Vacation?

[HeritageFan]

How does everyone handle vacations with ducks? The chickens put themselves to bed and I think I can comfortably confine them to their coop and attached run for the long weekends we are away. (We go away almost every weekend in the summer and for holidays, could be 3-4 days but never a week or more).

The coop and run are fully enclosed by a larger run that the duck house is located in. It’s got 4” metal and vinyl fencing attached to the bottom and buried out about a foot around the perimeter.

The ducks won’t be able to also be confined in the smaller run with the chickens, which has wire that is much smaller than chicken wire almost like hardware cloth so nothing can stick a hand in and grab anyone.

They aren’t really fond yet of their house and while I put them to bed there nightly, they won’t go in willingly like the chickens.

Anything that I can do besides just having the house open and available to them to go into at night or run to if something tries to grab through the chicken wire?

Food and water for both chickens and ducks isn’t an issue- we have large buckets with dispensers for water and food that won’t run out over a weekend, though the little pool for the ducks will likely be super dirty by the time we get home on Sundays.

I’m mostly concerned about predators.

Our ducks put themselves into their coop at night/ at or just after dusk, even if I’m running late on my PM chores. Our turkeys do the same.
Soooo. I have two thoughts.
First, I feed in the actual coops, twice a day for the ducks, and at night for the turkeys. The ducks have a smaller feeder, we actually just use a big stainless “no tip” “dog” bowl for their crumbles. A pair of 3” J feeders, I believe similar to what you are using for their feed- we use them for the oyster shells/ grit for the ducks and the turkeys and those are outside for the ducks, inside for the turkeys, just due to space in the coops. Occasionally we offer red cabbage and collard green slurries outside in in the run for the ducks. They all also take turns free ranging and grazing on grass / whatever lol when we are home to keep an eye on them. I know some people don’t like to feed or water in the coops because they feel like it makes a bigger mess. But. If you told me I couldn’t have any (esp) water, or food over night if I was in “that” room, I wouldn’t likely want to go in there, either
Second, do any of your neighbors have critters (maybe you could set up a trade for vacation chore coverage?), or kids old enough to come even if just in the evening to fill up feeders inside and do a quick check? I have a neighbor friend that I swap chores here for date night babysitting - it works well for us!
Even if they only come once a day and leave doors open, I would think everyone would be more likely to go in for the night and stay in...
Regardless. If your runs are covered, with the addition of the hardware cloth on the duck run, they would likely be fine with the setup that you have.
If you -don’t- have anyone that can come check on them occasionally, can you set up some WiFi cameras so you can at least visually check on them while you are away, and maybe only have to ask someone to be on standby if something seems off? We got Arlo cameras at Costco, I can turn them on/ off from my phone, check on the critters from anywhere I have cell service, and they are WiFi - no wiring. Just mount them, set the range that you want them to “watch” from your phone, connect them to your router, and occasionally pull them down for a charge.

 

[Smiles278]

Can you tell me more about your food dispenser?

Me too! My ducks have a 2 gallon waterer but go through that many times

 

[Moments]

Good for you always better to overdo than not do enough. I don't know why ducks like to sleep right next to the fencing but seems they do. Mine do it during the day. But they are locked up at night. we have tons of predators.
Sounds like you can enjoy your vacation now and at least know you've done all you can to protect them.

Our ducks love laying against nearly anything. Steps, plants (that offer a little coverage) fire wood logs, planter pots....