[colliewoman]

I bet I'd have been ace at It's a knockout then
 

[robert waddell]

this might be worth the diesel to come over and spectate    only thing is i know vikki would rope me in on the roundup

[colliewoman]

It's a knockout rural style
I'm in

[tazbabe]

can i play too?

ooh, wot's the prize? 

[Sandy]

Its a case of them fooling us and us fooling them!! good luck!

[Big Light]

Long washing line/rope with triangle bits of plastic bag tied to it ( like bunting) need a post or some one on the other side of the pond use that to drive them off.

If that fails throw the kids in !!! 

[Sylvia]

Did you catch them?

[Dizzycow]

NO! AAARRRGGGHHHH! I'm definitely up for hosting It's A TAS Knockout here, whoever catches a duck gets a bottle of sloe gin! Hee hee!

Blasted things. I'm waiting for the inevitable to happen anyway, as they don't come in at night. We have a pheasant pen near us, the keeper shot 16 foxes in 3 weeks just before Christmas. (Hope that doesn't open up a can of worms, it's a business.) He thinks that we're being used as a release site, as that's an unnatural number of foxes to have in one place, particularly territorial dog foxes.  He can't believe that the ducks haven't been killed. If I sell the three which have been requested then I have a better chance of getting the other five into a house at night, eight is too many for my little duck house.

But I'll have to catch the wretched things first. I'm like a Benny Hill sketch, just add music as I chase them round and round the pond, and spring out unexpectedly from behind trees. What a waste of time, too.

[MAK]

I would defineteley play my Joker with the thick curtain whilst wearing waterproof trousers and elbow pads to cushion any falls.
I have to catch a muscovey today ( cassoulet on the menu) -  the sunken bath and little paddling pool are frozen solid so less chance of being splashed but a nasty shock if I fall thru the ice!
I will put a clock on it for you.
Martin

[lill]

Robert would love to comment on your dilemma Vikki but you will have to wait till he gets out of the bad baby corner.
Try looking for someone who has a brilliant aim, I clunked my neighbour's bantie with a piece of wood, what a lovely dinner that night 
Our first venture into sheep, it took us 3 weeks to catch the b...ards, but Robert's ingenuity and perseverance paid off.

[northfifeduckling]

good luck, Vikki! I use a large net, but even that's not easy on land...I don't envy you just now 

[darkbrowneggs]

Sorry - I missed this thread earlier. 

Do you ever feed them?

Assuming you do just make sure you feed them somewhere you can catch them.  If there is no shed or pen nearby then rig up something,  maybe some sheep hurdles or a bit of fruit netting held up with electric fencing poles. 

Feed them in there for a couple or three days without hassling them and then  close whatever gate you have rigged up and you should get them.  Maybe if they are that flighty try fruit netting round and over the pen, then when they are in you can collapse the sides and they will be netted

To drive ducks use an 8 ft bamboo cane with a duster or something tied to the end as a flag.  Work slowly so as not to alarm them     You can use 2 of these as extra long arms if necessary.

Also buy a large strong fishing net, I have a bad back and I find it useful for catching any birds.

I too can't stand noisy ducks but the two breeds I have now are both nice and quiet  Cayuga and Miniature Apricot Crested 

Both types are reasonable egg layers, and the spare males are good quality.  I particularly like the Crested Apricot as they will work round the garden on slug patrol duties and seem to do very little damage.

[Dizzycow]

Robert would love to comment on your dilemma Vikki but you will have to wait till he gets out of the bad baby corner.



Ha ha! What has he done, Lillian? Naughty Robert?! 

[Sandy]

WOuldn't mind some ducks again especialy as we got one of our guest to dig a huge pond out for them!!!!! It used to be funny seeing my husband running up the garden in my pink dressing gown with duck food early in the morning just to shut them up from thie quack quack quack  etc....they were very pretty though and I did love thier charactors except the male would try to get his way with the chickens all the time......

We did have a patterdale cross lakeland terrier and he got loose in a park once and the only way I caught  him was to lay down on the grass,.....to the amusement of others I am sure!!!!    Children seem better at catching them then us adults..

[northfifeduckling]

What happened to yours, Sandy? I must have missed that somehow....nice to see you're posting back on here