Suggestions for duck housing with my pond

[shawn.dearie]

I am new to owning ducks, but made the plunge with 9 Rouen ducks because the wife wanted ducks for our pond. We have 1/2 pond on our property that is visible from the back porch, so she wanted to add some ducks in addition to the chickens I recently ordered from Murray McMurray.

Does anyone have any suggestions or guidance on what is the best way to care for these Rouen ducks once they become big enough to be outside full time? I am considering building a coop that I can try to corral them into every day near the water and just let them out every morning. Additionally, I am considering building a house directly on the waters edge and have some fencing go into the water to keep the majority of predators away from them. I know raccoons can swim, so I don't know if they will simply swim around the fencing to get to the ducks at night.

If anyone has had any experience free-ranging ducks on their own pond, please share your successes. I don't want to just throw them out there and let them fend for themselves, because I am afraid they would just be sitting ducks (pun intended) for the bobcats, foxes, raccoons, and possums that are on my property.

 

[NA Muscovy]

I have 1 Rouen, 3 Muscoveys and 3 Peking Ducklings(still in my outside coop). I'm in SC and it will be in the 80's starting tomorrow. I keep the ducklings in my coop until they are 3 months old, then I turn them loose on my 10 acre pond. They only time that I lose ducks are when they are on a nest. They won't get off the eggs when a predator finds her and they kill them then. The rest of the time, they sleep anywhere around the pond. I saw a coyote in the backyard 3 nights ago, I kill them when I can, but with all the woods around me, I have them, foxes, coons, armadillos, snakes, etc. and I'll never get them all. Good luck

 

[chickens really]

My Pal had a pond with Ducks and Geese. It was surrounded by fence. Hawks, fox, coyotes and Ravens became issues. Once predators find the birds it's endless casualties.

 

[Isaac 0]

I am new to owning ducks, but made the plunge with 9 Rouen ducks because the wife wanted ducks for our pond. We have 1/2 pond on our property that is visible from the back porch, so she wanted to add some ducks in addition to the chickens I recently ordered from Murray McMurray.

Does anyone have any suggestions or guidance on what is the best way to care for these Rouen ducks once they become big enough to be outside full time? I am considering building a coop that I can try to corral them into every day near the water and just let them out every morning. Additionally, I am considering building a house directly on the waters edge and have some fencing go into the water to keep the majority of predators away from them. I know raccoons can swim, so I don't know if they will simply swim around the fencing to get to the ducks at night.

If anyone has had any experience free-ranging ducks on their own pond, please share your successes. I don't want to just throw them out there and let them fend for themselves, because I am afraid they would just be sitting ducks (pun intended) for the bobcats, foxes, raccoons, and possums that are on my property.

If you let them free range on the pond, expect a few losses each year, I let mine free range on my pond and I will occasionally lose one or two birds each year to predators. If snapping turtles are common in your area you might want to consider trapping them, something I have to do each year to help keep my ducks alive and well. If you're not willing to trap and kill predators around your area I suggest you make a secure fenced-in area for them.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Since you're in LA you've got snakes and gators too plus the nutria which I'll bet would love to dine on ducks. I'm in Georgia near Atlanta and a king snake got one of my ducklings at 4 weeks old. Free-ranging has lots of risks but if you're willing to take them good luck.

 

[shawn.dearie]

Luckily, we don't have any Gators on the pond. We shoot all of the snakes we see because my kids fish out there all of the time. My biggest worry is raccoons, so I think I am going to build their house right up against pond edge and extend hardware cloth about 6' into the water. Hopefully, that will discourage the majority of predators. I am working on the chicken coop now for our new flock, but I am going to quickly transition to the duck house as soon as I can. These little guys are cute, but MAN DO THEY SMELL! HA

 

[Isaac 0]

Luckily, we don't have any Gators on the pond. We shoot all of the snakes we see because my kids fish out there all of the time. My biggest worry is raccoons, so I think I am going to build their house right up against pond edge and extend hardware cloth about 6' into the water. Hopefully, that will discourage the majority of predators. I am working on the chicken coop now for our new flock, but I am going to quickly transition to the duck house as soon as I can. These little guys are cute, but MAN DO THEY SMELL! HA

Your preaching to the choir! They smell like a darn sewage plant!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I have 6 ducks that free range on my pond during the day. At night, I tempt them back in their small run that is used for eating before bed (so they won't eat and head right back out to the pond) to eat & drink, then lock them into their duck house. In the morning, I let them back out into the run for breakfast and water, then they're released back on the pond. They're duck house is on a small piece of land of sticks out (but is in no danger of flooding) in the pond, kind of like a mini peninsula. I used my daughters outgrown Step 2 play house and secured the windows and door with frames and hardware cloth and placed a lock on the door. We've only had the ducks since they hatched in August 2019 and other than the few "teenage" months when they were very difficult to get off the pond at night, they cooperate beautifully, and seem to enjoy their house. The ducks lay in the house by the time I let them out in the morning, about 15 minutes after sunrise. Right now I have 1 duck with a foot injury that we're treating, so she's kept in during the day, but then let out to swim for a little while once I get the others in for the night (she doesn't need to be on her foot so much, plus I don't want the drakes bugging her). She sleeps in a wire dog crate, which is inside the duck house, at night to minimize any of the others bothering her while she heals. I wish you and your family the very best. Ducks and chickens have been the best thing for my daughter (8 year old) and I, so I'm sure you will enjoy them. I can't see a future that doesn't include having ducks and chickens. We plan to add geese soon

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm sure you already know how messy these little cuties are, so I'll let that explain itself for the reason I don't have food and water inside the duck house.

 

[shawn.dearie]

Do you guys think this would work to keep out predators?

I am thinking of taking two 4' lengths of hardware cloth cut approx 8' long to create two cylinders that I will attach to one another and anchor in the front of my house. This cylinder will be freestanding and will extend out into the water and surround the ramp I will have from the water edge that will allow ducks to enter house.

Do you think this will reasonably limit predators, or am I wasting a lot of time and $$$.