OK so as of right now I have 7 ducks, 3 runners and 4 buffs, 1 drake of each breed.... they are all housed together...im getting some really nice eggs every morning and have even noticed my runners wanting to go broody already! (VERY odd) but I will not allow them to until next Spring....
Here is my dilemma, right now they are all housed together and are practically wild as all I do is lock them in at night, feed them AM/PM and theyre down at the pond all day...im 100% happy with that...but next Spring him hoping to have a hen or two go broody but I want purebred clutches....so my plan, was to fence off the 40x60garden across the yard, have the coop tractor in there for shelter/nesting and put the 3 runners in there to hopefully brood out and use as their grow out pen.... I was just going to do a 4ft picket fence with a 40x10ft section a little more secured with aviary netting over the top....
Has anyone done this and how well did your ducks adjust to the new area? am I being unrealistic in the fact they will be happy with the new set up (without their normal pond to go to everyday) would I be risking them totally freaking out and not enjoying the new area in turn ruining their desire to nest? I know its hard to get runners to go broody but my hens seem hell bent on doing it right now....
Here is my dilemma, right now they are all housed together and are practically wild as all I do is lock them in at night, feed them AM/PM and theyre down at the pond all day...im 100% happy with that...but next Spring him hoping to have a hen or two go broody but I want purebred clutches....so my plan, was to fence off the 40x60garden across the yard, have the coop tractor in there for shelter/nesting and put the 3 runners in there to hopefully brood out and use as their grow out pen.... I was just going to do a 4ft picket fence with a 40x10ft section a little more secured with aviary netting over the top....
Has anyone done this and how well did your ducks adjust to the new area? am I being unrealistic in the fact they will be happy with the new set up (without their normal pond to go to everyday) would I be risking them totally freaking out and not enjoying the new area in turn ruining their desire to nest? I know its hard to get runners to go broody but my hens seem hell bent on doing it right now....
