Special requirements for banty ducks or call ducks?

[bryan99705]

Considering getting a half dozens Call ducks next spring and need to know if they have any special needs. Do they need individual nests or will a community house work? The geese and ducks we currently have just plop down anywhere they wish and sleep, are Calls the same way? I have a raven fighting rooster that will be wintered over this year so I will have one expierenced guard bird on site and the rest of the birds are not unprotected till they are fully feathered and familiar with the yard.

I've got about 1/2 acre fenced 6' tall and skirted. Was considering building a duck house and setting it near the proposed 10x20 "duck puddle" (still waiting for the DW's blessing) The area is critter secure but can't guarentee I can keep the eagles, ravens, and hawks away so was planning on netting the water area. I do have the option of housing them in the greenhouse and limiting them to the garden if the ravens get too agressive but would rather have them in the yard.

Any ideas would be appreciated

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Calls can fly. Ours are split up per color for breeding, then in large flght pens with net tops in groups. I know some free range theirs, but we have too many hawks for my liking.

 

[bryan99705]

Interesting, guess I'll have to clip wings because with the volume of migratory birds that fly over, we'd never see them again. I'll have to count on the rooster and the net to keep the bad birds off them.

What about housing them?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We have poultry pods in the flight pens for them. They work great inside the secure enclosure. They go together quickly, I can move them inside the barn incase of a hurricane, easy to hose out.


http://poultrypods.com/

 

[dwhite]

If calls can fly then why have none of my free range calls ever flown?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Good question, my blue fawn pied girl LOVES to fly right at everyone's head at that!

 

[dwhite]

Hmm, I talked to a few other people around me and their calls don't fly either? Mine have the typical show call body, maybe the weight and cobby body prevent the flying? Even when the dog chases them they just run along the ground.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

My girl that flies came from a breeder who use to show her, she has a big successful show past. My white male the tank he is, I don't think he could go far, but I would test that theory either. Plus we have Bald Eagles, hawks, fox, coyotes, bob cats, coons ect so no free ranging here ever.

 

[dwhite]

I have the same issues, there is no unsupervised free range, and the duck area is close to the house so night time is the most dangerous so everything is locked up at night in pens.

I will just be happy I don't have to worry about flying calls!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

LoL yeah this girl needs to learn to just waddle.