[slowef]

I would love some ducks and we have a piece of pasture land away from the main house and neater flower beds!! that would be ideal to make a pond on for them.

Anyone keep ducks who can offer some general pointer on care.  

I have a small hutch.house which I can use as a night house for them.  Should it be on blocks?
Do I need to put it in an enclosure for safety at night? or put any form of barriers or netting round the pond or are they ok to go freerange
What breed would be friendly, I like Indian Runners but also pretty ones would be nice  
thanks
:-)

[WG.]

Loved my ducks when we kept them.   Put the following into priority order please to help me answer : eggs, meat, pets

[slowef]

Thanks Pets, eggs never meat!! they are to roam in my garden and have a good life.
thank you

[muntjac]

put the house on blocks or off the ground anyways to prevent rats getting in under it ... you wont need to pen them in unless you a fox problem .

if you have to ,net  the pond area off and include the shed in the  pen   area so they can free range and be protected at the same time indian runers are fine as are small call ducks include a couple of muscovies in the collection for  great eggs  and or aylesburys .

[WG.]

Ditto all of the above but I'd put Khaki Campbells top of my list for layers.  And you will get rats so be ready for them.   Good recipe here for pet-friendly rat killer. http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=2827

I bet you'll get foxes too.