Making Ducks at home

Bludger · « **on:** March 28, 2008, 20:53 »

I have now made a great Duck House (if I do say so myself - made from recycled and scavanged wood). I hope to get 2 ducks at the kent Game Fair this weekend.
My garden is 60x100 foot with harthorne hedge and chicken wire all round and lots!!! of big shrubs and shade and slugs and gravel paths.
My worry is should I fence off and area initially to stop the ducks hiding and not going back in the house or will they soon learn with some gentle coaxing to go in?
I don't want to loose them the first weekend because I cannot get them back in

Wildeone · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2008, 22:41 »

I think a few days with them getting to know where home is couldn't hurt! But i am a novice :roll:

My hens had to be put in the coop on the first night but after that they just did it themselves.

dangolding · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2008, 18:46 »

When we first kept ducks the little blighters would wander off and find even the smallest hole to get through - despite their huge enclosure and lake!

As a result, we made a rabbit run for the next batch and although it seemed cruel at the time, we kept them in this run (they had plenty of space) for 10 days then we opened it up and they have stayed ever since.

We do have wild ducks come and go but our ones now seem quite content with life

pegs · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2008, 20:56 »

Hi bludger - where did you get yuor design for a duck home? Did you just come up with it yourself? Ours never used their home despite it being built specially for them and staying in it for the first week. They just slept wherever.

But now I am wondering whether the door was too small and the coop a little small as I have seen advice that ducks need lots more entry/exit space than chickens. So have plans to adapt and enlarge for the next lot of arrivals. Does anyone else know anything about this/know of any good duckhosue designs?

Cheers
pegs

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