Looking for duck advice ...

[thethinkingweasel]

Our family has tried three times now to raise and keep a flock of ducks. The first two times we had Khaki Campbells; this time it's a similar hybrid (not sure of the name). Every time, they all end up getting killed by predators. This current flock started with 13 and we are now (about 6-7 months later) down to three ducks.

We live on 45 acres that are about half-and-half wooded and pasture. We have sheep and pigs, so some areas are fenced in for them with both permanent and temporary electric fencing. We free-range our ducks with our chickens and geese, and the birds can get through most of the fencing we have, so it neither contains nor protects them. We have also lost some chickens and geese in the last few months, but not nearly at the rate as we're losing ducks. We don't have perimeter fencing and don't have the money to put it in, so LGDs aren't an option. We know we have foxes, coyotes, hawks, and possibly a loose dog or two in the area. A couple of the ducks that were killed were left half eaten, so we suspect a dog for those, but the rest have just disappeared. The ducks go into a barn stall with the chickens at night, and we've never found any signs of dead/killed birds in there, so we don't think the predators are getting them at night.

What is the best way to protect ducks? Are there any breeds that are less helpless/susceptible to attack? Is it possible to free-range ducks long-term, or do you just have to keep them inside a bird-proof fence? We do have a smallish fenced-in yard attached to one of our barn stalls, and we kept the whole duck flock in there for a couple months when we were losing one or more a day. But as a regular thing, we would like to let them have more range. It's just been unbelievable how easily and quickly they get killed!

Any suggestions???

 

[Finnie]

A couple of the ducks that were killed were left half eaten, so we suspect a dog for those, but the rest have just disappeared

Half eaten points to raccoon or hawk. They eat their fill and leave the rest. Gone without a trace points to fox or coyote, who snatch and run, eat the prey in a safer place. (Although with foxes you will usually see a lot of feathers where being smaller, the Fox struggles more and has to reposition its grip.)

Dogs do not kill for food but for fun. In a dog attack, you will find multiple dead bodies but none actually eaten.

Knowing your predator can help you think out how to approach the problem. For a hawk problem, nothing will help except to keep them in a covered pen until each particular hawk learns that they are not getting a meal from your property so they move on. So they could free range most of the time with occasional temporary lock downs whenever you start to get hawk attacks.

For Fox and coyote problems, the same lockup in a predator proof covered pen will help, but you can also try using an electric fence around a larger pasture area, for a more free range experience. But that is not exactly foolproof because foxes and coyotes can jump over fences without touching them. Still, a lot of people have good luck with poultry netting and if you’re lucky, the Fox or coyote will get zapped by the fence and run away, and not even think about jumping it.

The ducks go into a barn stall with the chickens at night, and we've never found any signs of dead/killed birds in there, so we don't think the predators are getting them at night.

That is good information. It sounds like your night time protection is working.

Is it possible to free-range ducks long-term, or do you just have to keep them inside a bird-proof fence?

Having them in a duck proof fence will certainly help limit the space that you need to protect them in. It is much cheaper and easier to make a predator proof fence around a 1 acre space than around the whole farm. If you have an area closer in to the house or the area where people spend the most time, then that will help to deter predators and also allow you to monitor better.

I have an area that is about 100 or so feet square. I have it fenced with 5 strands of hot wire with t-posts at the corners and step-in posts every 12 or so feet along each side. It used to be just 3 strands of hot wire. 3 strands kept the ducks in, but I still found canid tracks inside the area. I’ve seen fewer canid tracks since I added the two extra strands of wire and upgraded to a stronger solar fence charger. But, it’s possible that the increase in housing developments near me has led to a decrease in foxes and coyotes, so I can’t be sure it’s the fence itself that has solved the problem.

This is a really large area, and I keep 10 coops worth of ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys in there with plenty of room. All but the geese are locked in the coops at night and “free range” within the e-fence during the day. (Except I recently sold the last ducks and no longer keep ducks, lol.) If you are only going to keep a small flock of ducks, you could get by with a smaller fenced in area. Or you could make it big enough for all your poultry, and hopefully cut down on any other losses as well.

We do have a smallish fenced-in yard attached to one of our barn stalls, and we kept the whole duck flock in there for a couple months when we were losing one or more a day.

If that worked to stop your losses, then that could be a temporary solution whenever you get predator pressure. But that usually means losing at least one bird every time you figure out you need to lock them up. It sounds like you don’t want them to have to live in that smallish area full time. Maybe you can do some kind of combination of a predator proof safe spot combined with a more open larger area to range in that can still be partially predator proof, like my electric fence idea.

It does sound to me like allowing them full time free-access to your whole farm is not ever going to work. But you should be able to find affordable options to keep them semi-confined safely.

 

[Mini Horses]

Good advice. My thoughts would be the condition of their area. Is it shrub and brush, near that or woods...which would allow for small predators to approach, grab and run under cover. Consider a portable radio playing near fenced area. Sometimes such human noise helps deter some animals. Electric net isn't cheap but can be moved easily to accommodate needs.