasel. (I am sharing my eggs with them because they have allergy and need the eggs) it was so sad.
any way, I have been trying to figure what I should do because even though this solution of keeping my dogs out back when the ducks are out works I miss my dogs.
I really want to keep my ducks free range if I can...
quick question, do mink or weasels only hunt at night/dusk? (I had forgot the night my duck was eaten, to shut them up until it was dark out)
so solutions I have thought of, please let me know what you think.
1: Get a pare of geese.
because of the type of predator I think a goose If rased with my ducks would be able to protect, intimidate or at the least give a better warning so my ducks could get away.
the problem with this is that I herd that even if you have a tame goose the males in particular can be aggressive towards kids especially during the mating season. I have three small children. so that wouldn't work unless they are not free ranging...
2: get a bigger flock of ducks. I only had 6 ducks (now 5) If I had say 10-18 ducks do you think a mink wouldn't dare attack during the day? and if it did chances are it would be spotted by my ducks before it could do damage right?
3: build a fenced in duck yard that I keep them in unless the dogs or I am out with them. I don't really like this Idea, but it seems like it would provide the best protection.
If I did build a duck yard do I need to make a top? or do you think 3' hardware cloth is sufficient to keep mink, weasel out?
thank you for your help!!
We just moved in in September.
My set up is this: I have a duck house that predator proof that I lock my ducks up in at night. they are free range during the day. our half acre is fenced in with a combination of farm wire fence and wood.
the day after Christmas I found one of my Cayugas dead by the watering bucket. I had kept my dogs in that day.
based on the clues (small set apart footprints, small hols in the snow etc) we think that the predator is a mink or a type of weasel.
ever sense I have not let my ducks be out of there house unless my dogs were out as well. we have not lost any more ducks.
the neighbors across the street however lost there hole flock of ducks and chickens to what they think was a mink/weasel. (I am sharing my eggs with them because they have allergy and need the eggs) it was so sad.
any way, I have been trying to figure what I should do because even though this solution of keeping my dogs out back when the ducks are out works I miss my dogs.
I really want to keep my ducks free range if I can...
quick question, do mink or weasels only hunt at night/dusk? (I had forgot the night my duck was eaten, to shut them up until it was dark out)
so solutions I have thought of, please let me know what you think.
1: Get a pare of geese.
because of the type of predator I think a goose If rased with my ducks would be able to protect, intimidate or at the least give a better warning so my ducks could get away.
the problem with this is that I herd that even if you have a tame goose the males in particular can be aggressive towards kids especially during the mating season. I have three small children. so that wouldn't work unless they are not free ranging...
2: get a bigger flock of ducks. I only had 6 ducks (now 5) If I had say 10-18 ducks do you think a mink wouldn't dare attack during the day? and if it did chances are it would be spotted by my ducks before it could do damage right?
3: build a fenced in duck yard that I keep them in unless the dogs or I am out with them. I don't really like this Idea, but it seems like it would provide the best protection.
If I did build a duck yard do I need to make a top? or do you think 3' hardware cloth is sufficient to keep mink, weasel out?
thank you for your help!!
