The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: starcana on February 13, 2009, 12:58:25 pm
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My chooks are doing great - 5 eggs most days from 5 hens.
We have a long drive (third of a mile) leading to our house. Along one part of it is a (spring fed, I think) pond (about 10 feet diameter) which needs clearing as it's all clogged up with weeds etc. We plan to do this in a few weeks, maybe get a chap with a digger to make it a bit deeper. Then we want to put a couple of ducks on it. We had ducks in our previous house and I wouldn't want them near the house again as they're such messy so and sos. My question is, will I need a duck house and will I need to get them in it each night (makes the project less appealing) or will they just sleep on the pond and be fox free. Obviously there are lots of foxes round here and I lock up the chickens safely each night. Thanks for any advice. BTW it's a beautiful sunny day in south Cornwall today. Just waiting for my holiday barn guests to arrive then I'm out to do some digging around the veg patch.
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Fox will take your ducks if they come off the pond to sleep.
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Mine nest on the Island, the pond is a very large one, only time they will come in is if water starts to freeze. If they nest on the pond wont you lose your eggs?
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Just get a Floating House. They'll sleep in there, or one With the Edge of duck house in water and a Nesting box type thing on land.