What fencing do you have for the duck pen? And why?

[Learningstill]

Hi,

We are redoing our duck pen and originally we had chainlink, then poultry netting which was temporary and now we are ready for a more permanent fence.


1) We would like to know what fence do or did you use and why you use or no longer use?


2) What type of predators did the fence face and was it successful or did the predator win?


3) Do you have other animals in the pen? If so, what type and how have they faired?


4) What did you use for posts and what did you attach the fence with?


Any other helpful fence tips appreciated! Thanks.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Here is an awesome site!
http://alidoesit.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/wattle-fencing/

Takes time, but this is working well here. Trick is you just have to press down every few sticks to eliminate any gaps. Ducks will find those and escape.

 

[Learningstill]

What a beautiful fence! I wonder if I could do this with some of the fallen branches from this winter? It may not be as lovely, but better than burning them. What do you think?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

That's what I did Have much more to go, but I agree, better than burning them and certainly better than putting it out for "yard waste." My fence survived a windstorm too!

 

[DuckyGurl]

That wattle fencing is amazing! I'm going to be using hardware cloth over a wire.....I'm putting hardware cloth over absolutely everything. It's just not worth the risk to me. Expensive, yes. But knowing they are as safe as possible is worth it.

 

[Learningstill]

Is hardware cloth the most predator proof fencing? Does that hold against dogs too? What heights does that come?
Thanks.

 

[Kleonaptra]

I use a small mesh wire attached to star pickets. We attached it to an existing fence which was just crappy square wire - I thought it would be good enough but in the first two weeks a duck was taken by a fox and I believe it was through one of the holes. So I found lots of wood boards and attached it to the 'open' side that faces our paddocks so nothing can get in or out on those sides.

The other side is still just mesh attached to star pickets by wire. Its not predator proof but it is duck proof. I only use the pen itself when I want to keep them close to the coop - and for night time mine have to be locked up. They have a big shed at the moment, at my old place I used to put them in the laundry.

 

[asteele01]

Has anyone used mesh poultry netting? My husband wants to use mesh netting for our ducks but I do not feel it will keep the ducks safe or hold up as long as other fencing.

 

[Onlyducks]

I have 1 inch poultry mesh with snow fence outside it.

The waddle fence is intersesting, but if you have ducks that can climb, it won't work. I moved my Muscovy ducks last night to a new pen made with just the snow fence. It was not completely covered and incorporated trees into the pen. This morning, five out of six were outside the pen (the one inside was protecting an egg). Tonight, I am putting out the game cam and finding out how they escaped. They either climbed out or scooted under the fence. Ducks and predators have nothing else to do besides figure out how to circumvent what we owners put up to contain them!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I made a wattle fence around my melon patch, and it totally contains my ducks. I would not trust it to be predator proof, although maybe with a line of electric it could be. I love the wattle fence for ducks and will be doing lots more.