The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: JoanneB on May 31, 2019, 02:17:05 pm
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Hello, I'm looking for a wee bit of advice. We back onto the local canal and this is our only water. There's no public access but plenty of wildlife. What are the chances of me keeping a duck house on the canalside without them being taken by the fox or taking off !?! Sound ridiculous???? :)
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It could happen but unless you can own the canal, which I doubt, I guess you would have to ask permission from the council or similar owner.
Safetywise it would be unpredictable because foxes and other predators can swim, and there is little you could do to prevent predation, as in the wild. Especially if they are domesticated ducks.
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Thanks abc123. I can put a duck house on my land which borders the water side, it was more the safety of the ducks. Would you do it? Am not at home to keep an eye out.
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Ok well i dont see why you cant give it a go. I was more thinking you cant protect them from predators when in the water becuase you cant put electric fencing up or contain them could you? maybe just let them onto the canal when you can watch them?
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I would not site my duck house right on the edge of the canal. That would attract mink and rats as well as other predators. Get your ducks used to your land, ie their new home boundaries, for several weeks before you dream of letting them loose on the canal. They should come home from a swim either when you put out grain for them, or when it's bedtime. You would need to shut them in at night anyway. You are bound to lose some, but that happens with free range birds even when they can't just swim away.
My experience is with muscoveys and geese, not ordinary ducks, but my birds don't spend all that long swimming (in a pond) but go in a few times a day for a dip, then come back onto land. For the first couple of days you let them on the canal, make sure it's a weekend so you can watch them. If you are still unsure, only let them out at weekends.
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We have a brook crossing our land in a middle - my ducks and geese go swimming all the time. Obviously they are locked at night. No one can forbid them from swimming. Council won't lock them up lol
Foxes are a big problem, however I had more problems with predation on chickens - when ducks saw a fox they jumped in the water.
As I said they still have to be locked up at night which h is very easy if you feed them inside their coop every evening. My ones go inside themselves when they see me before sunset.
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I think it depends on the 'drop' to the water. Most ducks can't fly well at all so if its a drop of say 2ft they might have problems getting out of the water, especially if they were being 'chased' by a canal boat. Some duck breeds fly well though, muscovies and their crosses, so maybe it would suit them?
I would start by having a largish enclosed run and maybe a paddling pool for some time, muscovies will go broody fairly regularly over the summer so once they have chicks they'll be bonded to the place. Then once fully feathered would be the time to let them increase their boundaries and try out the canal