Proud moments-foraging ducklings!

[samuelsonfarm]

Yes, 1/2in hardware cloth-type stuff. I think it's vinyl/plastic coated. They have yet to sleep in the "coop" up on top. I don't know if they don't feel confident to climb the ramp or if they just are happy on the ground. Its been cool at night (in the 50's) but they seem to huddle up pretty good and keep each other warm. I'm very pleased with the situation right now. I hope it stays that way!

 

[Amiga]

Ramps can be tough to impossible for ducks. I was wondering if they used it. I read that 30% slope is the maximum for ducks.

And that's metal hardware cloth, right? I don't mean to be a pest but I know someone who lost their ducks because there was plastic fence labeled "hardware cloth" and she thought she had the right stuff. Raccoons ripped right through it.

 

[samuelsonfarm]

Yes, definitely metal hardware cloth. Thank goodness! I am wondering, does anyone have any ideas on how I can make that house above the run accessible for the ducks? It is pretty steep, but I'd hate for it to completely go to waste. I suppose I can just put them up there by hand. I just worry that when it gets colder out that they won't be able to stay warm enough on the bottom run without shelter surrounding them. I also have a large rabbit hutch with 3 solid sides and one hardware cloth side to house them once they get bigger.

 

[gryeyes]

That video made me smile from the very first seconds. By the end, my heart had grown two sizes larger.

 

[Amiga]

Do you suppose you could move the ramp so it goes across the front of the pen? A longer run would mean a less steep ramp.

Or bring the house part down to the ground.

 

[samuelsonfarm]

That video made me smile from the very first seconds. By the end, my heart had grown two sizes larger.

What a sweet thing to say, thank you! I feel that way every morning when I go out to say good morning and they all are so excited to see me

 

[jonhpdx]

Yes, definitely metal hardware cloth. Thank goodness! I am wondering, does anyone have any ideas on how I can make that house above the run accessible for the ducks? It is pretty steep, but I'd hate for it to completely go to waste. I suppose I can just put them up there by hand. I just worry that when it gets colder out that they won't be able to stay warm enough on the bottom run without shelter surrounding them. I also have a large rabbit hutch with 3 solid sides and one hardware cloth side to house them once they get bigger.

Unfortunately, I had 0 luck with my ducks and a ramp leading up to a coop-type enclosure so they could get out of the elements. I built a nice ramp that they could get up and everything, but I never was able to to get them to go up there on their own, they always ended up sleeping on the ground next to the wall of the pen (silly ducks). Last weekend I gave up and removed the coop and ramp from their pen and they seemed to perk up from the extra space that afforded them. My suggestion is to keep trying to show them how to use their ramp, but plan for the inevitable removal of the coop when they don't use it for months on end. The method I used to try and get them to understand how to use it was to put 3 of the 4 of them in the coop, and then one at the bottom and let them figure out how to get up. It seemed to work and they seemed to get a hang of it, but then on their own they would come back down and never go back up. I dunno, maybe you'll have more luck...

Also, as far as free-ranging is concerned, I had the same experience where for the first few weeks/month my ducks were very good about not leaving their area and not going outside the fence (my yard is entirely fenced in, but I was lazily leaving the driveway gate open because the ducks initially were afraid of concrete). Eventually, they ended up expanding their "territory" to the entire front yard as well (still fenced in), which was fine. But then one day, the neighbor and his dog walked by and they decided they'd like to follow them back to their house, so all 4 of them in a line wandered down the driveway, into the street and were going to follow my neighbor all the way home until I stopped them. My point with all of this is, they'll get much more adventurous and confident over time, so prepare to have to corral them if you only want them in a certain part of your yard.