Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[New duck mommy 2021]

Funny, my ducks herd my chickens when needed... Including the roosters.

Though I am disappointed in my flock. There was a 4-5ish foot egg snake, in the coop, eating an egg a couple of days ago and NO ONE alerted. The only chicken that even seemed to notice is the one that had been sitting on that nest.

Maybe I should get geese?

@Miss Lydia has a goose , chickens abd ducks and has snakes come in. She maybe able to help in that area
I cross my fingers haven’t had snakes

 

[Sequestered Ridge Ranch]

So glad to see all is at least safe and that you were able to get rid of the predator. Good thing you folks were where you were when it happened.

Out of all the acreage we have I purposefully put them close to our home (within 100') to keep an eye out and see how they react to open range, I want to see how they do with hot heat in summer to sub zero temperatures in the winter. This flock will live as such till the end of times, but from this learning experience the next flock(s) will be moved further away after learning from it.
Next experiment currently going on, will guinea fowl follow the ducks back into the Waddle Inn, to be continued in September....

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Back in the saddle again. It's been years since I raised ducks and chickens. Got 4 TSC babies and got eggs on the way

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Miss Lydia has a goose , chickens abd ducks and has snakes come in. She maybe able to help in that area
I cross my fingers haven’t had snakes

When we have a snake around no one makes much noise other than my goose if she sees it she makes low sounds and if I wasn't outside I would never hear her. Yesterday one was coming out from under the ramp and my Muscovy has ducklings saw it and I noticed how she was cocking her head looking then I saw it. I closed the pop door, the door to the other coop has to stay closed but I can't keep both closed since my chickens have to go inside to lay. I'm not sure there is anything we can do, I don't like to kill them [black snakes] because they also eat rats and mice. I have had one try and eat a pullet once too that is why my main coop stays closed during the day. It was hiding in the storage loft and came down at night.

 

[Maddcatter]

When we have a snake around no one makes much noise other than my goose if she sees it she makes low sounds and if I wasn't outside I would never hear her. Yesterday one was coming out from under the ramp and my Muscovy has ducklings saw it and I noticed how she was cocking her head looking then I saw it. I closed the pop door, the door to the other coop has to stay closed but I can't keep both closed since my chickens have to go inside to lay. I'm not sure there is anything we can do, I don't like to kill them [black snakes] because they also eat rats and mice. I have had one try and eat a pullet once too that is why my main coop stays closed during the day. It was hiding in the storage loft and came down at night.

Yeah, the one time my ducks saw a snake they all did long neck impressions and only the males made noise. Had I not been outside, I wouldn't have known.
I don't like killing the eggs snakes for the same reason. Luckily the other end of my property is a bit of a journey for a snake, so I threw it out there to gorge on field mice.
... If it comes back, I will kill it. I'd rather give the cats more playmates than lose my eggs.

Did you raise your goose with your chickens? I'm curious how geese work.
I told the hubs I might want geese yesterday, and he was worried that they'd attack my chickens/roosters and ducks.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Glad ive never had snakes, rats or mice to deal with. Our neighbors cat keeps the mice down. We use to have tons of mice.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Yeah, the one time my ducks saw a snake they all did long neck impressions and only the males made noise. Had I not been outside, I wouldn't have known.
I don't like killing the eggs snakes for the same reason. Luckily the other end of my property is a bit of a journey for a snake, so I threw it out there to gorge on field mice.
... If it comes back, I will kill it. I'd rather give the cats more playmates than lose my eggs.

Did you raise your goose with your chickens? I'm curious how geese work.
I told the hubs I might want geese yesterday, and he was worried that they'd attack my chickens/roosters and ducks.

Where I got my Stella from she had chickens. Ducks , geese and Emus running together
During Nate season they can get hormone crazy but fir the most part they are fine. In fact she even caught a chicken who kept diving under the goose to sit on the eggs the goose had
Chicken was lucky that goose was chill
Get as babies or hatch some and let them grow up with your birds

 

[Luv Ducks]

Out of all the acreage we have I purposefully put them close to our home (within 100') to keep an eye out and see how they react to open range, I want to see how they do with hot heat in summer to sub zero temperatures in the winter. This flock will live as such till the end of times, but from this learning experience the next flock(s) will be moved further away after learning from it.
Next experiment currently going on, will guinea fowl follow the ducks back into the Waddle Inn, to be continued in September....

My pen abuts up next to our house. My husband wanted them farther out in the yard but I thought it would keep them safer from predators. His raised garden bed is feet from the pen and last night something ate his ear of corn after pulling the stock over. It had to be either a coon or a groundhog that we have been seeing. I am fortunate that is all they wanted. I don't think groundhogs would hurt ducks but I am not sure. I know for sure what coons can do. I hope that your guineas follow your ducks. My friend just contacted me last week to let me know that the Mallard drakes that they ended up getting from me flew away after 2 years of having it made. They had a pond, girls, good food and a safe coop at night but free ranged during the day. They were shocked they left and so was I.

 

[quack_and_cluck]

Ducks are strange creatures. This has been one of the many inexplicable duck things of my duck keeping experience! How on earth do they get their water bowls and pond so dirty so quickly

 

[Luv Ducks]

View attachment 3592283
Ducks are strange creatures. This has been one of the many inexplicable duck things of my duck keeping experience! How on earth do they get their water bowls and pond so dirty so quickly

My Ducks exactly. My thoughts were in the wild they would be swimming in ponds and rivers and they want their bowls and water sources to look just like that. lol