Will my ducks go bush if I let them free range.

[Brycycle]

I've owned three muscovy ducks, a mother and two ducklings (about 7-8 weeks old) for about a month and we've had them in a enclosed pen, but we won't to have them free ranging. However, there are two problems. The first problem is that we have a large area of dense bush around our home and we don't know whether the ducks will chose to go live in the bush and we won't see them again. The second problem is that there are a couple of neighborhood cats that occasionally visit our property and we don't know how they will interact with the ducks. What should I do?

 

[chickens really]

I doubt they will go and live in the bush. You could do free range time while you keep an eye on them. The cats won't be an issue. My Calls Ducks free range and the cats don't bother with them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

At 7-8 weeks old I don’t think the cats will mess with your ducks. Tiny newly hatch they may. My Muscovy like to lay under the bushes here but will come out for treats so start training yours by putting some kind of treats into a container with a lid so you can shake it and make a noise either whistle or call them using the same way all the time they’ll associate what you are doing with treats and you’ll be training them to come. I have a plastic coffee can I keep mealworms and 6 way scratch in when I want my flock to come I start whistling and shaking the can they come running from all over their half acre. Works great. Love to see some pics!

 

[quackiemama]

I too have some cats that live in the woods here and they don't seem to even notice the ducks or my neighbors chickens. They do however love to sit under my bird feeders for the wild birds.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I have had mixed experiences with ducks and the wild area surrounding our property. At one point my flock was perfectly content staying within the confines of our yard (we have woods surrounding our property on 3 sides). A generation later, it was everything I could do to keep them out of the woods. I would much rather have them playing in the woods than on the road, though, so I count my blessings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Woods can = predators hiding.... Cars can mean accident waiting to happen!

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Woods can = predators hiding.... Cars can mean accident waiting to happen!

Absolutely on both counts! I worry about predators all the time, but putting them up at night helps.
What really got my heart racing one day was when I looked out the kitchen window and 6 of my ducks were walking across the highway. I live on a very busy street and have already lost ducks to the road, so I did not hesitate to run out in my socks and corral them back to the safety of the yard. It was a rainy day, and they always get adventuresome in the rain...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe you should consider putting up fencing ? Sorry you have lost some to the road.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Maybe you should consider putting up fencing ? Sorry you have lost some to the road.

Fencing is definitely in the works. We have a run for them that we now keep them in when it rains, and once I have the funds I will put up some chicken wire as a perimeter around the yard. It won't keep the raccoons out, but it should keep the ducks in.