predators to ducks, swans

[chickenbusiness]

Please tell me how to keep predators from hurting ducks, and swans. I have a pond but I also hear coyotes in the woods-a lot of woods here in the country. Is there a way to keep the predators away. The pond is not close to our home it borders a horse farm.

 

[loanwizard]

Tough question.

Perhaps electric fence with a solar battery charger around the perimeter?

Duck houses in the pond. I did that but they were never used.

 

[chickenbusiness]

Tough question.

Perhaps electric fence with a solar battery charger around the perimeter?

Duck houses in the pond. I did that but they were never used.

Thank you for the information. How do other folks keep the ducks safe? Do they have houses for them like we have for the chickens?

 

[waterdog]

We keep all our ducks and geese under netting which I feel is a must to keep small ornamental ducks safe from hawks and owls, but are swans are on about an acre pond no fencing and we do not have any problems they seem to spend the night on the water and nest next one of the duck pens.

 

[destinduck]

Mine are under netting as well. I use electric fencing. I saw my first coyote in a long long while.Hope he moves on.

 

[chickenbusiness]

Wonderful information. Thank you! Most helpful. So maybe the swans would be ok on a pond if I have a nest box for them? As a child I remember the big two story house our country neighbors having a pond and they had white ducks on them. The cows were in with the ducks they were the milking cows. I guess that was before we received all the coyotes in the area. I wondered how I could have ducks on the pond with the coyotes here. We now have to keep them away from the homeplace. Thank you all so very much.

 

[josebeth1]

Where are you?
I'm not good on the duck knowledge, but around here, we have lots of coyotes and they're the least of my worries with my swans. The biggest concerns are the minks, weasels, and snapping turtles!! Once when I was freaked about the coyote that was in my yard the previous evening, I called our local Fish & Wildlife guy (long time ago when the swans were relatively new to us) asking if he could help. His answer to me was, "Beth, I've seen your male swan--and I'd be more worried for the coyote than for him!"

Yes, our Samson is really that much of a brute! But the way I've learned that minks kill their avian prey--well, that scares the you-know-what out of me, not to mention the thought of a swan/cygnet losing a foot or head to a snapper! Unless someone has a better idea, the only thing you can do for those problems is have a great trapper who's available immediately when you need him! I've found that the little old man who does this for me is far more effective than I would be trying to do it myself, especially when time is of the essence.