Hi, I have recently moved to a new house with 10 acres, (7 paddock, the rest yard/brambles) we have a large 30m diameter pond. I am looking at starting ducks, geese and chickens this year and am looking for advice as to the best way to keep them. The yard is flanked by brash and brambles and surrounded by copses as well as our 2 paddocks (for 2 horses)so i am worried about vermin, I can keep laying/table hens in an electric fenced run of a good size but want my ducks and geese to have access to the pond, is this safe? Its not easy to fence off and is surrounded by fox friendly cover. Plus I'd love them to be around the yard, esp. geese for guard duty! Does anyone on here keep free range? is it worth the risk? Sorry its a bit long!
Farming Friends Forum » Ducks
How do you keep your Ducks?
(10 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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hello, there are members who have ducks and geese free range and yes some have lost them to the fox, living where you do only you can way up the pros and cons, could you not pen in the pond area for their safty and you should at least be prepared to lock the ducks and geese away in secure huts or coops over night when the danger of atack is greater,if you are going to keep them as pets you will soon become very attached to them and then be devastated if you lose them, because once a fox knows that food is there he will soon take all your birds
Momo xPosted 2 years ago # -
Hi, I keep geese semi free range but as Mo says always lock them in at night. They are so used to it that they come off the pond when we call and march straight into the house. Also have chickens which we close in at night. Could you not clear some of the bramble thicket to make it less inviting to foxes if you don't want to fence a large area off .
When you first get your waterfowl you will need to keep them in an enclosed area so that they learn where they live and were the food is, otherwise they may wander off and not come back . Good luck with your project sounds an ideal place for it . MamaGoose GirlPosted 2 years ago # -
Hi, how about a central island or duck house in the middle of the pond? this could be tethered to either side if its a floating island or sitting atop a post - depending on the pond lining.
My ducks free range but are locked away at night for safety. They were happy to spend a night on my pond 7x10m in the summer but without a central safety zone, we were not comfortable with them doing it again.
SarahSarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
Foxes are good swimmers if needs be , I would not risk an island although you do see them. Perhaps it has to be of a certain depth or width to deter them . Had a friend who lost all her aylesburys at night time from a pond with a small shelter on .Mama
Goose GirlPosted 2 years ago # -
that link is amazing Mama
mo xPosted 2 years ago # -
It is Mo but very scary. Mama
Goose GirlPosted 2 years ago # -
Thats a good film and shows how clever the fox is. I still think in a more domestic environment, where people are around at various times during the day, that its a relatively safe solution for daytime use. I would still advocate locking them up at night.
Sarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
That newspaper article is enlightening-if only foxes took eggs and not our chickens and ducks.....I hate foxes. x
Posted 2 years ago # -
I agree Laura about foxes, the only way to get rid of them is to shoot them, that is what a neigbour did when I had one kill one of my ducks in 2003. It came back in again that night and he then shot it.
Lorna
Posted 2 years ago #
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